5 Fantastic Falafel Dishes Found in Mississauga

The food scene in Mississauga has been rapidly growing over the past few years and there’s no sign of it slowing down. From Trinidadian to Korean to Middle Eastern, you’d have no problem at all satisfying any manner of craving. One great thing about Mississauga is that most of these new restaurants are family-owned and operated. This often means that cooks bring a lot of their family recipes into their kitchen while putting their own unique spin on some popular dishes.

One such dish is the humble falafel. While you can easily find it in many of the Middle Eastern restaurants in the city you can be assured that no two will taste exactly alike. Here are five restaurants in Mississauga serving up some delicious falafels in their own distinctive way.

Written by Davindra Ramnarine

This restaurant describes itself and its food as “Authentic Middle Eastern recipes with a hipster flavour.” I don’t know the aesthetic of Middle Eastern hipster culture but if it’s anything like the décor and food at this restaurant, it must be beautiful.

Their falafel comes as an appetizer with a tahini dipping sauce or in a falafel bowl which looks absolutely delicious. It comes with rice, bummus (hummus made from beets instead of chickpeas), falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon radish, red onion, pomegranate seeds, sumac dressing, crispy pita and tahini sauce. It’s a sight to behold!

Falafel Bowl – $14.50

Address: Address: 3115 Winston Churchill Blvd, Mississauga, ON. @eastteacan

You’ll find Roman Zaman in a strip mall nestled between a fried chicken joint and a flower shop. Don’t let its location fool you though, because their traditional Syrian fare is served in a beautiful dining room that’ll transport you straight to Damascus. It’s beautifully decorated with carved furniture, domed ceilings, chandeliers, and a fountain.

The menu covers a wide range of dishes that are made with ingredients such as labneh, pomegranate molasses, hummus, grilled meats, and many others. Their falafels are just what you’d want to start off your meal with, crispy on the outside but nice and moist on the inside. They come with garlic and tahini dipping sauces.

Falafel appetizer – $9.99

Address: 325 Central Parkway West, Unit 8, Mississauga, ON. @roman_zaman

Located in Streetsville, Mississauga, this is another restaurant where it’s best to dine in (when possible) so you can take in the exquisite decor. While customers will of course find the usual shawarmas, it’s their grilled meats and seafood platters that will have many of their diners drooling.

Along with their mains, they also have some amazing vegetarian dishes such as their falafel platter which comes with a stack of deep-fried falafels, hummus, tahini sauce, pickles and fresh vegetables.

Falafel plate – $11.99

Address: 117 Queen St S Unit 4, Mississauga, ON. @nafisa_cuisine.ca

A word of warning, if you’re hungry don’t read the reviews, because you’d definitely want to jump in the car and head over to this family-run Middle Eastern fast food restaurant.

Don’t let the words “fast food” fool you though, their menu is filled with wraps, plates and family platters that are made with either beef or chicken, cooked in a variety of ways. The unique thing about their falafels is that one side is coated with sesame seeds, which gives the exterior an extra crunch and a nuttier flavour.

Large falafel side – $5.99

Address: 4870 Tomken Rd, Mississauga, ON. @shawarnado

Tarboosh Restaurant first opened in 1988 and was Mississauga’s first Lebanese restaurant. Like many of the city’s restaurants, Taboosh is family-owned, having been initially opened by two brothers. Executive Chef Bassam Esbait brings his knowledge of traditional spices and cooking techniques from his homeland into his dishes. Esbait is very involved in the community. He was once a refugee himself, and currently hires employees who are refugees. He has also worked with the Mississaugas’ University of Toronto Muslim Students’ Association to raise funds for the sponsorship of a Syrian family through Lifeline Syria.

While his menu ranges from shawarmas to grilled dishes, to unique desserts, his falafels in particular get a lot of rave reviews. After taking one bite, you can easily taste why. Crispy exterior, nicely spiced interior and perfectly matched with the tahini and garlic dipping sauces.

Falafel combination plate – $14.49

Address: 3050 Confederation Parkway, Mississauga, ON. Website