Sababa Market, DC

Last Saturday, Zach and I were perusing Eastern Market in Washington, DC in the 100-degree heat desperately searching for a bite to eat. Amongst all of the meat-based vendors was a stand selling falafel. My first thought was "ugh, another falafel place," but as I began to walk away, I caught a glimpse of their toppings. The toppings looked very gourmet and immediately I realized that this place was a hidden gem within the market. I asked the woman working the booth if I could take pictures and she immediately asked me if I was from the health department! She had a funny sarcasm about her, which I found amusing.











So, we ordered a falafel sandwich to share and she kindly offered to split the pita for us to create two sandwiches. After handing us the falafel sandwiches, she walked us through the different toppings, all of which were 100% vegan. I topped mine with cucumber and tomato salad, picked baby eggplant, Israeli pickles, and purple cabbage salad. There was also an array of delicious homemade hot sauces and Amba sauce (pickled mango and cumin).

When I finally tasted it, I thought it was absolutely delicious! The falafel was not overfried or greasy.  The bread had been freshly made and delivered that morning and was incredibly soft, yet thick. And the toppings and sauces were very good. I especially liked the hot chili sauce (you only need a little!) and the green sauce. At $8, these falafel sandwiches are a bit pricey, but it seems you get what you pay for in the falafel world. If you are at Eastern Market and looking for good eats, you should definitely stop by Sababa!