When I moved to the hood, my friends who had lived there for 20+ years told me about a number of their go-to lunch 
places; Rainbow Falafel on 17th Street was one of them. If I had turned my head as I was walking by, I could have easily missed this little gem on 17th just west of Union Square.
Rainbow serves some of the best falafel (deep-fried spiced mashed chickpeas) in the city for under $5 for a take-out sandwich.
Rainbow is a take-out only storefront that’s been a Syrian family’s business for 30 years. My past attempts to photograph the falafel sandwich had produced horrid unappetizing results so I stopped in early one day to chat with Mark-Jamal, son of the original owner. He made this sandwich for me to take a picture.
Rainbow’s pita filled sandwich contains chopped salad, tomatoes, onions, pepperoncini and fresh falafel balls all drizzled with tahini sauce. I get mine sans the onions, plus hot sauce.
If you’re in the hood, give it a try. Really good cheap eats!
– bonnie
Rainbow Falafel & Shawarma
Union Square
26 E 17th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 691-8641
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