The Iraqi Shuk by Day: The Quiet Corner of Mahane Yehuda

Inside all the noise of Mahane Yehuda Market there is one corner that runs at a different speed. This is the Iraqi Shuk.

The alleys are narrower, it is far quieter, and some of the businesses here have worked the same way for decades. This is the part of the market to walk through slowly.

Azura — cooking since 1952

There is no better place to start than Azura, at 4 HaEshkol Street.

The restaurant opened in the early 1950s and still cooks over paraffin burners today. The kubbeh in all its versions, the sofrito, the Turkish eggplant and the hummus are the classics.

Watch the hours: it opens in the morning and closes in the afternoon, and on Fridays about an hour before Shabbat begins.

The hidden spice stalls

Small spice stalls hide between the restaurants. This is where you buy spice blends, herbs and dried fruit, and the smell carries the whole length of the alley.

It is also the place to talk to the sellers. Many of them are second and third generation, and they have stories.

Traditional bakeries

The Iraqi Shuk holds a handful of veteran bakeries turning out breads, bourekas and pastries from old recipes. Look for the small, tucked-away ones — that is where the best baking is.

Small shops and things you will not see anywhere else

Beyond food, there are small shops here selling housewares, handmade work and local products. Each one is a world of its own, and a good place to find a souvenir that is actually real.

When to come

• Midday is the good window: the restaurants are working, and the atmosphere is calmer than the busy hours of the main market.
• Come with patience. This is not a part of the market you rush through.
• Ask, and taste. Most of the discoveries here happen through a conversation with the stallholder.