Falafels are dense balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans and a mix of spices that are then deep-fried to create a moist flavorful center and crunch on the outside. This protein-packed meat alternative is enjoyed by vegetarians, vegans and meat-lovers alike and packs key nutrients including iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and vitamin B.

Though considered a traditional Middle Eastern food, other cultures have added their twists on traditional recipes. Falafels have been on the rise America with the increasing popularity of street food, perfect for busy workers on a lunch break or drunk bar-hoppers looking for a substantive fourth meal to prevent the imminent next morning hangover.

Whether they are served in a pita filled with cucumbers, tomatoes and drizzled with tahini sauce or individually as a side, Long Beach has some great joints serving up these addictive fritters.

THE MIRAGE CAFÉ

This café is a hidden gem great for those who want a more social-yet-artsy ambiance and would enjoy puffing on any of 43 aromatic flavors of hookah. This place is Jordanian owned and to keep the flavors regional they bring in spices from their home city, grinding them right here in Long Beach. Their falafel is made from scratch and includes secret spices from family recipes. The most popular way to order the falafel is with the combo that comes with two grape leaves served with hummus, baba gannouj, tabouleh and freshly made pita bread. Live musical entertainment transforms this place into a Mediterranean party every first Friday of the month.

Mirage Cafe is located at 539 E Bixby Rd., (562) 424-4774, themiragecafelb.com   

MAGIC LAMP

Second Street is home to two Lebanese restaurants: Magic Lamp and Open Sesame, both of which boast similar cuisine and comparable Yelp reviews to boot. For Long Beach locals fixing for a fill of more authentic falafels, however, Magic Lamp is the choice. A Lebanese chef heads the kitchen and has trained an international staff in cooking his mother’s falafel recipe. Magic Lamp’s falafels are a lightly fried blend of garbanzo and fava beans, seven spices including cumin, cilantro and parsley. Recipes feature less Americanization and foreign spices. During happy hour from 3PM to 6:30PM, they offer their falafel appetizer for $4. If you prefer a sandwich to go theirs is garnished with turnip, radish, tomato, pickles and a homemade lemony tahini sauce. This is one of the more distinguished restaurants on Second Street and stays true to it’s cultural inspiration featuring a design aesthetic created to resemble a country home in Lebanon.  

Magic Lamp is located at 5020 E. 2nd St.,(562) 987-3080, magiclampgrill.com

Falafels at Asha. Photo by Ashley Cordes

ASHA

This is a place where you don’t need the falafels to be tampered with by any superfluous vegetables or sauces–these bad boys can stand alone with flavors that disperse all over your palate once you break the perfectly crunchy exterior. With a side falafel patty costing only 99 cents having more than one is a no brainer. These house-made falafels have the perfect juxtaposition of a well-seasoned moist inner center and crispy outside. Asha is a Moroccan-Mediterranean restaurant and the unique cultural fusion can be tasted in these patties with an interesting spice mix with the perfect saltiness quotient. Asha is the place to go if you want to feel trendy as it gives off a more modern vibe and is located in the artsy East Village. Menus mark next to each dish if it is vegan or vegetarian, which is a perk for those who like their options easy to distinguish.

Asha is located at 149 Linden Ave. Ste E., (562) 628-2255, ashalb.com

KAFE NEO

For anyone scared to venture too far from the American food genre this place is an American kitchen with Greek soul. The kitchen is an inspiration of the owner’s mother, a U.S. immigrant who always added Greek touches to dishes even if it was just by adding feta cheese to a hamburger.  For six years Kafe Neo has been serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Bluff Heights historic neighborhood in an ultra casual and friendly way. There is an emphasis on the fresh ingredients here meaning your falafel wont be fried in day old oil in a manner reminding you of a greasy fast-food joint. They add their own twist by incorporating spinach to the falafel giving it a distinct green color.  Again, for those fearful of eating a whole falafel dish you can order it as a side with The Pita Pizza with Greek soul loaded with homemade marinara, imported feta, kalamata olive, tomato, onions and peppercini for a filling fusion meal.  

Kafe Neo is located at 2800 E. 4th St., (562) 987-1210, kafeneolb.com

GEORGE’S GREEK CAFÉ

George’s Greek Cafe is a well frequented by Long Beachers as a small chain with locations in both Downtown and on Second Street. Though their signature lamb-chop dish (marinated for 48 hours!) is the most popular dish all around, their falafel sandwich is the most eaten vegetarian item. The falafel is made fresh daily from garbanzo beans, spices, onions and parsley and served with tzatziki sauce. Another popular way to get your falafel fix is by adding it to a traditional Greek salad. For those trying to drink and dine on the cheap, go on Monday when all wine bottles are half off and during happy hour from 3PM to 7PM when the falafel appetizer is $3. Pair your falafel with the Amethystos, a sauvignon blanc with a light champagne finish.  

George’s Greek Café is located at 135 Pine Ave. and 5316 E 2nd St., georgesgreekcafe.com