Serves falafel and pita sandwiches on weekdays only, at 東京都港区赤坂2-11-7 near Tameike Sanno station. Entrance is up some steps on the outside of the ATT building. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-6:00pm. Open hours vary, call ahead.
Categories: Vegan, Fast food, Take-out
17 Reviews
First Review by Tiare
Contributions +6
poor service - Edit
As somebody else said, the service is poor. I have wanted to come here for some time so I arrive at 1 for some lunch. The owner is still and watching tv and exasperatedly told me he was close. I kindly asked when he would be open and he just said I don't know. Unfortunately I will not be going back.
Contributions +139
Good falafel - Edit
I had the big falafel pita. It was really big and filled me up. The owner was really nice and in a good mood. 3 things I wish I knew before going: he has no drinks to sell at all, so you need to buy a drink before hand if you plan to eat at his picnic tables outside, he uses a Lot of onion (next time I might see if he can omit the onion), third - it is messy and there are no plates. Your pita comes wrapped in a wax paper envelope or something like that. Anyway I would have brought my own plates or more napkins. All in all - good vegan lunch near the embassies and very filling.
Pros: All vegan, pleasant outdoor seating with umbrellas , Big portion
Cons: Nothing to drink but tap water
Contributions +34
Pita the AMAZING - Edit
Such a wonderful time here, the interior is minimalist white/wood and covered in flour. The owner (said to be scary and abusive) was actually very sweet and friendly, he even joked with us as we ordered. I suggest you simply come here with a HUGE appetite, some patience, manners and a friendly smile and you'll have no troubles! I recommend coming here between 12-2pm on weekdays as he runs the entire store by himself and has done since 1993. The falafel with fried onion is what we had for a very reasonable ¥980 and oh. My. God! So fresh and rich in flavour. We also asked for it to be spicy but I guess as we like hot food in general it was pretty mild but so delicious and a perfect accompaniment! And of course the hummus, oh lord, this could be just what heaven tastes like. I struggled to finish mine and my partner did too but my oh my was it worth the short wait. As they say, good food takes time! By far hands down the BEST falafel in Tokyo and we've travelled a lot so I would even go so far as to say better than most of Europe and Australia! You should definitely take the time to walk here (a short 15min down hill stroll from roppongi) you definitely won't forget it.
Pros: All vegan, Easy to locate, Seating available
Cons: None!
Contributions +36
I love falafel, but a bad experience - Edit
I love falafel and Middle Eastern cuisine in general, so when I found out there was a vegan falafel restaurant near where I worked on HappyCow, I immediately made the trip.
Unfortunately, as some other reviewers have said, the restaurant owner really doesn't seem to care for his customers. The restaurant was closed when I got there, with the owner just sitting at one of the tables watching TV. When I asked him when he would be open, he just looked at me strangely and said "when I want to" in Japanese. It's always a shame when I find a vegetarian restaurant whose owner has a poor attitude, but because it's so close to where I work, I'd like to come here more often.
Pros: Vegan food, always a pro
Cons: Opening hours at owner's discretion
1 Response
veganshooter 13 Sep 2016 - great food. owner does not care. only come if youre ready to deal with a DB.
Contributions +24
pita the best! - Edit
this was one of our favourite places we went to. the owner of the business was very friendly and it was nice to be able to speak english with somebody. i thought it was great that he was fluent in at least 3 languages. the vibe of the place was really nice and it was some of the best falafel i have had anywhere! we told him we were vegan and he understood and was immediately accommodating and we could tell that he must get a lot of vegans passing through!
Pros: cheap, very friendly, delicious
Contributions +20
Best Pita. - Edit
Go here if you want satisfaction. You get your money's worth in terms of quality and quantity of food.
Like other reviewers said, call first, English or Japanese.
Be a kind customer and exercise patience as it's only one guy making everything. Also, it's not your typical joint, but you can enjoy the artistry of the restaurant owner.
Pros: Delicious, Yummy, Filling
Contributions +56
Among the best falafel places in Tokyo! - Edit
I used to go to this place every other week for lunch while I was working in Roppongi. The guy who runs the place is quite original, in a fun and interesting way, and the food was always delicious! You might have to wait quite a while though for your falafel, since he is frying it as people order. But his falafel is definitely worth the wait! Not once have I managed to finish the portion in one sitting, because you get SO much food!
Pros: Huge portions, Delicious falafel!
Cons: Long wait, Not much space to sit when weather's bad
Contributions +13
Best food in the whole of Japan - Edit
Me and my girlfriend are both veggies and have been living in Japan for 1 year now. We have been to most of the vegetarian places in Tokyo and this is by far the most excellent.
We got to the place an hour early not knowing the opening times, when the owner saw us standing outside he offered us both a fresh pitta bread, so we started to already like the place. The portion size is really big and all the ingredients taste lovely. The owner was also very friendly and welcoming and the whole place had a really nice home made atmosphere.
Pros: The food is great, Potion size is big , Friendly genuine service
Cons: none
Contributions +35
Awesome! - Edit
Tokyo isn't the easiest place for a vegan or vegetarian tourist to find somewhere good to eat, so I was pretty excited at the prospect of getting one of my favourite foods while on vacation. This place certainly did not disappoint!
It was easy enough to find with the directions provided, though we weren't sure at first whether the entrance of the shop was actually the way in (it was).
We went at around midday and were greeted by a very friendly guy (the owner, I presume) who took our order, and gave us some bread to snack on while we waited. The food did take a while to be ready, however the quality of it absolutely made up for it! The pitas we were presented with were gigantic, probably four times bigger than any i've ever eaten, filled with the freshest most delicious falafel and veggies. Awesome! Really worth going to if you're in the area.
Pros: Huge portions, Friendly staff, Delicious
Contributions +1302
Pita the not so Great - Edit
My office used to be close to this establishment and I would visit frequently. Was in the area recently and decided to drop in for a quick lunch around 11:45am but not only did the owner not recognize me, he seemed perturbed that I/anyone even showed up (supposed to be open at 11:30am), grunting that he wasn't going to open until noon. While I was contemplating waiting for him to "open" (stupid me) he abruptly left the premises so I decided to leave and never come back. Seems like this guy has turned into a grumpy old man which is a shame because he used to have a pretty good falafel (at least, for Tokyo).
Contributions +50
The good, the bad, and the ugly - Edit
As others have said, the food here is great. All vegan sandwiches that really rock. I love the crispy fried cauliflower and falafel varieties, with the tahini and harrissa sauces. Great idea to throw in the sauerkraut.
That was the good.
Healthy it ain't, given that most veggies are deep fried, that bread is involved and that the tahini sauce isn't exactly low calorie or low fat.
That was the bad.
The owner and usually sole worker at the cafe is a legend for his customer abuse and the long waiting times due to his serial processing approach. At lunch time having to queue for 15-20 minutes and then to have to wait the same amount of time again until food is in your hands is not unusual. One time, he asked me to take a seat outside at one of teh tables, he'd bring the food soon. 20 minutes later, someone asked me if that sandwich there was mine. It had been dropped on the stairs outside the shop, nearly ten meters from where I sat. I never noticed. Also, if you so much as look at him funny, get ready for an ass-kicking. The guy is always looking for a fight. I have seen him yell at people "Don't ever come back here!!" for simply giving up and leaving the queue because they couldn't possibly wait that long.
That was the ugly.
My suggestion is that once you have managed to try one of his sandwiches, henceforth DIY. His bread, falafel and sauces can be bought both at his store and at the Nisshin supermarket in Azabu Juuban. Assembling them then is easy.
Pros: Good food.
Cons: Not exactly low cal, low fat, Longest waiting times in Tokyo, Customer abuse
Contributions +16
Filling, Tasty, Vegan - Edit
In the Akasaka / Tameike-Sanno area there are limited choices when it comes to having a vegan lunch. The pita sandwiches made at Pita the Great are tasty, filling and satisfying. The shop's interior is all white, breezy, minimalist and cool. The owner is a freindly guy who seems to take his business seriously, making sure that his customers are happy and fulfilled. What's not to like? My co-worker (who is a Japanese female) says that she finds the sandwhich big enough to keep a portion for later as a snack; for me (I am a North American vegan guy), the portion is just fine and really hits the spot as a tasty vegan lunch.
Updated from previous review on Sunday August 07, 2011
Pros: Tasty, Satisfying portions, classic rock playing in store
Cons: Parts of sandwich are deep-fried
Contributions +11
Awesome tastic - Edit
Really neat place. It's pretty easy to find from the directions, just take exit 12 at the Tameike Sanno station and go up and out of the ATT building.
The pitas are really tasty and really big. I really liked the eggplant pita and the big (falafel) pita. And if you order the side of falafels they're really tasty too.
The guy who runs it is really friendly and speaks English well (but Japanese as well). And it's really nice when it's rainy, it's all warm and cosy.
One interesting point though. All three times I went there in the 2 weeks I was in Japan, he'd have on disc two of Led Zeppelin remasters. Either he REALLY REALLY likes Led Zeppelin or his CD player is broken and he can't get the CD out. Anyone else notice this? Either way, it didn't bother me. Achilles Last Stand is a good song to eat falafels to.
Pros: Really tasty, Good Value
Cons: The Led Zeppelin thing could be a con
Contributions +24
Weird. - Edit
I decided to go for a walk and find this place one day, because I was staying in Akasaka and read here that it was good. Wellll, after finding it eventually, I look inside the doors, and was really unsure whether I was in the right place or not.. This shop looked like it was under renovation or something crazy, dust and crap everywhere. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon, so I figured they'd still be open even though I saw noone around. I opened the door, called out for someone.. Noone. Waited for about five minutes and finally some old guy comes out saying they're closed. Well, good job buddy, leaving the door open, and money on the bench. Gave up, went home disappointed. Shame 'cause the stuff on the menu sounded pretty good !
1 Response
TokyoGuy 22 Feb 2013 - Hey, give the "old guy" a break, he runs the place himself and he trusts people enough to leave the door open. The food is good, and he is open for lunch (4:30 is lunch for you?) Before giving a low rating, perhaps you should try the food?
Contributions +194
Tasty - Edit
This is a good place to grab a sandwich if you're in the area. They seem to have pretty early hours though and cater to the local businessfolk.
Pros: tasty, generous portions, fresh-baked
Contributions +69
Great Pita - Edit
All vegan. A great range of pita options. Broccoli pita!! The pitas were good and the owner was really nice. It was a great filling lunch. I have a photo of my (omni) friend eating one of these in apparent ecstasy. :-)
Pros: 100% Vegan, Nice owner, Filling
Cons: Outdoor seating only
Contributions +17
What a great! - Edit
The shop is vegan fast food restaurant. It's safety and shop staff is very friendly. After the order, he makes pita. Then, he used to use the fish in menu eight years ago. now, he don't use the fish and dairy products. He can speak both English and Japanese.
shop staff recommends that big pita and classic pita in menu. I ordered a classic pita and vage croquette. But he told me, vage croquette is included in classic pita. Oh my! I changed the order, so I tried classic pita(760yen) and traditional pita(630yen)
(to go). traditional pita is only five loaf bread. Let's try pita even in your house. I'm surprised! A pita was my palmar size. too big! Maybe, you'll be full up for only once! The shop in ATT Building right above the subway 12th exit. turn right at the 12th exit. go straight and half round ATT building. (The shop is in the back in the ATT building)
So, the 12th exit is beside the entrance in ATT building.
Have fun!
Cons: Not smoking
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