PrintBest Falafel in New York
Photograph from Robyn Lee on Flickr
A couple of weeks ago, before Robyn skipped town to frolic in Bologna she told me that she was going to dinner with friends to a place, which she announced had the best falafel in New York. I'm supposed to be Mr. New York Eats, I thought to myself. How could our Robyn, barely old enough to legally drink, know where to find the best falafel in New York when I didn't. So after Robyn left town I hightailed it down to her choice for falafel superiority, which turned out to be little more than a kitchen and six stools (there's also a bench outside for the inevitable overflow).
At Taim (Hebrew for delicious) they have three different falafel flavors; tradtional green, seasoned with parsley, cilantro, and mint; red, made with roasted red pepper, and harissa, a mildly spicy variety made with the red Tunisian pepper paste (or sauce). On the day I went they also had Porcini mushroom falafel. I asked if I could have the mixed falafel platter made with all four falafel flavors available that day. The woman behind the counter said that I could, but it would cost $10.50 (instead of the usual $9.50). I would describe the service at Taim as grudgingly cooperative. The falafel platters are served with hummous, tabouli, and Israeli salad. I asked if we could substitute another side dish for the Israeli salad. I opted for the carrots, which were crunchy, ingeniously spiced, and delicious. The falafel were superb, crunchy outside, tender inside, and full of spicy flavor. Even the porcini falafel worked, though I wished they had a more pronounced porcini flavor. The side order of fries, highly touted by both Robyn and the people working at Taim, were wan, limp and not crisp at all. I washed my falafel down with a refreshing glass of housemade ginger mint lemonade.
Robyn was right, I said to myself. She's 22, just graduated from college, and she knew where to find the best falafel in New York when I didn't. I take solace in the fact that she was wrong about the french fries, at least the only time I had them.
Taim
222 Waverly Place (just west of Seventh Avenue)
New York, NY
Ph: 212-691-1287
I was going to list my other favorite falafel joints in New York, but then I discovered this fine list from 2003 from Robin and Rob from New York Magazine. Amazingly, they're all still open. In fact, Olympic Pita now has two more locations, 58 W. 38th St. (bet. 5th and 6th Aves.), ph: 866-659-7482 (PITA), and an express location at 21 E. 12th Street (bet. University and Fifth) 212-924-4433.
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23 Comments:
Is Miriam's Still open? They have it listed on 46th & 6th, but I have not been able to find it anywhere. Did she move somewhere else? Does anbody know?
Zach Brooks at 9:56AM on 09/17/07
Admitting this totally blows your credibility with Cutlets, you know.
Adam Kuban at 12:01PM on 09/17/07
Zach, you might be right about Miriam's. I walked by that corner last week or the week before, when I had the mini-chicken roll, and Miriam's was not there. I just thought they had sold out and gone home for the day.
Ed Levine at 12:56PM on 09/17/07
that's a bummer... for minute you got me very excited.
Zach Brooks at 4:42PM on 09/17/07
Also, Alfanoose has moved. It's now at 8 Maiden Lane between Broadway and Nassau.
Hadaly at 5:17PM on 09/17/07
Thanks, Hadaly. Is the falafel just as good?
Ed Levine at 5:23PM on 09/17/07
Ed,
You must , must, must, visit the Falafel Nazi at Cafe Azuri - 464 west 51st street.
farkon at 5:29PM on 09/17/07
Falafel is very good at Alfanoose--but I heart the kofta kebab. It makes working in the Financial District almost tolerable..
dbdtron at 5:30PM on 09/17/07
I second the vote for Cafe Azuri.
jamieforrest at 5:33PM on 09/17/07
I've been to Cafe Azuri, and I do really like the falafel there, but I always get a schwarma plattter and have the unfriendly owner throw in a couple of falafel balls.
Ed Levine at 5:40PM on 09/17/07
I used to like Moishe's, a supersized food cart on 45th just east of Sixth Ave., but I haven't been there in a year or so. Anybody been recently?
Ed Levine at 5:47PM on 09/17/07
All this falafel/schwarma/kebab talk means I need to make a trip to the city on my next day off!
ride&cook at 6:32PM on 09/17/07
Alfanoose probably is my favorite falafel in the city. Pretty much everything else I've tried there is great as well.
Echoing dbdtron, Alfanoose really is one of the rare things that makes working in the FiDi bearable.
Hadaly at 12:50PM on 09/18/07
The amazing thing about Taim is that the smoothies are even better than the carrot salad and the falafel - especially the date/lime/banana and strawberry/raspberry/Thai basil.
jeneb at 2:34PM on 09/18/07
Ed, I like what you've done with the place.
dougcress at 3:44PM on 09/18/07
Moishe's is pretty popular here in Midtown, but I'm not a huge fan. I think their falafel balls are dry, and they have these giant signs for french fries (a mainstay of Israeli falafel vendors), but don't have an option where they will put them into the sandwich for you. Very disappointing. You are much better off at the Kwik Meal cart, IMHO.
Actually, another good falafel choice in that area is Kosher Deluxe on 45th btw. 5+6th. The falafel is average, but included in the $4.50 price is a small plate that you are allowed to fill at their pickled veggies bar. Amazing!
Zach Brooks at 10:20AM on 09/19/07
Yay, I'm glad I could introduce you to a place you hadn't been to before, seeing as you've done the same for me and a gajillion other people. ;D
I'm glad the falafel pleased you, but too bad about the fries! I don't think they could've been the same ones I had...cos mine were crisp and yummy. I would've remembered if they were limp because a part of my soul would've died. Then again, it's all about the falafel. Yeeah. Mm.
Now I must continue to frolic.
roboppy at 10:52AM on 09/19/07
Moaz on Union Square is easily the best falafel in the city.... hands down.
ForkNewYork at 9:45AM on 09/20/07
I have never eaten at Moaz here. I did have a really good falafel at a Moaz in Barcelona.
Ed Levine at 10:12AM on 09/20/07
Moaz is very good, but I would argue that what makes them stand out isn't their falafel but their salad choices.
jamieforrest at 10:02AM on 09/21/07
Cafe Azuri is amazing and Ezra, the owner is very nice if you are nice to him.
The felafel is fantastic, as is the hummos. The chicken shish kebab plate is divine, the salads are sparkling fresh and the baklava is a wonderful way to end the meal, not too sweet, crispy and full of pistachios or walnuts.
The premises are stark to say the least but Ezra's food is memorable
rifbat at 7:10PM on 02/28/08
My hands down favorite is Naomi's Kosher Pizza and Falafel in Flushing. I've been eating that stuff since I was 8 years old and in the twenty years since then, I have yet to find a better falafel. And their pizza is pretty damn good, too.
Although Maoz does give them a run for their money.
charm city cupcake at 5:01PM on 03/20/08
FAMOUS MAMOONS NYC SHUT DOWN FOR LAST FOUR DAYS BY HEALTH DEPARTMENT !!!!!!!!!
To my suprise one of my favorite places to get great falalfel in Manhattan Famaous Mamoons (119 MacDougal St) in the village was closed by the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH with BIG YELLOW SIGNS ON THE DOOR -CLOSED UNTILL FURTHER NOTICE DO NOT ENTER BY THE ORDER OF THE HEALTH COMMISIONER ! For the last four days since 6/26/08 the health department has shut the place down. I arrived on 6/30/08 to find the inspectors crawling all over the place with the owner there it seemed he was argiuing with the inspectors the workers who work inside were outside starring at the front doors from across the street. When I asked what was the reason the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CLOSED the place down every one went hush and would not give me an answer. I made a special trip into the city and there were people there who traveled as far as Florida who came into the city just to eat at Mamoons. This place has been around for 35 years + and just my luck I was starving and craved a great Falafel. Falafel & Shwarma are made at the right price at this place. Any one out there have a clue as to whats going on. Four days seems a long time to shut a resturant down unless the place is a serious health code violation. Anyone have any info on this one? I did notice one of the inspectors had the required CPR kit laying on the table and was taking numerous notes and writing reports.
Please post
firechase01 at 5:24PM on 06/30/08