Pilpel falafel shop in Spitalfields Market
Of the many amazing memories I have of my trip to Israel last summer, eating the best falafel and hummous of my life ranks up there. So imagine my excitement when Pilpel opened near Spitalfields Market (which is where I work). For the past three months, I’ve found it a colossal exercise of willpower to limit my visits to Pilpel to only once a week. Often I break down and go twice a week. And no, I don’t want to know what my cholesterol is.
As Londonelicious has already noted, it’s a grab-and-go type of place. On weekdays, two long queues snake out the door at lunchtime, ensuring high turnover, which is key when you’re dealing with deep-fried goodies. You can order a falafel salad for £4.49 (which is basically all the stuffings of a falafel sandwich served in a bowl with the pita bread on the side), or you can order the falafel sandwich for £3.99 (which is the way to do it, in my opinion).
The servers at lunchtime work fast, but they’re good natured and always oblige when I ask for extra tahini (if it weren’t unseemly to drink that stuff down, I would). I’ve found that paying the extra 50p for a boiled egg or feta doesn’t add much, but occasionally I can’t resist the extra topping of fried aubergine, which is evil because everyone knows that there is no better sponge for oil than an aubergine.
falafel from Pilpel
Although I think Pilpel should throw on some red cabbage (like they do at the Parisian institution, L’As du Fallafel), I like that Pilpel’s falafels are always hot from the fryer and that the servers are fast and friendly. The place is a little slice of Tel Aviv here in London, and as the days grow shorter, thinking of a warm, Mediterranean beach city is no bad thing.
Pilpel falafel, 38 Brushfield Street, E1 6EU; 0207 247 0146; closest tube station: Liverpool Street
and don’t forget the delicious peach nectar juice! perfect for drinking on its own or for making bellinis.
I have never really got that excited about falafel; perhaps because my first attempt making them failed quite spectacularly. This place sounds pretty good though.
How does it compare to L’As du Felafel? The felafel guy at the whitecross street market is pretty good as well I find but L’As are my favourites (although I haven’t been to Israel like you – very jealous).
Any chance of a chicken shish? Only kidding – I wish I had somewhere like this near my work.
Spitafields was, of course, the big Jewish area of London in the 19th century. So how appropriate! I love Spitafields- the area has changed enormously over the last ten years, but I think the character of the place still remains. Let’s hope it doesn’t go the way of Chelsea- once full of independent and quirky restaurants and shops, now a sea of bland chain stores, with hardly any decent places to eat.
Jane – true, the peach nectar juice is indeed tasty.
Lizzie – I think a really good falafel is like a really good version of any street food: humble, but delicious. I, too, have made falafel at home, and it just didn’t turn out to be worth the effort. Maybe if I’d invited twenty people over it would have justified the long process and mess . . . .
GC – I think the Pilpel falafels have a better texture — ultra crunchy exterior and a hot, moist interior without being smooshy like the falafels at L’As du Fallafel. That said, I do love the way L’As du Fallafel will stuff their classique version with fried aubergines and cabbage, so L’As gets the edge for great accompaniments. In Israel, though, you didn’t get so many accompaniments . . . so Pilpel seems more ‘authentic’ that way.
Mr Noodles – I have no doubt that Pilpel is ready for franchising, so you never know – one may open soon near you.
Greasy Spoon – true, it does seem fitting that Pilpel has opened in this nbhd first given the history of Spitalfields. That said, Pilpel does a brisk lunchtime trade, so perhaps the bigger draw for them was the proximity of thousands of City workers. Spitalfields does have its share of chains, but yes, I agree, the area still has a unique personality.
Have you ever visited the Dennis Severs House? It’s one of the coolest things to do in London, I think.
http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/
Indeed I have! Isn’t it fascinating? Thanks for the link…
Is there much seating inside? From the photo, I can see a counter with some stools (is that it?). It would be nice to be able to grab that one table outside in the summer…
Helen – there are maybe six or seven counter seats inside, but at lunchtime on a weekday, I think it would be unpleasant to sit there, crowded in by the queues of take-away lunchers. On a nice day, I think it’s better to sit in the nearby open square where there are often street performers.
Not as good as L’As du Falafel but a pretty good cheap lunch while I am working at the UK office.