Vegan
Fast food
Take-out
Middle Eastern
Turkish
Falafel eatery serving falafel in wraps, sandwiches, and on plates with salad and hummus. Uses mostly organic ingredients. Reported fully vegan Jan 2020. Open Mon-Sat 5:00pm-12:00am.
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 31 May 2024 by house
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87 Reviews
First Review by charlottesometimes
twotofu
Points +88
Nice unique falafel - Edit
The owner was incredibly welcoming and friendly. Decor was nice and cosy. Falafel was very fresh and unlike any I've tasted before. Fries were slightly soggy and they were out of bread.
Read morePros: Atmosphere, Falafel was very good, Very friendly
Guest
RhysWebster
Points +623
Just what was needed - Edit
Found falafel strangely hard to find so glad this place was nearby. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had but the staff were friendly and she brought it to us in the bar next door.
Read moreGuest
Lori78
Points +274
Disappointed - Edit
Such a shame we haven't been able to try this place. We were in Istanbul 7 days last November, our hotel was nearby but falafel zone was always closed. We could see someone was in. Knocked at the door but they just shouted something and never opened. I was looking forward to try this place after reading all the good reviews. There was not sign outside saying why they were closed all that week. Shame
Read moreCons: Closed, Closed, Closed
Guest
HumblaJumbla
Points +50
Great falafel - Edit
Some of the best and biggest falafels I've ever had. Owner was very welcoming and helpful with the menu. Quirky, cosy and comfortable place. Everything we ordered was yum yum yum. The vegan Turkish delights were a treat too!
Read moreGuest
Lukas_from_germany
Points +48
Best Falafel in town! - Edit
Great food, all vegan chef, super friendly, good prices. Lemonade from own farm :)
Read moreGuest
Martindash88
Points +16
Never open - Edit
Was looking forward to trying this but wasn’t open at all over the 6 days we was there :(
Read morePros: Looked good menu , Well priced, In a good area
Cons: Never open, See above , **
Guest
Knutob
Points +2553
Lovely lady, ok food - Edit
The place is in a nice street next to a bar, so it's full of life. We ordered beer from the place next door (don't tell anyone).
Read moreWe ordered way too much food, but the price was very good. The lady was incredibly sweet and asked if she could post a picture of us on her instagram. Lovely.
Thr falafels were fresh, but way too salty, and it seemed like the were cooked in a pan and not in a fryer. Hummus and everything tasted home-made, but it wasn't as tasty as it should have been.
Guest
lraivn
Points +404
Tasty food - Edit
I’ve been there twice during my stay in Istanbul so I highly recommend this place. Their falafel wrap is amazing and the owner is very friendly and kind. The prices are also pretty reasonable.
Read morePros: Great food , Friendly staff, Decent prices
Guest
Corrigan
Points +254
Good fast food - Edit
Food was great for take away. It ate more like fast food than homemade food, but it was very reasonably priced and good for a quick meal.
Read moreGuest
adt12
Points +21
Great atmosphere and great food - Edit
I really enjoyed this place. Lots of vegan and vegetarian options. Homemade food, well presented, tasty. Owner was super friendly, seems to be family owned. I will be returning.
Read moreGuest
antonialeila
Points +20
Falafel Paradise - Edit
Food haven in the middle of Istanbul. The food is to die for, and the owner is super friendly. Everything is vegan, and everything is made fresh. We had Falafel (best Falafel in town and honestly, in general), Baba Ganoush (slightly smoky, very tasty), Hummus (heavenly with garlic), salad and bread. The homemade Lemonade was also amazing and not too sweet. Prices are great and the atmosphere is very living-room like and cozy. Highly recommend! Vegans, just come here, you wont regret it!
Read morePros: Falafel, Hummus, Tahin sauce
Guest
Sampson555
Points +436
Cheap and tasty falafel wraps and salads- excellent value - Edit
Thoroughly enjoyed the food here and the prices were very good compared to prices for vegan food elsewhere.
Read morePros: Falafel salad full of flavour and texture., Cheap., Good options.
Guest
chrisssss
Points +16
Amazing - Edit
The food and the service were really good and the tahini sauce is otherworldly
Read moreGuest
·X·
Points +23579
Falafel Zone - Cannot Recommend (See Review) - One Star ⭐️ - Edit
I had a bad experience at Falafel Zone. The owner was really nice, but what was odd is that the restaurant was filled with home furniture and many personal belongings, like a whole family was living inside. Moreover, the inside of the restaurant didn’t look clean and this made me wonder about food safety. I didn’t notice this right away because I was sat outside, but I would have eaten somewhere else had I seen this before ordering. The owner told me the current state of her restaurant was abnormal and temporary, but I just noticed a review or two that mentioned these same observations over the last year or so, so I don’t think she was honest with me.
Read moreThe hours are also questionable because I arrived around 8PM (within their opening hours) and the door was shut. The woman/owner was next door and saw me outside the restaurant and told me she was open. She sat me outside as she unlocked the door to the restaurant to go inside (I saw later there was a kid/teen sitting inside the restaurant on a couch watching TV in the messy restaurant area). This all felt very odd to me. Moreover, the restaurants in this area were all very busy and this one was dead (I was the only person there), which can be a bad sign.
Despite all this, the FOOD QUALITY WAS REALLY POOR and I couldn’t really eat it. The falafel was really bad and tasted like boxed/instant falafel mix... it was actually inedible. The hummus was super gritty and the flavor was sour/off, like it could have gone bad. The tahini tasted off too. The salad was low quality. I was really shocked by the high pricing for what I received, especially since 90% of it was inedible.
I’m really perplexed by the high ratings this place has, so maybe I just went on an off day for them. Nevertheless, this was MY WORST MEAL IN ISTANBUL and I really wish I didn't eat here during my trip. I prefer to support vegan businesses, but I cannot recommend Falafel Zone until huge improvements are made to food quality/taste and cleanliness of the restaurant.
Updated from previous review on 2023-10-10
Guest
KC39
Points +147
Delicious find - Edit
All vegan and gluten free menu - absolute delight when all meals are served with bread and few vendors serving vegan foods!
Read moreGrabbed a quick takeaway
Pros: Great price , Delicious food, Won’t disappoint
Guest
Sizilianer42
Points +660
Delicious - Edit
The choice of vegan restaurants is already limited here, so we were glad to find the Falafel Zone :). A nice and small restaurant.
Read moreThe falafels were great, and the hummus and tahini were sufficient in quantity. The food was prepared quickly. The owner is incredibly nice and happy about every visitor. The price is cheap.
Pros: fast prepared, Tasty , cheap (for the inner city location)
Guest
leanature
Points +208
Not again - Edit
First I came around 5pm to the place.. And was closed even though on Google it says it's open.. Then it needs to be changed🙋... Everyone is coming in that timing mentioned and it's not open....
Read moreThen it's very enoying. But she wasn't really understanding... And more as its my own fault... Since I didn't check her Instagram where its correctly...
Anyway then I didn't feel like eating there... With her talking and attitude.
But came later anyway with a friend because I wanted to try it before and I was in that neighbourhood😏.
So just ordered something small...
Some falafel, with pitta bread and tahini sauce. What I got was literally not much at all. 4 small falafel, one pitta bread. And a very small portion of tahini sauce how can that last for all of this.. It's not even enough for 2 falafels.... So asked for another one.. At the end the price was this.
The meal I ordered
48 lira
The extra tahini 38 lira...
I mean what...
That should have been free..
And if not seriously... Nearly the same price as the meal I ordered 😂😑.
The food wasn't even really good.
Just basic and blend, nothing special.
Not again.
Updated from previous review on 2023-09-11
Pros: Expensive, for the price no worth it.
Guest
AliciaMontoya
Points +24
Great place to eat - Edit
Great falafel, excellent salad (try The pomegrante dressing), refreshing lemonade😄The owner Sahar is the nicest person! She gave us pointers on other vegan turkish foods, so friendly.
Read morePros: Great falafel, Super friendly staff
Guest
BinVeganBdw
Points +120
Cheap food and lovely owner - Edit
Authentic place, owner is vegan herself. The food is very cheap and tastes great
Read morePros: Cheap, Lovely owner, Tasty
Guest
Hodzic_fam
Points +1812
solid options - Edit
certain items are a bit pricey but friendly service and good falafel!
Read moreGuest
Alja
Points +340
No idea how this comes to be a top rated vegan spot in Istanbul - Edit
We went there because it was rated so high here, on Happy Cow. We walked there for 30 mins from another part of the city centre because we felt like falafel and wanted to support a vegan business. The interior is really not good - not only visually (dark and stuffy) but also gave us some doubts about the sanitary conditions of this place. It also looked like the lady owner actually is living there... The food is very average, especially for the price the owner charges for it. The falafel was ok, a bit too sour to our taste. The babaganush wasn't good. The hummus was not as smooth as it's supposed to be and not impressive at all. Just in front of us the lady owner brought the flat bread from outside (she probably bought it at some place across) and served it to me as gluten-free flat bread by just taking it from the pack. First, I was surprised that the menu offered such a good variety of herbal tea. However instead of linden tea we ordered, she brought us sage tea. I have nothing against sage, but please serve us with what we ordered. I was there with my mom, my mom isn't vegan, and I was kind of embarrassed and felt bad because of my choice. Honestly, this place feels like a scam for vegan tourists who probably walk a long distance like we did and out of politeness decide to stay there for food. I truly believe that Happy Cow should reconsider/re-evaluate/reassess this place. Because after this experience I'll be very careful with relying on recommendations on Happy Cow 😳
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-03-31
Guest
VeganTurk
Points +51
We need more of these restaurants! - Edit
A fully vegan restaurant tucked away down a side street near Taksim Square.
Read moreIf you're ever fortunate enough to step foot into this cosy establishment, you'll find a friendly, warm and welcoming host waiting to serve you one of her delicious dishes.
It's immediately apparent that she has put a lot of love into her work. The menus are beautifully handwritten and designed. The decor and ambience are quirky and inviting.
On the menu there are falafels, chips, salads, wraps, hummus, dips and more - Definitely try the dreamy pomegranate salad dressing! It enhances a salad tenfold.
Everything is home made from fresh ingredients and it's all incredibly wholesome.
The falafel is somewhat crispy which gives it a pleasurable texture. The hummus is a perfect authentic accompaniment.
The ganoush is divine.
The lemonade is easily the tastiest I've ever tried anywhere!
I would highly recommend a visit here. Doesn't matter if you're vegan or not. Everything is tasty and filling.
Updated from previous review on 2023-03-27
Pros: Vegan!, Authentic, fresh, Awesome host
Guest
JohnPrior
Points +1062
Nice place - Edit
The woman working there was super friendly and I loved the lemonade. So nice! The food itself was good, but yeah…a bit expensive for what I got. Happy to support locally owned vegan places though.
Read moreGuest
kenvegan
Points +13217
Needs Improvement - Edit
I am all about supporting vegan restaurants. This place had good reviews on HappyCow, and was near where I was staying, so I gave it a try
Read moreI ordered a falafel with hummus and a small.salad, and for drink, I ordered a lemonade
The lemonade was just how it should be when made fresh. The perfect balance of half tart and half sweet
Unfortunately, I could not eat the hummus
It had a slightly rancid flavor. I am a hummus lover, and have eaten it not only in Turkey, but in a number of Middle Eastern countries, and had some of the best hummus of my life in Nepal last week.
The falafel balls tasted like they had been made a few days ago, and I felt the flavor was poor. I could not eat the dish, but enjoyed the lemonade.
I told the owners my feelings and they proceeded to charge me full price for something that was not edible. A woman who may have been a co-owner asked me where my family was from, and blamed my not liking their food on the fact that.my mom is a mixture.of Central Europeam countries, and that I not used to food in this region.
Updated from previous review on 2022-11-21
Pros: Great lemonade
Cons: Bad tasting food
AnnewithanE
I am so sorry that happened to you💔, just about trying this place and now concerned🥺😱
Read moreGuest
YetiAhimsa
Points +1036
Get into the zone. Falafel Zone - Edit
They have falafel. They have fries. They have lemonade. What more do you need?
Read morePros: Falafel choices
Cons: small portions
Guest
SophieJ.Pavlakis
Points +245
Amazing food, poor surroundings. - Edit
Loved the falafel balls, the humus and the lemonade. But unfortunately the outdoor sitting is quite uncomfortable and the prices a bit much.
Read moreGuest
Vicbeebs
Points +380
4 stars - Edit
Заказ: фалафель бургер.
Read moreНемного суховат оказался бургер, мало соуса и нам досталась не самая свежая булочка. В целом хорошо. Сам фалафель в бургере был очень вкусный.
Guest
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