VIBE

Rue des Rosiers in Paris’s former Jewish quarter is packed with falafel vendors, but don’t waste your time shopping around–make a beeline for L’As du Fallafel (or as we say en anglais “The Falafel Ace”) because this ace trumps them all. Even the barebones décor, rushed-off-their-feet servers, and long lines can’t put us off when we’re craving L’As du Fallafel’s fried-to-perfection falafel topped with hummus, pickled cabbage, cucumber, fried eggplant, and harissa (all smushed into an oven-fresh pita). We usually get ours to go from the takeout window and chomp (sloppily) as we wander the surrounding cobbled streets of Le Marais, but for an extra EUR 2, you can also hunker down among the cash-strapped students and photo-snapping tourists at one of the cramped tables.

CROWD

Hungry mix of falafel fanatics, tourists, students, and locals.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

It’s really casual. We’d go for a machine washable look (favorite jeans and a funky t-shirt) because the sandwiches are super messy.

GO HERE WITH

Vegetarians; friends; kids

WHY WE LIKE IT

Don’t let its touristy reputation put you off–it’s popular for a reason. Once you’ve tried the out-of-this-world falafel, you’ll know what we mean. We usually order “The Special” (which comes with every topping imaginable), but we like how you can also place a custom order for the combo of your choice.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The loooong lines at lunchtime (and at many other times, too!).

GOOD TO KNOW

Grab a fistful of napkins, or prepare to walk around with sandwich remains smeared on your face for the rest of the day. If you’re not keen on falafel, try the shwarma, which also gets rave reviews. One for the celeb-obsessed: Lenny Kravitz is a regular customer, and if you don’t believe us, check out the verging-on-creepy photo shrine on the wall of the restaurant.

CLOSEST COMPS

In-N-Out Burger (Los Angeles); Canter’s Deli (Los Angeles); Wahoo’s Fish Taco (Los Angeles); Rock and Sole Plaice (London)

Read more about L'As du Fallafel in The Diary

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