The Falafel Mama Story

 'The flavours of my childhood and the vibe of the festival...'

Alon Hertz, founder and director of Falafel Mama

 

'The air is cool after the heat of the day, and there's a sweet scent of orange blossom. You can hear families and children talking and laughing, and the loud shouts of the street vendors...Falafel was pushed under your nose for you to taste as you walked by!

 

I remember the bunches of fresh green herbs and the smells of mint, falafel frying in sizzling hot oil and aubergines roasting on the grill. The tabouleh salad swimming in tahini sauce was my favourite, and I always had a freshly squeezed lemonade on the side!'

 

These are Alon’s favourite childhood street food memories. Alon later lived with the bedouin people in Israel, training their camels walking them to the precious springs so they could drink and graze. Most importantly, Alon remembers the generous hospitality of the bedouin, sitting round the fire, telling stories and listening to music, dancing, and celebrating their festivals and ceremonies.

 

These experiences were then woven into his next chapter, travelling across Israel and then on to Europe and the UK with his family and their beloved Pizza Tabun. The incredible energy, community-vibe and delicious freshly-cooked food of their onsite restaurant (and the unforgettable kids' pitta-bread-making workshops!) is still remembered by festival-goers today. 

Maybe you have memories of sheltering from the rain and mud at Glastonbury, dancing in the queue with the crew whilst waiting for your pizza?!

 

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Today, the story continues and you can enjoy a taste of the tradition, the history and the love for yourself by visiting our little jewel of a shop, Falafel Mama, in Stroud, right in the heart of the Cotswolds. Here we are proud to continue the tradition of serving freshly prepared, deliciously vibrant and healthy vegetarian cuisine to every one of our lovely customers.

 

Come and visit us soon. A warm welcome awaits!