Falafel Wrap Near Falls Church, VA

A falafel wrap is ground chickpeas (or fava beans in Egypt) shaped into balls or patties, deep-fried until golden, and rolled inside flatbread with fresh vegetables and sauce. The concept is centuries old. Falafel originated as a Coptic Christian street food in Alexandria, Egypt, where fried fava bean patties called ta'amiya served as a protein source during religious fasts. As the recipe traveled north into Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, cooks swapped fava beans for chickpeas and added generous amounts of fresh herbs -- parsley, cilantro, and dill -- creating the bright green interior that marks authentic Levantine falafel.

The bread used for falafel wraps varies by region. In urban Beirut and Amman, falafel goes inside thick pita pockets. But in rural Jordan, Palestine, and across Bedouin communities, the preferred bread is shrak: a paper-thin flatbread baked on a convex metal dome called a saj. The dough is stretched by hand until nearly translucent, then draped over the hot dome where it cooks in seconds. The result is soft, pliable, and delicate -- nothing like the thick, doughy wraps you find at chain restaurants.

At Taza, we make both. Our falafel pita ($8.95) uses house-baked pocket bread -- thick enough to hold the falafel and toppings without falling apart. Our falafel shrak wrap ($9.95) uses the traditional dome-baked flatbread that lets the falafel and tahini take center stage. And for those who skip bread entirely, the falafel bowl ($10.45) serves the same fresh-fried falafel over rice, greens, or hummus. All three formats use the same chickpea falafel recipe and the same 14-topping selection.

Shrak bread deserves its own explanation because most Americans have never encountered it. The word "shrak" (also spelled "shrek" or "markook" in some dialects) refers to the thinness of the dough. The saj dome is heated over an open flame, and the bread cooks so quickly that it stays soft and pliable instead of becoming crispy. When wrapped around falafel, shrak forms a tight, thin layer that adds a subtle wheaty flavor without masking the filling. It is the closest thing to a crepe in Middle Eastern cooking, but with more structure. Bedouin families have baked shrak this way for generations because it travels well, stores easily, and wraps around any filling.

Falafel originated in Egypt, most likely in Alexandria, where Coptic Christians ate fried bean patties (called ta'amiya) as a protein-rich alternative to meat during Lent. The original version used fava beans, not chickpeas. As the dish traveled north through the Levant -- into Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan -- cooks adapted it. Chickpeas replaced fava beans. The spice profile shifted to cumin and coriander. Fresh herbs became a core ingredient rather than an optional addition.

The idea of wrapping falafel in bread is as old as falafel itself. Street vendors in Cairo, Beirut, Amman, and Damascus served falafel in flatbread long before the modern restaurant industry existed. The bread was whatever was local: Egyptian baladi bread in Cairo, pita in Beirut, shrak in the Jordanian countryside. The concept was simple -- portable, filling, and affordable. You could eat it while walking to work. The falafel wrap was working-class food, sold from carts and small storefronts for a few coins.

Shrak bread -- the thin, dome-baked flatbread we use at Taza -- comes from the Bedouin tradition. Nomadic families baked it on an inverted metal dome (called a saj) placed over an open fire. The dough was stretched thin by hand and draped over the dome, where it cooked in seconds. The result was a paper-thin, pliable bread that could wrap around anything. When Bedouin families encountered falafel, the combination was natural: crispy fried chickpea fritters inside soft, thin bread with tahini and whatever fresh vegetables were available.

Pita bread -- the pocket bread -- became the dominant falafel vessel in urban centers. Its thick, pillowy construction created a pocket that could be stuffed full. Street vendors in Beirut and Amman developed the classic falafel pita: three or four falafel balls pressed into a half-pita, topped with tahini, pickled turnips, tomato, and parsley. This format became the standard across the Middle East and the version most familiar to Western diners.

In the United States, falafel wraps arrived with waves of Middle Eastern and North African immigration starting in the mid-20th century. New York City food carts popularized the falafel pita in the 1970s and 1980s. By the 2000s, falafel had entered mainstream American dining. But the quality varied enormously. Many fast-food versions used pre-made mixes and frozen patties. Shrak bread was nearly impossible to find outside of specialty bakeries and a handful of authentic Levantine restaurants.

At Taza, we serve both traditions. The falafel shrak wrap ($9.95) uses the Bedouin-style thin bread. The falafel pita ($8.95) uses the urban Levantine pocket bread. The falafel bowl ($10.45) skips the bread entirely for those watching carbohydrate intake. All three use the same falafel, fried to order, and the same 14 free toppings, built at the counter. The choice is yours.

The growing demand for plant-based food has given falafel a second wave of attention. Falafel is naturally vegan. It delivers significant protein from chickpeas. It is deeply flavorful without relying on animal products. For the increasing number of people who eat vegetarian or vegan several days per week, a falafel wrap from Taza is a satisfying meal that does not feel like a compromise. It is real food with centuries of history behind every bite.