Fala-Fail: Where is the best falafel in NYC?

I’ve eaten hundreds of falafel sandwiches and platters in my lifetime: from dozens of different street vendors all over the world, in a Druze village near the Syrian border, at the O.G. Maoz in Amsterdam, Egyptian style (packed with parsley), baked instead of fried at Chickpea, as a topping on Turkish pide bread, with brain-melting hot sauce at Mamoun’s, with mayonnaise in Brussels, with sauerkraut in Brooklyn, and stuffed with French fries in Tel Aviv. Looking back, I have come to three conclusions:

1. I’m pretty well traveled.

2. I should probably make healthier food choices.

3. Even good falafel isn’t that great.

It blows my mind. Could one of the most popular veggie staples only be mediocre at best? Does a truly awesome falafel actually exist, or is eating the best falafel in NYC no better than winning the ugly girl contest? I had to find out.

I became the falafel hunter: Over the past three weeks I’ve scoured the city, eaten lunches in parks like a bum, taken recommendations from friends, Googled Top 10 lists, and hit every Halal cart and hole in the wall. After many tahini-stained shirts, I came to the conclusion I feared: There IS no best falafel. Falafel is inherently boring (and generally dry)—a mere carrier for toppings. The ethnic restaurant everyone raves about and the cart without running water are essentially serving the same thing. Unlike burgers, where the cut of meat or fat content can alter the taste, fried chickpea patties all kind of taste the same.

There is, however, a winner by default:

Cheep’s

129 2nd Ave
(between 7th St & St Marks Pl)
New York, NY 10003

Why? Their selection of toppings blows the competition out of the water (braised red cabbage, pickles and carrot salad are standouts), and their pita and hummus are superior to their famous neighbor around the corner. But mostly, this joint lives up to its name: Their falafel sandwiches may be relatively uninspiring, but they’re only $2. 


-Eddie