Ras Rehb’s Tirza wine bar marks four years with a sharper focus on wine

Tirza, the wine bar from the OCD group in Tel Aviv, is celebrating its fourth anniversary. In a conversation at the venue, chef Ras Rehb and partner Erez Zuars reflected on how the place has evolved since opening after the pandemic, and on what still guides it: wine first, food second.

Rehb says the concept was built around the idea that “not every wine bar is a gastro bar, but every gastro bar is also a wine bar.” At Tirza, he explained, the food is designed to accompany wine rather than compete with it. That means more acidity, less heat, and fewer dominant spices. Some guests even complain the dishes taste too sour, but Rehb said that is intentional because the menu is meant to support the wine, not stand alone.

The menu is shaped through ongoing dialogue, especially with the group’s longtime sommelier Aviv Hagag, and through trial and error. Many dishes have been reduced into smaller bites to better suit wine drinking, including a kugel that was changed from a large plated portion to a finger food version, with finger lime replacing caviar so “the wine” can be the star. The kitchen also keeps a rotating selection of larger dishes, such as steak, seasonal fish, and pork. Tirza recently added Friday brunch, which has settled into a loyal crowd of regulars.

The bar now operates with a handwritten daily menu, a wide and changing by-the-glass wine list, bottles, and even half-glasses. Rehb said he prefers ordering by the glass, because it lets diners pair several wines with several bites. Located at 3 Hahulatsim Street in Tel Aviv, Tirza is open Sunday to Thursday from 18:00 to 00:00 and Friday from 10:00 to 16:30. The partners say the next stage may involve moving the venue to the original location they had once planned, but they are keeping that plan secret for now.