It seems like ages ago that we were all able to hop over to our closest super (supermarket), makolet (convenience store), shuk (open-market), yarkan (greengrocer), maadania (delicatessen)…you name it. Well, times have changed (at least for now) and online grocery delivery is where it’s at. Sure, we always had online delivery options and many people used them on a weekly basis. But with COVID-19 and so many people in quarantine, or simply trying to avoid going out, online grocery delivery is the new normal. In fact, Israelis have been ordered to stay at home for everything except buying groceries /supplies, medicine, and a very few other permitted activities - meaning online delivery services have hugely expanded, but are also very busy, and wait times can be long.
Please note that due to quarantine conditions, all grocery delivery services will either call to inform you they are nearby (make sure you have a working phone number) and leave the packages at the entrance to your building, or just outside your door.
If you’ve already stocked up on groceries but would like to support some small local businesses, check out our tour spots still delivering or our recommendations for produce delivery services!
Here are some online grocery shopping options for your Israeli quarantine:
Wolt
Wolt is one of the best things to hit the Tel Aviv food scene in a long time, even pre-quarantine. This independent food delivery service picks up orders from the best restaurants (currently in Tel Aviv and a few other cities in Israel - not yet in Jerusalem) and delivers them to your doorstep. This means all kinds of restaurants who did not previously offer delivery (or did so in limited areas) are now able to feed Tel Aviv foodies with groceries! The app is super user-friendly, especially for English speakers who may struggle with other delivery options.. The couriers of Wolt have been life-savers during this tough time and have just introduced an especially great option given the fact that delivery services are taking weeks - Wolt x Yellow! Yellow is the little gas station convenience store located next to Paz gas stations - you’d think nothing special, but they are now offering delivery from Wolt, meaning your order will arrive within an hour.. This is an especially great option if you are running low on just a few supplies in between an order from one of the grocery chains, or need something urgently like milk, eggs or even tomatoes. Download the Wolt app (USE THE CODE DELICIOUS20 to get a 20 shekel discount off of your first order).
Shufersal
Shufersal is Israel’s largest chain of supermarkets and can be found all over the country. They’ve been doing deliveries for a long time but have massively expanded their delivery services given the current situation. Shufersal carries all the Israeli supermarket staples and then some, and their online shop also includes things like electronics, home furniture and cosmetics, making them a one-stop shop in these tough times. The online ordering is only available in Hebrew, but with Google Translate from your browser, you can get by to place your order.
Unfortunately, with so much of the country under lockdown, online deliveries can take as long as two weeks. This is a great option if you can get by on smaller purchases until your big order arrives. If you are still able to head outside and get groceries, you should also know that given the current situation, Shufersal has extended the hours at some of its stores (midweek - all their stores are closed on Shabbat) until 12:00AM, 2:00AM or even 24 hours! You can find the list here.
Yeinot Bitan
Yeinot Bitan is another large Israeli supermarket chain with hundreds of large stores across Israel - including some very organized and spacious (almost reminiscent of America!) stores outside of Tel Aviv. While not as ubiquitous as Shufersal, Yeinot Bitan is actually our pick for expats and olim in Israel who are not entirely comfortable in Hebrew. They are the one of only a few stores to have full English-language grocery ordering! It isn’t perfect, but it’s a great start. Like Shufersal, they deliver across the country.
Tiv Tam
Tiv Tam is known for carrying non-Kosher products and for being open on Shabbat and every Jewish holiday except for Yom Kippur. For olim and expats who do not keep Kosher, they are also a reliable place to find some staples that aren’t as common in Israeli supermarkets, like American salad dressings, baking mixes and even canned black beans! Prices tend to be slightly higher than other grocery stores because of the cost of remaining open on Shabbat and holidays, as well as hard-to-find products. In addition to non-Kosher meat, they have a great selection of imported cheeses that are less common in the average Israeli grocery store. Like other online grocery stores, they have expanded. Tiv Tam’s website is available in Hebrew, English and Russian.
AM:PM (Tel Aviv)
If you’ve been in Tel Aviv for more than five minutes (let’s be realistic, even less), you’ll have encountered an AM:PM. This favorite convenience store is known for somehow having everything in its small stores. They are also known for having the fastest delivery service in the city - most orders would be completed within 2 hours pre-quarantine. Now they may take a few days, but wait times are still significantly shorter than the large supermarket chains.
Most are stores open 24 hours, with some closing at 23:00. They offer deliveries in Tel Aviv, Givatayim and Ramat Gan, which are free for overs of 300 NIS or more. Website has some English options. a special Kosher for Passover section and even has a cute ‘quarantine’ section for staples like bottled water and pasta.
More Options
Rami Levy: one of Israel’s largest supermarket chains. Prices tend to be lower than average.
Machsanei HaShuk: available in some large cities around the country.
Quik: in simpler times, this is known for being one of the faster grocery delivery services. They have slowed down with demand but are still reliable.
