Scan the menu streetside at George’s Greek Cafe and it’s the meats that jump off the page, a roll call of beef, lamb and chicken—as gyros, souvlakia, keftethes and dolmathes—that, to anyone who has ever for even a bite enjoyed Greek cuisine, sounds like a winner. But for the casual herbivore, this can also spell U-turn—until you spot the falafel sandwich (on the back side, labeled “strictly vegetarian”!), a dish that’s nothing short of a blessing, especially if it means being able to enjoy the distinct homey ambiance and excellent service at George’s. A mixture of garbanzo beans, cracked wheat and spices blended together and fried into tough, chewy balls and packed into a pita alongside fresh tomato, red onions and cucumbers—with a very generous helping of tzantziki—the falafel sandwich is as close as you can come to a meatwich, at least in terms of texture. I couldn’t even bite through the thing whole, resolving instead to enjoy forkfuls of the falafel, pita and veggies, much as I would with a stuffed meatball or fajita sandwich. Order it with fries for a nice lunch; opt for a salad after the sun sets and you’ll have a filling (if not somewhat elegant) entrée option. There are of course more vegetarian (and a number of pescetarian) options at George’s (a closer inspection of the menu revealed that the dolmathes, or grape leaf rolls, can be made vegetarian), but whatever you decide, don’t pass on the melintzanosalata. At Open Sesame or other Mediterranean restaurants, this would be babaghanoush. Here, it’s got a different name, but the result is the same undeniably awesome mix of baked eggplant, garlic and lemon juice. It’s a soft and light start to what will inevitably be a filling meal, no matter which side of the menu you start on.

GEORGE’S GREEK CAFE 5316 E SECOND ST | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.433.1755

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