Falafel King

Tasty and fresh and friendly.

Quaint little place found wandering around looking for a lunch time snack. I love the idea that it only sells falafel. Even so, they don’t large batch fry — and let’s face it you could given they pretty much know your order when you walk in! But, just provide a continuous supply of freshly cooked, crispy hot falafels!
Pretty straight forward when you get in there (gets pretty busy at lunch time). Order full or half size falafel which basically means falafel in a full or half pitta bread which, you can opt from brown or white.
Filled with crunchy cooling salad which is a welcomed thing if you also opt for their chilli sauce which you most certainly feel!
Having seen cups of home made lemonade being given to other customers and feeling a little left out, I did ask whether I just got missed. But was informed only given with full sized order. :(
Only downsides here I felt, was that there is only one small table inside to eat at. Outside maybe half a dozen more. Nice day so I sat outside but cannot imagine wanting to do that on cooler days.
Also, when eating the pitta prepare to get messy! Yummy sauce dribbling down, falafel balls trying to escape… glad I was eating alone!
All in all, I enjoyed it and would definitely return.

Five star falafel!!! Seriously, the best in the business. There’s no menu-​just freshly made falafel. Always made to order. Love!

I would give this place 5 stars for their food. When you want a non-​greasy vegetarian (Vegan even, I think?) option for a fiver, this is the place to go. The chopped salad is delicious, the hot green sauce will sting you in a good way, and the included lemonade with mint is brilliant.
As mentioned by others, the seating can be a bit of a gamble (one that I’ve never taken as my apartment is 4 blocks away). Mr. Falafel King has always been jovial and maybe a little stingy with the pepperoncinis, but overly generous otherwise. And if you want something other than a hummus and falafel experience, this is not the place for you.
But for what this place offers, in this neighborhood of overpriced underwhelming food, it’s pretty perfect.

Contrary to what Kelsey H. has said, there’s actually like THREE things on the menu: falafel, hummus & falafel, and something else that doesn’t really matter because the first two items are the only ones that you need to know anyway… You can get full or half orders (£5 and £3, respectively), and you have the option of adding shredded veg, hummus, peppers, green chili sauce… Cute interiors, highly attractive prices — they also sell fresh lemonade and freshly squeezed orange juice (and I mean freshly squeezed — the oranges are sitting right on the counter for you!). A little bit messy, yes, but it’s a falafel, what do you expect?

Seems like a popular place, but being a semi-​veg, this is not my favourite falafel.
They are too messy, you get all messy and the pita falls apart almost instantly. I definitely prefer the falafel stands on Portobello, namely the one in front of the Electric, I frequent that place nearly every weekend!
I’m sure it’s very authentic, but I’ve been here twice and don’t think I’m be going back so long as there are other options nearby.

You walk into small shop with a minimal menu… and I mean one-​item minimal – the falafel.
I like a place that sticks to one thing and does it really well. This is one of those places.
The «Falafel King» serves you behind the counter, channeling the «no soup for you man» with his no-​bullshit demeanor.
You receive your warm jumble of falafels in a nice pita pocket. Good outdoor seating to enjoy said falafel. Pretty perfect eats if i say so myself.
Best part– it’s dirt cheap. If you get a full order– 3 quid – you get free lemonade which goes nicely with the falaf. num!

Best lunch option at Portabello Market!
Falafel King is an outstanding little Falafel place right in the middle of Portabello Market.
The long line out the door was the first sign that attracted me and the enchanting aroma floating from the windows sealed the deal for me to try Falafel King.
This is the best falafel I have had in London so far. I’d put it just ahead of Maoz.
Make sure you get the green chilli sauce. Devine. Will be back soon and may even bump it up to 5 stars if it is good as I remember!

Deep fried golden balls of goodness that is what these happy people serve up. £5 for a falafel in a pitta with all the bits and some home made lemonade! It’s awesome.
My only gripe is the seating on a rainy day like today it’s almost impossible to sit because all the seats outside are wet.
Still, a great fast food snack. nom nom nom…

Oh my these falafels are gooooooood. They’re messy too. They’re that kind of food that tastes so good that for some reason you eat really quickly, and because it’s quite messy to eat you end up getting it all over you. I shared one with my girlfriend today and both of us are now wearing humous covered clothes. It’s well worth it though.

Was working in the area and found this place by chance. I normally get sucked into S&M café and don’t make it much further up Portobello!
The outdoor seating was perfect as it was a lovely sunny day to sit out and munch on some falafel.
Great lunch dealio… falafel in pitta with salad and a free lemonade all for a fiver, perfect as this is the measly amount i get to expense!
The chilli sauce was goood.
Loved the owner he was crackin many a swine flu joke, but couldn’t quite keep up with the demand as everything is made fresh to order which is fantastic.
Definatly worth the wait.

Lived in the ‘hood for about a year (2008 – 2009) and came here many, many times for one of the best falafel in London (so far).
5 quid for a decent-​sized falafel dressed as you wish, plus a glass of home-​made lemonade. The falafel is only fried on order, so it’s always fresh and doesn’t sit in a display like some other places. Tastes great and every person I introduced to FK loved it.
There are some tables outside and it does get crowded when the Portobello Market crowd arrives on the weekends. This place is good, so I would almost make a destination out of it as you can roam the stores around here or Westbourne Grove and then head south for some damn good gelato at Gelato Mio near Notting Hill Gate.

If you’re roaming Portobello Market, this is a good inexpensive option for lunch.
While not up to my favourite Maoz in Soho’s high standards, the falafel here are well seasoned, crunchy and the sauces lend a nice kick. The pitta breads also hold together well — no mid-​bite disntegration here!
Queues can be long but that’s the swell of success!

After roaming around the Portobello market, the best meal to have is a falafel covered in pickles and hummus. The lack of seating is not a big deal because you’ll probably finish off your falafel and pita before even turning around to look for a seat. The falafel here was advertised to have magic chickpeas in them, whatever that means.

I get the feeling this place is a kind of institution. Whenever I’m at the Portobello market, Falafel King is always rammed. And it’s easy to see why: with fresh, tasty falafels with lashings of hommus, chilli (if you desire) and salad, complemented by some really yummy home-​made lemonade — crucial after a couple of hours schlepping around the market.

The falafels here are great (not quite as good as from the stall on Golborne Road, though), sometimes service lets this place down a bit — the price of success.
Recently Falafel King has been made famous for the fact that one of its walls has been auctioned for an enormous amount on Ebay.
It sports a graffiti by Banksy. The investment has been covered with a plastic screen but it’s still there. Easily missed at the weekend as stalls pitch up in front of it.

Falafel King is in the centre of busy Portobello market and is a welcome change when I fancy a filling snack with a difference. The Middle Eastern hearty snacks are made in fried in front of you and served in pitta bead– YUM! This is great because I can have my falafel with extra chilli– just the way I like it. I also love their homemade style lemonade (takes me back to being a kid) which is the best accompaniment after my hot snack. The only downside is the lack of seating so be prepared to find a street corner to enjoy your Middle Eastern delight– long live Falafel King!

This is my favourite falafel place in London, so much better than the chain that Time Out reckons to be the top falafel place in the city! The falafels are made and fried right in front of your eyes, before the whole thing is ‘assembled’ on the counter in front of you, so that you can shout out ‘no onions’ or ‘more chilli sauce’ to your heart’s delight! The finished article tastes just brilliant, and is huge as well.
However, the greatness of Falafel King does not stop with their falafels, oh no! The homemade lemon– and orangeades are incredible, especially the lemonade, served in the old English style — still, with a mixture on the tongue of both sweet and bitter tastes and with a strong mint leaf floating on the top. Ridiculously refreshing and a very welcome method of refuelling on a hot day spent crowd dodging in the market.
While there is a bar in the shop next to massive, retractable windows (making the place wall-​less in hot weather), it is best to sit outside on the chunky wooden outdoor furniture and watch as the hussle and bustle of the Portobello Flea Market unfolds around you. A top notch place, especially during the summer.