LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2026 | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2011
2026 STATUS: THE ORIGINAL IS STILL ON WAVERLY PLACE
- Where: Taïm, 222 Waverly Place, just off 7th Ave and W 11th St, West Village
- Order this: Sabich pita. If you’re with someone, add a green falafel pita and split both.
- Price then vs. now: $7.25 for the sabich in 2011. Taïm’s Financial District location now lists its sabich pita at $11.50 online. Check the Waverly menu board for current pricing.
- Seating: Almost none. Plan to eat on the bench outside or walk it to Abingdon Square.
KEY TAKEAWAY
The sabich at Taïm’s original West Village shop, 222 Waverly Place, may be the best sandwich at New York’s most famous falafel counter, and it contains no falafel at all. It’s an Iraqi-Jewish pita of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad and amba, a tangy pickled mango sauce. Order it alongside the green falafel and split both.
WHAT IS SABICH?
Sabich is an Iraqi-Jewish pita sandwich made popular in Israel, filled with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, tahini, chopped cucumber-and-tomato salad, and amba, a pickled mango sauce seasoned with fenugreek. It’s vegetarian and contains no falafel.
Is Taïm’s Sabich Better Than Its Falafel?
For most first-timers, yes: Taïm’s sabich delivers more contrast in a single bite (silky eggplant, rich egg, creamy hummus and sour amba) than even its excellent green falafel. The smartest order is both, split between two people.
OUR EXPERIENCE (2011 VISIT)
I was over by 7th Ave in the Village around lunchtime, and decided to stop by Taïm since I had never been there before (the restaurant, not the truck). My wife wanted falafel, and you can’t get any better than Taïm, at least according to Serious Eats, who named Taïm as having the Best Falafel Sandwich in New York the year before.
My wife went for the regular green falafel sandwich ($6.25), although calling this regular falafel seems like a crime. I went for the sabich sandwich, which they had occasionally on the truck, but is a regular menu item at the restaurant.
Today’s Lunch was a sabich sandwich ($7.25) from Taïm at 222 Waverly Place, just off 7th Avenue and West 11th St.
What’s Inside Taïm’s Sabich Sandwich?
Taïm’s sabich is a warm pita packed with fried, unbreaded eggplant, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, hard-boiled egg and amba. It’s jam-packed and fully vegetarian.
When I unwrapped lunch, I saw this was a jam-packed sandwich – and as vegetarian as it gets.
Inside a warm, soft pita were slices of fried (but not breaded) eggplant, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad (i.e. chopped cucumber & tomato), hard-boiled egg slices, and a slightly spicy sauce called amba that had a lemony, mango taste. One thing the sabich sandwich did not have is falafel.
It doesn’t get any better than this! In the past, I was never a big eggplant fan, but the sabich sandwich was one of the things that converted me to liking eggplant, as was the eggplant schnitzel from Schnitzel & Things.
The variety of tastes and textures was exceptional – soft eggplant, creamy hummus, eggs with a citrus sauce, chopped cucumbers – all in the same bite!
The smartest order at New York’s most famous falafel shop is the sandwich with no falafel in it.
Why Does Sabich Work So Well?
Sabich works because every component contrasts with another: fried eggplant goes silky inside with caramelized edges, the egg adds richness, and amba’s sour, fenugreek-laced funk cuts through both.
Frying eggplant without breading lets its flesh collapse into something almost creamy while the cut surfaces brown through the Maillard reaction. Amba, an Iraqi-Jewish pickled mango condiment, brings acidity that keeps all that richness from getting heavy. Taïm opened on Waverly Place in 2005 and helped introduce New York to both sabich and amba; that chapter is part of how the Israeli wave reshaped Manhattan falafel.
Is Taïm Still Worth Visiting in 2026?
Yes. The original Taïm at 222 Waverly Place is still one of the best falafel and sabich stops in Manhattan, even though Taïm has since grown into a multi-city chain. Visit the Waverly original if you can; it’s the shop that built the reputation.
The sabich sandwich was tasty, filling, and relatively healthy compared to my usual lunches. Back then, Taïm also ran a food truck, Taïm Mobile, which carried the sabich only occasionally. (2026 note: Taïm Mobile is not part of our verified 2026 vendor map. You can read our Taïm Mobile falafel review for the truck’s history.) For the sabich today, go straight to the store in the West Village.
- Best for vegetarians: Yes. The sabich and falafel are both meat-free.
- Best for first-timers: Order the sabich and a green falafel pita and split them.
- Best for groups: Order to go; there’s almost no seating.
Our field guide ranks this sabich as the best single sandwich among the city’s falafel vendors and explains when sabich is worth ordering instead of falafel. For every verified falafel stop from Zuccotti Park to Astoria, see the NYC Falafel & Shawarma Guide.
KNOW WHAT TO ORDER BEFORE YOU REACH THE WINDOW
Our pocket cards list the one dish to get at Taïm and every other falafel vendor we cover.
Frequently Asked Questions About Taïm’s Sabich
What is a sabich sandwich?
A sabich is an Iraqi-Jewish pita sandwich filled with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad and amba, a tangy pickled mango sauce. It’s vegetarian and contains no falafel.
Where is the original Taïm in NYC?
The original Taïm is at 222 Waverly Place in the West Village, just off 7th Avenue and West 11th Street. It opened in 2005.
How much is the sabich at Taïm?
We paid $7.25 for the sabich at Taïm’s Waverly Place shop in 2011. Taïm’s Financial District location currently lists its sabich pita at $11.50 on its online ordering menu; check the Waverly menu board for current pricing.
What is amba sauce?
Amba is a tangy Iraqi-Jewish condiment made from pickled mango and fenugreek. It’s the signature sauce of the sabich sandwich and tastes lemony, fruity and slightly spicy.
- About the Author
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Ron Rossi is a New York native, marketing director, and self-styled “Jaded Traveler” who has spent a career crossing borders — both professionally and culinarily. Having lived and worked across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America, Ron has eaten his way through nearly 100 countries on six continents, always with the same philosophy: the best food belongs to the people, not the guidebooks. He gravitates toward mid-range, budget, and street food — the kind of meal a local nurse, teacher, or taxi driver would actually eat — and believes that a country’s character is most honestly revealed not in its fine dining rooms but in its markets, cart stalls, and neighborhood joints. At New York Street Food, Ron brings that same globe-spanning hunger to the five boroughs, hunting down the dishes that feed everyday New Yorkers and the stories behind the hands that make them.
 may be the best sandwich at NYC's most famous falafel shop. Our review of the West Village original, then and now.){kind=link}