Gluten-free at Falafill in Chicago

Falafel has always been one of my favorite foods.  Falafel is a Middle Eastern vegetarian patty made of ground chickpeas, and well basically it is fried.  They can be baked, but most likely the falafel you will find in restaurants will be fried, and this is what makes them so delicious. Traditional falafel should be made with only chickpeas and spices, with no added wheat flour, which is the case at Falafill.  It is always important to confirm no gluten containing ingredients are sharing the same fryer as the falafel.

Falafill is located in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood and immediately has the feeling of an ultra hip, trendy eatery with its minimalist décor and use of white.  Most times when I see places with this look I say to myself that it is going to be pricey, because it always seems like less is more in the restaurant and retails industries, but this was not the case with Falafill, my family of three ate for under $25.  On the front window they display that they are vegetarian, all natural, eco-friendly and gluten-free.  Perfect!  I went on a Wednesday night at about 9pm and it was pretty crowded, so this gave me the impression that it must be tasty.  There is not an overwhelming amount of seating, and no seating for large groups, and it is all first come, first serve, with some limited seating outside. You order at the counter and then seat yourself,

They are almost all gluten-free, however, they do offer gluten-filled pitas, two salads on the salads bar that do contain cracked wheat (tabouleh and bazerghen) and some pre-wrapped baklava.   The concept is simple; you order your dish, which is basically either a falafel sandwich or a falafel salad bowl.  They do not offer gluten-free pitas at this time, so if you want the sandwich without he pita you will basically be getting the same as the salad bowl.  They also offer sides of gluten-free potato fries and sweet potato fries. Once you order your basic dish, you pile on the salads and fill your bowl, hence the name of the restaurant Fala-fill.

I ordered the falafel salad bowl which simply came on a bed of lettuce, but this is where the fun begins, then you head to the salad bar which is full of unique Middle Eastern side salads and you pile them on to make a hearty meal.  As I mentioned above, everything on the salad bar is gluten-free, except for two salads that contain cracked wheat.  Each salad has its own serving spoon, but the risk for cross-contamination is a possibility.  I scanned the area and it looked safe to me at that moment, but I also would have felt comfortable enough to ask if I could get untouched portions of the salads from the back.  The salads include a gingery beet salad, carrot salad, cabbage salad, Jerusalem salad with cucumber, tomato and tahini, spicy roasted potato salad, spicy chickpea salad, olives with Moroccan spices, and many more.  There is also an area of freshly made sauces, chutneys and relishes.  I used the yogurt and cucumber sauce to dip my fries and it was delicious.

I thought my falafel bowl was a delicious, refreshing and healthy-ish meal.  The salads made up for the friend falafel.  For anyone who believes that eating a meal without meat doesn’t feel complete needs to try eating here.  Whether you are gluten-free or not, this is a great eating option and I will definitely be coming back again. From the look of it, most people were not gluten-free eaters as they had theirs with pita.

Check out another review of fantastic falafel at Chicago’s Sultan’s Market, for a more traditional twist on falafel and other Middle Eastern treats, including meat dishes.