I open and operate restaurants because I love food. 

I love the sounds of cooking and eating:

Jacques Brel in my mom's kitchen.

The crackling noise of slicing bread.

The slurping of broth. The sizzling, searing, chewing, mmming, gulping, and the rest of dining onomatopoeia … 

I love the olfactory experience of food:  the intoxicating smell of hearth-baked bread at Olio in the morning, and the unforgettable aroma of fried falafel at Mizrahi, which seems to be omnipresent in my small home town of Ness Ziona.  Or shawarma down the street at Shemesh or burekas at Sami's or hamin on Saturday mornings.  But also the transporting scents of a spice shops, the overpowering stench of fish markets, abattoirs, and sausage factories.  And masochistically-- the intolerable odor of some cheeses and ferments. 

I love the theater of cooking and eating.  I love the gathering around a table or kitchen island, or by the grill. 

Not a single experience is more deep-rooted in me than Shabbat dinner at my aunt and uncle (Aliza and Albert): an endless feast of aromas, tastes, colors, and textures.  It is a sensory overload in which the very meaning of being is revealed: the human act of elevating mere sustenance into an artful expression.

I am profoundly inspired by our food community.

Our purveyors, farmers, artisans, fellow chefs and restaurateurs, and our seasoned and curious diners. 

I love the cultural diversity of our community.  And I love learning about food cultures.

I feel blessed and honored to be a part of this world.

— Ben

Retail

Our retail spaces showcase what we love most in life. Enjoy our cafe menu and discover curated groceries, wines, cigars, and gifts at AO&Co. Explore our in-house goods from our Feinschmeickers line, and visit The Commissary to shop a beautiful selection of pre-loved home accessories.

AO&Co

Curated Market & Cafe

Deli divine market

Grab-and-go Market & Deli

Feinschmeckers

Ben Poremba’s Private Label