Yesterday the vegetarian fast-food chain Just Falafel, which debuted in Abu Dhabi in 2007, opened its first U.S. location in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it’s also serving a signature plate of traditional falafel and vegetables, salsa, and beet labneh. Other menu items include a vegetarian burger and things like sweet potato waffle fries, but the main draw is a roster of various falafel sandwiches, including an “Italian” falafel sub and a falafel quesadilla. The California location is the first of 160 more planned in North America, and the chain says it has franchise deals signed in New Jersey and New York, as well as Los Angeles. If these fried favas and chickpeas catch on big time, it could signal the arrival of new era of plant-heavy fast food, which is something that other companies and chefs like José Andrés believe represents the next era of the industry. [Emirates 247]
