PrintUnion Square Falafel Battle: Maoz, Pita Joe, Moshe's, and Rainbow
Lately, I've had falafel on the brain. With good reason, I might add. There are few things on this earth more seriously delicious than crisp, nutty, and well-seasoned balls of fried chickpea. In the last couple of months, I have eaten falafel all over New York and have come to one inescapable conclusion: Union Square has become the epicenter of falafel activity in this berg.
You may be surprised at that claim. When I first came to New York after college (I don't even want to tell you when that was, but I will tell you that Boss Tweed was no longer in power), Greenwich Village was where it was at in New York, falafel-wise. There, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and many other stoned folkies satisfied their munchy cravings at Mamoun's, which opened in 1971. And yes, Brooklyn has no shortage of fine falafelaterias (I know it's not a word), especially in Borough Park and Midwood. But now between Rainbow Falafel & Shawarma, Maoz, Pita Joe, and the Moshe's Falafel truck parked at 18th and Fifth Avenue, there's a fried ball of chickpea deliciousness just about anywhere you wander in the Union Square area.
So whose falafel in Union Square reigns supreme? One snowy day the Serious Eaters endeavored to find out.
Maoz
I know that Maoz is a Europe-based chain, but damn, the falafel there is mighty tasty. Its balls of crunchy fried goodness are helped immeasurably by the excellent whole wheat pita, cilantro sauce, and Maoz's fine Middle Eastern salad bar. I'm partial to the carrot salad and the pickled baby eggplant. Using the quality of the falafel balls, pita, and fixins' as yardsticks of falafel excellence, Maoz is top falafel in Union Square.
38 Union Square East, New York NY 10003 (b/n 16th Street and 17th Street; map); 212-260-1988; maozusa.com; Cost: $4.95 for a falafel sandwich (includes salad bar toppings); Grade: A-
Pita Joe
Pita Joe fancies themselves as the schnitzel sandwich kings (its tagline is, "Have you had your schnitzel today?"), but I think the falafel sandwich is the tastiest item they sell. The falafel balls are made with coarsely ground organic chickpeas (but are they local?) and a secret spice mix owner Erez Cohen refused to divulge. Interestingly, where Pita Joe's falls short is its pedestrian organic housemade pita. You figure if you put "pita" in your name, the pita would be special and distinctive. Pita Joe's pita tastes and looks store-bought. Props also to Pita Joe's for its killer lemonade. The raspberry lemonade is the best, and the mango and mint varieties aren't far behind.
2 West 14th Street, New York NY 10011 (SW corner of Fifth Avenue; map); 212-627-7877; pitajoe.com; Cost: $6.35 for a whole pita sandwich; Grade: B+
Rainbow Falafel & Shawarma
Rainbow Falafel & Shawarma is the classic, ungentrified Union Square falafel joint. It's just a storefront with no seating, but the family-run operation turns out an ultra-crisp, ultra-dark falafel, made according to the printed menu of chickpeas, parsley, fresh garlic, onions, and spices. The pita is unremarkable, and though the chicken shawarma looks mighty inviting on its spit, it was bone-dry the last time I tried it.
26 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003 (b/n Fifth Avenue and Broadway; map); 212-691-8641; Cost: $3.50 for a falafel sandwich; Grade: B
Moshe's Falafel
Midtown falafel lovers might know the Moshe's Falafel truck from its 45th Street and Sixth Avenue location but their second falafel truck started parking in Union Square six months ago. The folks are super-friendly (the man in charge gave a massive free falafel ball to Robyn while we waited for our sandwich to be made), and the aforementioned falafel balls are as big as a cannonball, but alas, the golden brown balls were bland and slightly mealy. Nonetheless, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for a Moshe's falafel sandwich.
Fifth Avenue and 17th Street (NE Corner), New York, NY 10003 (map); Cost: $4.95 for an oversized sandwich; Grade: B-
Final Thoughts
If Maoz represents the best the Union Square neighborhood has to offer falafel-wise, the next question is how Maoz would fare in a falafel smackdown with the West Village's Taim, or the Financial Distict's Alfanoose, or Hell's Kitchen's Azuri Cafe. Now that's falafel for thought. What say you, Serious Eaters?
Read more of Ed's reviews.
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32 Comments:
What about chickpea (or what is now called Tahini, chickpea may have moved to 3rd ave)? They have really great fluffy pitas and the falafel isn't bad either.
luxie at 11:06PM on 02/03/09
multiple spellings of "Moshe's" here... might want to check that out.
Whitney at 11:10PM on 02/03/09
there's one more... can't think of the name of it but it's on 12th street, next door to japonica. it's glatt kosher and they sell shawarma as well. it's pretty good, but i like maoz the best of all the places you mentioned.
cybercita at 11:13PM on 02/03/09
I have to agree about Maoz. I've been going to the Upper West Side location since it opened, and everything about it is great (except the awkward seating arrangement). I work near Azuri in Hell's Kitchen, and it does give Maoz a run for the money. All in all, I narrowly prefer Maoz because of its salad bar, but the pickles Azuri uses are fantastic... if only Maoz could add those to its bar!
phantomgourmand at 11:21PM on 02/03/09
Have always been a fan of Rainbow but will have to check out Maoz next time. What about Chickpea? Or has it disappeared?
izzy's mama at 11:32PM on 02/03/09
@Whitney: Thanks, they've all be changed to Moshe's.
Robyn Lee at 12:36AM on 02/04/09
the falafel at Nargila Grill are very good ~ they make the most incredible fresh baked laffa bread ~ a falafel sandwich with everything includes hummus, tahini, israeli salad & french fries
petitesoeur at 12:38AM on 02/04/09
maoz is great--the salad/topping bar is a huge plus. taim is also excellent--the pita that accompanies their dishes is great. it has that israeli spice (the name of which escapes me) on it which makes it super tasty. taim also has more variety in terms of their falafel: there's the regular, green, and red (spicy).
hungrygirl at 12:54AM on 02/04/09
I would still go with Mamoun's (but the newer one in St. Mark's Pl)
Tandergad at 1:11AM on 02/04/09
I don't really understand the "Europe-based" ding at the beginning of the Maoz review...falafel is by far one of the most popular street foods in Amsterdam (where Maoz is from). I mean, yes, you can get some unbelievably crappy falafel here, but...then there's Maoz.
markemorse at 4:31AM on 02/04/09
When I worked in the area, Rainbow was a staple, at least 3 lunches out of the week. I was always tempted to try Maoz, but the truth of the matter is, its a dollar fifty more than what they're serving at Rainbow, and not only are Raindbow's sandwiches huge, fresh and delicious, but the people that run the place couldn't be nicer.
JudgeFudge at 8:53AM on 02/04/09
Check out Pita Grill in Hell's Kitchen... I love Maoz's veggie bar, but Pita Grill's falafel is WAY better!
NewtoNewYork at 9:46AM on 02/04/09
Azuri Cafe's falafel is probably the best I've had in NYC... but if you are going to take into account pickle bars or bread, Olympic Pita in Midtown has to be in consideration.
Zach Brooks at 9:50AM on 02/04/09
Man, these look great. I wish i knew where to get decent falafel in Baltimore!
valser at 9:54AM on 02/04/09
My aunt and uncle live in Union Square and I lived with them for a time, but I still manage to find myself there constantly. And yet somehow, Rainbow went unnoticed by me until quite recently. Still have to try it. Maoz is far superior Pita Joe in my opinion, and while I haven't tried Moshe's downtown location, I thought the midtown truck was pretty good (certainly a bargain!) To me, the gem of Maoz is really the veggie bar, but it's still a damn good falafel. My personal Maoz record is four times in one week. It can't hold a candle to Taim, but I recently tried Mamoun's for the first time and was kind of underwhelmed, frankly.
Chickpea, in my opinion, SUCKS. Not to be toooo harsh, but I'm sorry, those falafels are baked, an insult to falafels everywhere!
sarahlucy at 9:55AM on 02/04/09
I agree with sarahlucy. Once Chickpea went to baked, they were dead to me.
ESNY1077 at 9:58AM on 02/04/09
Chickpea still bakes their falafel? I thought they switched back... is the one by St. Mark's Place still considered a Chickpea chain even with the different name?
Great falafel round-up post. For a chain, Maoz is surprisingly delicious all the time. Would be nice to see more falafel comparisons from other spots around in the city!
Emily Koh at 10:44AM on 02/04/09
I think that the $3.50 falafel from Rainbow is a better value than the slightly better $4.95 falafel from Maoz. But neither compares to Cafe Azuri. The consistency and crispness of Azuri's falafel, the variety, selection and care used to add the various salads and vegetables to the sandwich and the pita that has structural integrity while still being soft and tasty all combine to make it the best falafel sandwich I've had in NYC.
andrewr at 10:56AM on 02/04/09
@valser: Drive to DC and go to Amsterdam Falafel on 18th St. in Adams Morgan - great falafel, a delicious salad/condiment bar, really good fries with mayo, and cheap. I'm in NYC and I miss it!
eating out at 10:57AM on 02/04/09
Dylan was out of the Village by '65. I doubt he ever went to Mamoun's. It's nice to think though!
DanielJ at 11:40AM on 02/04/09
Zach, I agree - Olympic is another falafel joint I'm guilty of visiting three times in a week...the laffa is effing incredible.
sarahlucy at 12:01PM on 02/04/09
After my own unscientific taste tests, I think the actual falafel ball at Rainbow is better than Maoz's. Crunchy, complex, delicious. That being said, Rainbow's fragile pita (read: messy fingers) and tasteless light-pink tomatoes can't hold a candle to the topping bar (load up on garlic sauce!) and whole wheat pita at Maoz, so I wind up there much more often.
cupcakelust at 1:27PM on 02/04/09
No love for the falafel carts? Ive never perused beyond there actually, maybe thats why I dont like falafel. Ill try some of these places out, heading to U Sq this weekend!
TheUE at 1:40PM on 02/04/09
Do you have the deep fried cauliflower at the Maozs in NY? That's my favourite thing to add!
sulin at 2:22PM on 02/04/09
I've seen the Moshe's truck on 6th Ave around 19th St. a few times this past month. Don't know if that was a temporary location or what. There's a Chickpea also on 6th Ave by 22nd St. Both are on the east side of 6th Ave. Not quite Union Square, tho.
Maoz does have the caramelized cauliflower, and it's excellent!
drmoze at 9:44PM on 02/04/09
In a citywide contest? Taim for sure.
piccola at 11:14PM on 02/04/09
Firstly, I don't HATE anything, I wasn't raised that way..I have grown to HATE the Eagles, and I have absolutely no truck with Cauliflour..what a foul foul thing to put anywhere near a plate, let alone Felafel. If you aren't going to make it yourself, I highly recommend Southernmost Felafel out of Key West, I know, it's far away from the bouroughs, but Louie has been on Grateful Dead Tour since 1989 selling his Balls, "Felafel Today, Feel Better Tomorrow!!", and he ain't lyin. He's on Festie tour now, and for $7 a pop, which I Understand is PRICEY, it cannot be beat. Admittedly I'm a bit of a snob, and I make my own when I can't go on tour, but it is tedious to make, the results though are fabulous. An Egyptian man taught me many moons ago how to make it, and really...chick peas, (lima beans if you hail from Jordan area), garlic, coriander...not too difficult..and YUM. Reading about "baked" balls, and carrots, and Cauliflour kinda makes me wonder WTF? is going on up there...Pita, Hummus, Teziki (sp?) and some SRIRACHA...to complement the Balls..it just doesn't get any better or simpler. Freakin cauliflour. For @#$!% sake.
shownotes at 9:37AM on 02/06/09
Near Union Square is Murray's Falafel & Grill at 261 First Avenue. We take it back to the office and everyone enjoys it. However no one here is a falafel maven, so we're curious to what others think and should we try Maoz. FYI, except for Murray himself, the ambiance is zero but the food is quite good for the type of place.
restomax at 7:47PM on 02/06/09
Did anyone watch the Bobby Flay Throwdown at Taïm?? He won...which is absolutely absurd. I can't imagine anyone's falafel balls beating Taïm!
CafePhine at 12:30AM on 02/08/09
We first had Maoz in Barcelona...I haven't been to the NY Maoz but the fries at their Barcelona locations made it a favorite for us. Fried chickpeas plus fried potatoes = heaven.
nithya at hungrydesi at 11:39PM on 02/08/09
Maoz veggie bar is awesome (that broccoli!) but I don't think any place can beat the ingredient-driven Taim.
DaniD at 3:07PM on 02/16/09
kind of a late post here, but holy cow... Maoz is just about the worst falafel I've ever tried. How could it be any worse? Did someone actually mention Chickpea? They're the all-time worst.
Rainbow is a standard by which all falafel should be judged -- classic and excellent. City wide, Alfanoose, Mamoun's, Azuri, Olympic (in Midwood) and Taim are all fantastic. Comparing a place like Maoz to those spots is sort of like comparing Pizza Hut to Gruppo, or Taco Bell to Pinche... inconceivable. I say no more chains, European or not. Let's not let NYC turn into a suburban mall.
justcook at 11:27AM on 05/12/09