Best falafel
A falafel pita from Pita Palace. Photo: Gene Lee
YOUR PICKS
1. Pita Palace
You say, “Pita Palace has a serve-yourself toppings bar that is yummy” and “It reminds me a lot of Maoz which is the best ever, but not in Atlanta.”
2. Falafel King
3. Ali Baba
4. Hovan Gourmet
5. Café Agora
OUR PICKS
1. Mediterranean Bakery
The AJC dining team’s specialist in International Cuisine Gene Lee says, “After the first few bites, I immediately knew the falafel at Mediterranean Bakery was my top choice. They are a tad larger than my other four selections and also are the lightest in color. The nutty, crunchy exterior crackles against your teeth, and the steamy interior reveals balanced flavors of chickpea and cumin with just a hint of perfume from coriander. This is the ultimate falafel.”
2. Café Agora
3. Hovan Gourmet
4. Pita Palace
5. O U for U
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122 comments Add your comment
kevin
July 25th, 2011
11:10 am
Star Provisions. It’s not traditional, but it’s the best I’ve ever had.
Garbanzo Guy
July 25th, 2011
12:24 pm
Falafel King and Mediterranean Grill near Emory are a tie. Different takes on the taste and texture of falafel, both addictive.
Alexa Kravitz
July 25th, 2011
12:30 pm
Falafel King. I ate on every week of my freshmen year and it was the first falafel I really liked.
Maya
July 25th, 2011
2:06 pm
I know that it may seem almost blasphemous to nominate a food court find, but there is no denying that Hovan at Perimeter Mall makes a darn good falafel. It’s certainly my favorite in the city, and I’ve tried many of the buzzed-about falafel places. Mediterranean Bakery on Chamblee-Tucker would be second on my list.
Pam
July 25th, 2011
2:42 pm
Cafe Agora!!!! Hands down
J
July 25th, 2011
3:37 pm
PIta Palace and Moshe’s authentic Israeli
ben
July 25th, 2011
3:38 pm
There was an Iraqi gentleman in Avondale Estates on College Ave (next to current Our Way Cafe). His falafel were incredible… Light, crisp, succulent… Best i’ve eaten. Wish I knew where he went.
Andria
July 25th, 2011
3:42 pm
Hovan in Perimeter Mall! And they’re darn proud of it, too.
Gooch
July 25th, 2011
3:49 pm
Mezza on Lavista Road……fanstastic.
Last Word
July 25th, 2011
3:50 pm
Nicola’s at Briarcliff and LaVista.
Best eastern Mediterranean cuisine in town!
Order the Mezza & sample!
Amazing!
ANDRE HYLTON
July 25th, 2011
3:53 pm
Jerusalem Bakery Son, best middle eastern food in Atlanta.
kevin
July 25th, 2011
4:03 pm
Nicola’s is quite good too. As is Ali Baba’s.
Emily
July 25th, 2011
4:09 pm
Cafe Posh on Roswell Rd (just ITP) – amazing, amazing falafel’s and everything else!
Shannon
July 25th, 2011
4:11 pm
Being both very busy and chronically ill, I’m a fan of delivery. Chris’s Pizza does a pretty good falafel and delivers it to my door–so I’m a fan of them.
Michelle
July 25th, 2011
4:12 pm
Pita Palace
koko
July 25th, 2011
4:17 pm
Ali Baba in L5P. hands down.
Avi
July 25th, 2011
4:19 pm
mar1jdh
July 25th, 2011
4:20 pm
OU for U (Hammond and PT-Dunwoody). Authentic, cheap and best of all delicious.
nancy
July 25th, 2011
4:24 pm
Olive Bistro – best I’ve ever eaten. Very moist and tender. Yummmm
John
July 25th, 2011
4:31 pm
Sababa on N.Peachtree. Always hot, crispy and moist. As good as any I’ve had here in town or NYC for that matter. Pared with his fresh hummus…awesome.
Helen
July 25th, 2011
4:32 pm
Cafe Agora has the best falafel and mezze in the city! We love them!
Nicola Fan
July 25th, 2011
4:33 pm
Nicola’s has the best middle eastern food by far. Lawrence’s or Mezza has excellent falafel.
Ash
July 25th, 2011
4:40 pm
Ali Baba’s has the best falafel I have ever eaten. It’s the perfect combination of a crispy outer layer and moist, tender inside. Never greasy, never dry. Tastes great room temperature or warmed up. Star Provision’s falafel wrap is also quite tasty; however the actual falafel itself is best at Ali Baba’s.
John
July 25th, 2011
4:40 pm
Sorry for the wrong street…Sababa on N. Shallowford.
Mary
July 25th, 2011
4:46 pm
“Falafel King and Mediterranean Grill near Emory are a tie.”
I agree. I think Falafel King wins by a nose because their sauces are so good.
Spavin
July 25th, 2011
4:47 pm
Cafe Agora in B’head!
Big Doc
July 25th, 2011
4:49 pm
Ali Baba’s has the best falafel. Downtown Atlanta, You must try their food. Great ppl over there
Mark K
July 25th, 2011
4:53 pm
I’ll go w\ Hovan @ Perimeter Mall.
JR Ledger
July 25th, 2011
4:55 pm
Without a doubt: OU for U has the best and most reasonable prices! You cannot go wrong!
JIMBOB (aka James Robert)
July 25th, 2011
5:15 pm
Cafe Sababa is really good. When you’re there, you’re family(!)
Have heard good things about Pita Palace. As long as it’s freshly made, not buried in thick hummus, I’m generally pretty happy.
Mel
July 25th, 2011
5:19 pm
Basil Wraps in Marietta is great, and you won’t meet nicer people than the owners.
Kbo
July 25th, 2011
5:19 pm
I have been loving Makara’s on Roswell Rd. in Sandy Springs. I agree with some others that the secret is to have the falafel freshly fried, which Makara’s does. Plus they have a really great consistent quality.
falafel connisour
July 25th, 2011
5:20 pm
heavenly cafe next to gsu!!!
Michael Maguire
July 25th, 2011
5:32 pm
Falafel Republic makes a great packaged falafel that can be heated up in 25 seconds in the microwave. It can be purchased at BJ’s. I bought my package in Cumming.
Joe
July 25th, 2011
5:35 pm
Any TGIF (This Can’t Be Falafel!), hands down.
KJG
July 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
Ali Baba’s is my favorite- Downtown or Little 5 Points.
eav
July 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
Ali Baba’s blows. Falafel King is cheaper, cleaner, and better tasting. Great shawarma too.
David G
July 25th, 2011
6:27 pm
Falafel King is quite good, variety of sauces. I like Olive’s Bistro as well.
A
July 25th, 2011
7:22 pm
Pita Palace, hands down.
mark
July 25th, 2011
8:10 pm
cafe agora!! Cant wait for their midtown location yummm
A
July 25th, 2011
9:39 pm
Ali Baba’s doesn’t event serve their falafel freshly cooked, no way they are the best Cafe Agora is the best I’ve had since Ali in Avondale Estates closed his store. I wish he would resurface.
Ms V
July 26th, 2011
3:52 am
Leon’s International Foods on Chamblee Tucker Rd makes the best!
Native
July 26th, 2011
6:28 am
Best Bread Baking Co. off of Peachtree Ind. Great falafel wrap! Under $5 too. The best I have had outside of Jerusalem.
Diane
July 26th, 2011
6:40 am
My husband and I are living and working in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and they definitely have the best Falafel! Any orders?
Mirza Baig
July 26th, 2011
6:50 am
Uptown Grill in down town Lawrenceville,has the best Falafel.
TT
July 26th, 2011
6:53 am
Ali Baba’s on Broad Street!!!!
steverino
July 26th, 2011
7:03 am
I can’t go to school today…I falafel.
a reader
July 26th, 2011
7:15 am
if anyone has ever tried any of the quick falafel places on the lower east side of manhattan and has found similar around this parts please speak up. a falafel belongs in a pita with yogurt sauce not on a plate.
The Bald Eagle
July 26th, 2011
7:46 am
#1 – Ali Baba. I prefer the one Downtown (I had a very bad meal at the L5P location). Falafel King comes in a close second, and Olive Bistro gets an honorable mention.
Mom
July 26th, 2011
8:08 am
It’s a very close tie between Hovan at Perimeter Mall and Pita Palace at Lavista and Briarcliff. Hovan uses flat bread rather than pita bread, which makes it easier to eat, but Pita Palace has a serve-yourself toppings bar that is yummy. It’s a toss-up.