LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2026 | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2010
2026 STATUS: STILL OPEN AND STILL THE KING
- Where: King of Falafel & Shawarma storefront, 30-15 Broadway, Astoria, Queens (one block from the N/W Broadway station)
- Hours: Daily, 11am to 10pm
- Contact: (718) 340-8068 | kofnyc.com
- Order this: Chicken shawarma platter with falafel on the side. Check the menu board for current prices.
KEY TAKEAWAY
King of Falafel & Shawarma is the Astoria falafel cart that Palestinian-born Fares “Freddy” Zeideia started at Broadway and 30th Street in 2002. Two weeks after this interview, he won the 2010 Vendy Cup, New York’s top street food prize. Today it’s a storefront at 30-15 Broadway, and his oval-shaped, chickpea-only falafel is still one of the best in the city.
Who Is the King of Falafel & Shawarma?
The King of Falafel & Shawarma is Fares “Freddy” Zeideia, a Palestinian immigrant from the West Bank who has sold falafel and shawarma at Broadway and 30th Street in Astoria since 2002 and won the 2010 Vendy Cup. His cart became one of the most celebrated in New York, and in 2016 it grew into a storefront on the same block.
When you talk about the best street food vendors in New York, one name continually pops up – Fares “Freddy” Zeideia a/k/a The King of Falafel and Shawarma. Freddy is on the corner of 30th St and Broadway in Astoria, Queens and has such a large and loyal following, he’s been a Vendy Award finalist three times – 2007, 2009 and again this year, 2010, but has not won the top award. Will the third time be the charm? Tune in to our Vendy Awards coverage on Sept 25th to find out. (2026 note: it was. Freddy won the 2010 Vendy Cup.)
We can’t think of a more deserving New York Street Food Featured Vendor than the King of Falafel and Shawarma. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Freddy. Read on to find out why he is so popular, what he had planned for the Vendys that year, and the story behind his unusual oval-shaped falafel.
What Did Freddy Tell Us in Our 2010 Interview?
In September 2010, two weeks before the Vendy Awards, Freddy told NYSF he started his cart because New York had few places for real falafel and shawarma, that his falafel is oval because that’s how it’s made in the West Bank, and that he refused to grow so fast the quality would suffer. Here’s the full interview, unedited.
NYSF: When and where did you start the King of Falafel and Shawarma cart?
FZ: I started the business in 2002 and have been on the corner of 30th St and Broadway in Astoria ever since.
NYSF: Did you have any prior food or business experience?
FZ: I had a coffee shop in NYC that opened in 1996 and I was the chef.
NYSF: What made you decide to open a food cart?
FZ: There were not a lot of places in the city to get falafel and shawarma back then. It’s not like today. I also wanted to see and serve people my food, and not be stuck in the kitchen. I love being around people all day.
NYSF: You’ve had a lot of success with your cart. To what do you attribute your success?
FZ: We give people good quality food. It needs to be good for them to come back. I love what I’m doing, and it comes through in the food.
NYSF: This is the 3rd time you’ve been nominated as a Vendy Award finalist. Do you have anything special planned for this year?
FZ: I’m not going to change anything. I’ve been nominated because of the food I serve, and I’m not going to change that. Last year, I was the last one to serve the judges, right at the end of the day, and closed up right after. This year, I would like the judges to try my food earlier in the day.
NYSF: Your website has a lot of information on Arabic cooking, such as the various herbs and spices used, as well as a bunch of recipes. Are these your cart’s recipes, or do you have your own secret recipes?
FZ: The recipes on my website are good, but I have my own secret recipes. If you want my falafel, you have to come to my cart. But the maklouba (upside down dish) recipe on the website I have served at the cart.
NYSF: What’s the deal with your oval-shaped falafel? Everyone else does falafel balls.
FZ: Egg-shaped falafel has a better crust and is moister on the inside. Round falafel get too crunchy and are not as moist on the inside as mine. In the West Bank where I’m from, that’s how they do it.
NYSF: What other types of food do you like to eat?
FZ: I love American food, especially steak. I would love to spend a month in Texas just eating steak and BBQ.
NYSF: I know you’re probably focused on the Vendy’s in 2 weeks, but do you have any plans for the future?
FZ: A lot of people want me to open a cart in Manhattan, which I might do. But I don’t want to grow too much because then the quality suffers. You need to keep the quality up to stay successful. Once you’re too busy and not concentrating on the food, the quality drops.
NYSF: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start a food cart?
FZ: Serve people as you would serve yourself. I think of my customers as family, and I serve them the same way I serve my family.
NYSF: Is there anything else you would like to say?
FZ: I just want to wish everyone luck at the Vendy Awards, and may the best food win.
NYSF: Thank you, and good luck at the Vendy’s. I’ll see you there.
FZ: Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.
“Serve people as you would serve yourself.” Freddy Zeideia’s one-line business plan in 2010 is still the best explanation for why his Astoria line never went away.
What Happened to King of Falafel After This Interview?
Freddy won the 2010 Vendy Cup and People’s Choice Award two weeks after this interview, then opened a Midtown cart, a storefront in Astoria, and eventually a location in Illinois. He did open that Manhattan cart he mentioned, but the Astoria corner stayed home base.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Cart opens at Broadway and 30th Street, Astoria |
| 2007, 2009 | Vendy Award finalist |
| 2010 | Wins the Vendy Cup and People’s Choice Award |
| 2012 | Adds a Midtown Manhattan cart |
| 2016 | Opens the storefront at 30-15 Broadway |
| 2024 | Expands to Chicago Ridge, Illinois |
That Illinois move, reported by Eater Chicago in 2024, is rare: a New York street cart exporting itself to another state. NewYorkStreetFood.com has followed Freddy since his cart days, and his story is a central chapter in how falafel traveled from Little Syria to Astoria.
Why Is King of Falafel’s Falafel Oval Instead of Round?
King of Falafel’s falafel is oval because that’s the Palestinian West Bank tradition, and the flatter shape gives a better ratio of crisp crust to moist interior than a round ball. Freddy said it himself in 2010: round falafel gets too crunchy and dries out inside.
The food science backs him up. An oblong patty has more surface area touching the hot oil, so more of it browns through the Maillard reaction, while its thinner center steams through before it can dry out. His falafel is also chickpea-only, with no fava beans, which gives it a lighter, fluffier center than Egyptian-style ta’ameya.
If you want to compare his Palestinian patties against Egyptian fava, Syrian and Israeli green falafel, our field guide breaks down which falafel style is actually worth the trip.
Is King of Falafel Still Worth the Trip in 2026?
Yes. King of Falafel & Shawarma at 30-15 Broadway is still one of the best falafel stops in New York, it’s open every day from 11am to 10pm, and it’s one block from the N/W Broadway station, about 20 minutes from Midtown. Pair it with Steinway Street’s Little Egypt a short walk east.
OUR EXPERIENCE
When we reviewed the combo platter at the King of Falafel cart, the $8 combo of falafel, chicken shawarma and beef-lamb shawarma was the priciest item on the menu, and a falafel sandwich cost $4. The meat came off real stacked spits, not the processed “lamb” cone most halal carts use.
Prices have risen since then, as they have everywhere, but the method hasn’t changed. The falafel is still oval, still chickpea-only, and still fried to order.
- Best for locals: Yes, this is the Queens falafel benchmark.
- Best for tourists: Yes, if you’re already heading to Astoria. Otherwise start downtown.
- Best order: The platter, so the falafel doesn’t get crushed in a pita.
For every other falafel and shawarma stop worth your time, from Zuccotti Park to Bay Ridge, see our NYC Falafel & Shawarma Guide. For more on the man himself, visit King of Falafel & Shawarma’s official website.
KNOW WHAT TO ORDER BEFORE YOU REACH THE WINDOW
Our pocket cards list the one dish to get at King of Falafel and every other vendor we cover.
Frequently Asked Questions About King of Falafel & Shawarma
Where is King of Falafel & Shawarma?
King of Falafel & Shawarma is at 30-15 Broadway in Astoria, Queens, one block from the N/W Broadway subway station. It started as a street cart on the same corner in 2002.
Who owns King of Falafel & Shawarma?
King of Falafel & Shawarma was founded by Fares “Freddy” Zeideia, a Palestinian immigrant from the West Bank who started the Astoria cart in 2002 and won the 2010 Vendy Cup.
Did King of Falafel win a Vendy Award?
Yes. King of Falafel & Shawarma won the 2010 Vendy Cup and People’s Choice Award after being a finalist in 2007 and 2009.
Why is King of Falafel’s falafel oval?
The oval shape is a Palestinian West Bank tradition. According to Freddy Zeideia, egg-shaped falafel gets a better crust and stays moister inside than round falafel, which tends to get too crunchy.
What are King of Falafel’s hours?
The Astoria storefront at 30-15 Broadway is open daily from 11am to 10pm. Call (718) 340-8068 to confirm holiday hours.
- 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.
