Pilpel

I always used to say that I didn’t like falafel until I was offered a taster as I walked past Pilpel. Absolute game changer!
The falafel itself was suprisingly tasty and not greasy at all considering that it is fried. There are pretty much 2 main options for how you can have it. Either in a pitta (white or brown) or in a container (with or without pitta). I find that the container is slightly too much and much prefer the pitta as it’s easier to get the flavour of everything together.
This is where it really comes into it’s own. Houmous comes as standard along with tahini and chilli sauce if that’s what floats your boat. I tend to lay off the tahini as I think both sauces tend to soak into the bread making it slightly messy. If I wasn’t usually eating in work this wouldn’t be a problem at all! You can then follow this up with a selection of fresh salad items adding different textures and enhancing the flavour.
There’s a number of other options that you can pay a little extra to get such as guacamole, sun dried tomatoes and aubergine although in my opinion they aren’t really worth the additional cost. Prices are really good, especially for the area with the pitta coming in at £4.80 and the container only £1 more.
If you haven’t tried Pilpel yet you need to get yourself along and you won’t be sorry. In fact you might even see me there!

The McDonald’s of falafel, cheap but utterly mediocre. The falafel is decent, worthy of around three or four stars on its own, but unfortunately everything else fails to hit the same level. The pitas served are poor, lacking in fluffiness and various flavors, leaving you with bland, overly chewy dough that takes away from the goodness inside. The other toppings as well lacked the taste of freshness and seemed like left-​overs from school canteen salads. And don’t get me started on the hummus and the chili and tahini sauces… I reckon that if one had those blind-​tasted by random people, none would guess correctly what they just had. They were so bland and flat I completely forgot they even spread them inside.
In my opinion, Pilpel just cannot compare against good, authentic falafel stalls. The lone highlights are the rightly cheap price, the well-​cooked falafel and the perception of eating healthily when all you’re tasting is uncooked frozen salad.

Tried for the first time today and in complete awe with this tiny wonder and their service. I told them to guide me as I was confused what to order. They guided me well and I had pita bread with lots of salads and falafel… Yummy!!! I soon recommended it to my colleagues who did know about it. One can have a nice wholesome lunch when you don’t want to have meat or chicken stuffs.

They only serve one thing so it would be awful if they did not know how to make a decent falafel … Luckily they do. The choice is really in a pitta with the salad in or in a box with salad and the pitta on the side.
You can egg, feta or aubergine
There is always a queue at lunchtime, as with most places in the area.

I changed my definition of falafel after eating here. They really care about what they sell to their customers, and it shows. Their falafels are the best: crispy on the outside, freshly made and hot, and soft on the inside. The bread they put the falafels in are equally good: soft, fluffy and hold their against all the salads, tahini, and hummus they are stuffed with.
The best part is that the service is lovely. While you wait in the line, they hand out free falafels and make sure they get your order quick. Brilliant place.

Great tasting — the falafel is beautifully crisp and packed full of flavour, the tahini sauce is incredible as is the chilli. The salad is very fresh and the variety is wonderful, it includes things like chopped herbs, chickpeas, homous, as well as the usual. I have this at least twice a week and never bore of the flavour.
Great value — at only £5.45 this is a steal as it’s so packed full of flavour and very filling. You can add additional items for just 80p. I would highly recommend getting the aubergine.
Very healthy — okay, so the falafel is fried, but a falafel in itself is pretty healthy anyway and the rest of the days packs in good progress towards that 5 a day.
Please go here, it’s awesome.

Yum, falafel, yum.
Yes, there’s going to be a queue. It’s a tiny spot where they are constantly busy during lunch time. But if nothing else, that should say enough about it. It’s well made, fresh, hot, tasty. Get yourself a pita wrap and be the happiest you’ve been in a long time.
Also, the salad is fresh. I can’t tell you how many falafels have been ruined by unfresh or bad salad. Up your game, other spots, this place knows how it is done.
Oh, and if you’re standing in queue and they bring you a sample, take the sample. It might be the most important thing you do all day!
Mmm, falafel.

I got a bowl here, and thought it was good. There is a place at home that is really good, so any similar place gets compared to it, and I just don’t like this one as much.

Delicious delicious delicious. Whenever I’m in the area, I make a bee line straight for Pilpel. And try to bring all of my friends. While the falafels are delicious, it’s all the additions in the salad box, of hummus, chickpeas, salads, pickles, pita bread, tahini sauce… the list goes on… that make this such a yummy pitstop. It’s quick and healthy, and if it was socially acceptable I would eat two servings in one go.

The queues at this place tell you the whole story. I’m almost certain that the café that was nextdoor a couple of years ago had to close because it was being obscured by the hordes queueing for their daily Pilpel fix.
The queue moves quickly; they have their production-​line down to a tee, and they quite often bring everyone a hot, fresh falafel while they are waiting. The staff are all crazily hard-​working and friendly. I’d say the «vibe» was positive, contrary to what other reviews have said.
The food is as always good. The falafel is fantastic and the salad it comes with also great, if you go for all the sauces, at least. The extras are worth adding once in a while, for example boiled egg or feta.
They have another outlet in Spitalfields market now, you don’t get the same friendly buzz from the staff there but you may get your food more quickly.

Great food — but not to keen on the service. I think the place is good — it’s jam packed at lunch — but to be fair the manager is super agressive and there’s not too much of a good vibe going on. I’ll be back for the food though. It really is the best in London. Proper Israeli style!

This isn’t the best falafel ever. I wish I could take those who have said so round the corner to the pop-​up ‘Falafel House’ and get them to reconsider.
However, the portions are generous and the combinations are well thought-​out. A little dry in my opinion but all the ingredients are fresh and service is a real delight.
Not sure I would choose this place if I was hankering for a falafel if I’m honest, but nice ideas.

Every person I’ve brought here has come back and brought others. and you can tell as the queue gets longer but they are still able to get through the masses. Best falafel ever. I only get annoyed that I don’t always get a cheeky freebie while waiting in the queue.

Bad excuse for middle eastern food. You’ll have better luck finding good middle eastern food on brick lane. ;)

Fresh Falafel! Quantity is mind blowing! I had Falafel in a container (not as big as those ship containers). But it was quite a lot. You should be really hungry to finish it all. This place is HOT! I mean hot in demand. The queues during lunch time are simply out of this world.
Everyone loves falafel from here. And you get to taste a sample when you are in queue. There is one random pilpel guy who walks around with a plate of falafel and tahini and spicy sauce to get a taste. Very popular among my friends too.
This particular store has a lot of vegetarian options! This was a surprise! But the demand says it all. You should try it to understand what I mean.

Great falafal lunch spot in the City. I still prefer the fresh falafal from market stand, but this place has more salad and sauce choices for u, in a take away box or wrap format.
Just remember To eat it fresh! Taste harsh Zhen falafal turns cold.

I’m a big fan of Pilpel. Their falafel is consistently good, and the containers come with a great array of salads, humous, plus a choice of two different chilli sauces (best to ask for both) and a choice of white or wholemeal pita. It’s not the cheapest falafel place (£5.65 for a box or a pound less if you just want a wrap), but it’s worth it. It can get busy at lunch time, but the staff will often compensate you for the wait by giving you a free individual falafel to taste as you queue. I always pay an extra 70p for four extra falafel.

I was starving before checking out Spitalfields Market one day, and I came across Pilpel — so glad I did! This was a fantastic, super filling lunch, and maybe the cheapest meal I had during my trip to London. I got a falafel sandwich on a wholemeal pita, and it was stuffed with tons of different salads and sauces. I wish I had one of these at home — I would definitely be a regular!

Best falafel I’ve ever had, ever… Whole wheat pita with everything and a splash of chili sauce. Friendly staff and healthy options, what more do you need? Oh ya, a deep fried falafel… donesky!!!

I love it. Amazingly delicious WHOLEMEAL pitta properly stuffed with salad and falafels poured over with range of yummy sauces — gives you a great value for money, yet succulent lunch!
Falafel & houmus are their trademarks, so make sure you go for these at least once you go there.
I’ve been there on numerous occassions (most of them were successful attempts to convert my colleagues into healthy eaters) and every single time — during lunchbreak — there are queues. But! not to worry — their services is pretty quick!
Advice: if you have a bit of spare time and do not need to stuff in your lunch infront of your laptop — go to Pilpel in Spitalfields market — it has a lot more seats and it’s under a roof which is beneficial if it’s rainy outside :)
Warning: their pittas ARE very filling, so I either go for a salad option (pitta free), or have less falafels, as otherwise I feel like hibernating after my lunch!
If you are determined to go to the Brushfield st branch — go there slightly early — eg 12.30, rather than 1pm to grab a table, as they are very limited.