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.


Venue map for Falafel Zone
© OpenStreetMap contributors

78 Reviews

First Review by charlottesometimes

Sushinina

Points +2541

Vegan
14 Aug 2021

Great falafel

The falafel wrap was amazing. I also tried the baba ganoush because of the previous reviews, I‘m usually not a big fan of it but this one was good. The owner is a very lovely lady, she speaks very good english.

Pros: Staff speaks English , good prices

Cons: no wifi

adt12

Points +21

Vegetarian
04 Jun 2024

Great atmosphere and great food

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.

antonialeila

Points +16

Vegan
20 Mar 2024

Falafel Paradise

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!

Pros: Falafel, Hummus, Tahin sauce

Sampson555

Points +203

Vegan
26 Nov 2023

Cheap and tasty falafel wraps and salads- excellent value

Thoroughly enjoyed the food here and the prices were very good compared to prices for vegan food elsewhere.

Pros: Falafel salad full of flavour and texture., Cheap., Good options.

chrisssss

Points +16

Vegan
20 Oct 2023

Amazing

The food and the service were really good and the tahini sauce is otherworldly

·X·

Points +19095

Vegan
10 Oct 2023

Falafel Zone - Cannot Recommend (See Review) - One Star ⭐️

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.

The 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

KC39

Points +100

Vegan
27 Sep 2023

Delicious find

All vegan and gluten free menu - absolute delight when all meals are served with bread and few vendors serving vegan foods!
Grabbed a quick takeaway

Pros: Great price , Delicious food, Won’t disappoint

Sizilianer42

Points +567

Herbivore
21 Sep 2023

Delicious

The choice of vegan restaurants is already limited here, so we were glad to find the Falafel Zone :). A nice and small restaurant.

The 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)

leanature

Points +208

Vegetarian
12 Sep 2023

Not again

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....
Then 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.

AliciaMontoya

Points +24

Vegan
18 Jul 2023

Great place to eat

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.

Pros: Great falafel, Super friendly staff

BinVeganBdw

Points +120

Vegan
12 Jul 2023

Cheap food and lovely owner

Authentic place, owner is vegan herself. The food is very cheap and tastes great

Pros: Cheap, Lovely owner, Tasty

Hodzic_fam

Points +1709

Vegan
25 Apr 2023

solid options

certain items are a bit pricey but friendly service and good falafel!

Alja

Points +242

Vegan
31 Mar 2023

No idea how this comes to be a top rated vegan spot in Istanbul

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 😳

Updated from previous review on 2023-03-31

VeganTurk

Points +43

Vegan
27 Mar 2023

We need more of these restaurants!

A fully vegan restaurant tucked away down a side street near Taksim Square.
If 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

JohnPrior

Points +950

Vegan
24 Mar 2023

Nice place

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.

kenvegan

Points +12908

Vegan
21 Nov 2022

Needs Improvement

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

I 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

08 Feb 2023

I am so sorry that happened to you💔, just about trying this place and now concerned🥺😱

YetiAhimsa

Points +958

Vegan
14 Nov 2022

Get into the zone. Falafel Zone

They have falafel. They have fries. They have lemonade. What more do you need?

Pros: Falafel choices

Cons: small portions

SophieJ.Pavlakis

Points +245

Vegan
30 Oct 2022

Amazing food, poor surroundings.

Loved the falafel balls, the humus and the lemonade. But unfortunately the outdoor sitting is quite uncomfortable and the prices a bit much.

Vicbeebs

Points +339

Vegan
16 Oct 2022

4 stars

Заказ: фалафель бургер.
Немного суховат оказался бургер, мало соуса и нам досталась не самая свежая булочка. В целом хорошо. Сам фалафель в бургере был очень вкусный.

tanmayja.in

Points +126

Vegetarian
05 Oct 2022

Lot of Vegan Falafel options to try

Istanbul has a lot of places serving Falafels and Falafel Zone is one such place which is purely vegan and is dedicated to provide various variations with Falafel. Their homemade Lemonade also tastes amazing. Must Visit.

cecibulle

Points +192

Vegan
06 Sep 2022

Amazing food (and company 🐱)

Falafel Zone is owned by a really lovely lady and her very sweet cat who sat on my lap throughout dinner (the cat, not the lady). The food was absolutely delicious and we’ll definitely be coming back next time we’re in Istanbul 🥰

Pros: All vegan options , Amazing food, Friendly cat and lady

ChrisShelburg

Points +27

Vegetarian
23 Aug 2022

A great option if you're in the neighborhood!

The staff that work here are super sweet, and their food is pretty decent! I wish it was less expensive, but it didn't stop us from eating there a few times. Their falafel burgers are better than the wrap in my opinion.

Pros: 100% Vegan, Yummy Babaganoush, Yummy Falafel

Cons: Little Steep

veganarina

Points +50

Vegan
17 Aug 2022

Yummy

Unser Essen war wirklich sehr lecker. Das Personal war sehr freundlich und zuvorkommend. Einfach nur empfehlenswert. Schönes Ambietene.

Pros: Preiswert , Viele Optionen , Sehr lecker

ming.morss

Points +435

Vegan
02 Aug 2022

Ok

Not the best falafel, not the worst. The food gives off a fastfood vibe, and I wouldn’t say this is the best vegan place in İstanbul. Owner is kind though, and the homemade lemonade is nice too. Sure, go pay a visit, but also try other falafel places for suuuuree!

Updated from previous review on 2022-08-02

lele214

Points +459

Vegan
02 Aug 2022

Misérable

Des frites froides, des légumes fades, des wraps et desserts médiocres : à éviter !

MirajLeeSaxton

Points +158

Vegan
27 Jun 2022

Great Food at a steal price!!!!

The food is great and the prices are great too.
My hubby and I had the kofta combo and the Potato. The potato and kofta platter are out of this world delicious. And the prices won’t break the bank. You may even feel you were under charged.

Pros: Everything is vegan, Shared seating coffee house has vegan options, Delicious food

Cons: If you speak English may need google translate, No other cons other than that.

ShannenTunnicliffe

Points +759

Vegan
02 Apr 2022

Good falafels

The falafels were really nice. I also enjoyed the homemade lemonade.

Good prices.

Ate here twice. Also had vegan Turkish Delight.

Vibe of the place was a bit strange though and it was quite dark inside. Didn't quite feel fully welcome.

Pros: Good falafels, Affordable

Cons: Strange vibe to the location




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