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Categories: Middle Eastern, Greek, Mediterranean [Edit]
278 Thayer StMon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
One nice summer afternoon not long ago, I sat at a little cafe table on the sidewalk eating the best veggie wrap ever, and I was completely hooked. East Side Pocket, this little unassuming place on busy Thayer Street, became a family favorite. Now we try to go whenever we hit Providence. The ingredients are so fresh, everything is affordable and it's filled with friendly people. Since my inaugural experience, I have been back many times, sampling just about every vegan friendly item on their menu. You can customize everything- have it your way- and the portions are so generous you may end up bringing home some leftovers for a healthy late night snack. Filled with college kids and professors on the go, this spot is a whirlwind of activity but I've never had a problem with the service, which is always quick and professional.
Do yourself a favor and drop into East Side Pocket when you are in the area. If you have never had Mediterranean food before, you are in for a big treat. And if you have, I hope you like it as much as we do!
A solid 3.5 stars but not quite a 4.
All three of us had the combination platter, which came with a generous portion of salad (with pickles and peppers and feta cheese and other deliciousness.. ), rice and lentils, syrian bread (meh.. wish they gave us pita), and a less generous portion of your choice of 2 meats (I got the gyro and beef steak kabob.. wish I had gotten just gyro).
Things I liked:
- Really clean
- Staff was really nice
- Got my food super fast which was clutch because I was starving
- Salad was fresh and plentiful and yummy
- Gyro was good
Things I didn't like:
- Beef steak kabob - dry
- Wish they gave more meat for the $$$ (~$8 for the platter)
Not bad but I think I had better gyros in some mall food court in South Jersey... but would probably come back especially after a night of drinking.
yay dolmas!
mmm, this east side joint's got pockets alright. I heart the gyro or falafel. get it with everything, except pickles. extra hot sauce. delicious!
plus I think they're one of the only places I can still pick up a yoo-hoo. Who still carries those? east side pocket that's who. they've got it in the bag, i mean pocket.
#8 is my Fav! Favorite Past time!
I never really liked this place when I lived in providence but it sure did hit the spot at midnight after a 9 hour cross country flight. They make their falafel into little donuts so they cook all the way through and their lavash is softer and more structurally sound than most.
This is hands down the best place to go in Providence for a meditteranean wrap to go!
I am in love with the tabouli with cucumber sauce, and hot sauce. It is deliciously sweet and spicy and it manages to hold together with all of that lovely sauce.
I am not a huge falafel fan, but several of my friends rave about their falafel.
The ingredients are always fresh and the service is always friendly.
If you think this is authentic mediterranean food, you need to get out of Providence. The "gyro" meat comes out of a box. That was frozen. For about two weeks. The chicken is even worse. When I think gyro, I think of a hunk of lamb vertically roasting on a spit all day long, after which you can use a dull knife to swiftly slice off thin, succulent pieces of meat. That is not this place. Even the pita is dull. And for the price? I really don't think it's worth it. But then again, everything on Thayer is overpriced.
However! Things they do well:
Hummus
Greek dressing
Salads (calamata olives, pickles, hot peppers, feta)
And, it's definitely a quick and easy way to get decent, filling food.
I grew up in Providence and was raised on scrumptious wraps and falafels from here! Whenever we got takeout, it would be from this immaculately clean and friendly shop.
Waits can be a bit long when college students are in town. You can always call ahead for takeout! Generally very quick service though.
I would recommend highly: falafel with pita and various sauces, the signature chicken wrap, the chicken caesar wrap, the falafel wrap, and the chicken-fingers-with-fries meal!! Fresh and delicious ingredients all-around.
I am truely sorry that Allie B. is so confused...
East Side Pocket is the best! After a little while I was a regular, and when I'd come in they'd wave and start right on my order. If I called my order in ahead, after I was done giving my order (since it was always exactly the same) they'd go, "oh hi Erica... " if it was someone who knew me.
There's always a little treat if you tip, baklava or a falafel or something. And the falafels are perfect. Fresh, light on the inside, crispy on the outside. Perfect, the way a falafel is supposed to be. My favorite however is the Caesar salad wrap..... strangely enough, they make my favorite ever. The chicken is marinated in what would seem like magic and the dressing is perfect. YUMMMM
If Dunkin' Donuts mated with garbanzo -- there you go. The falafel here resembles greasy, heavy, lint.
I don't get why people like this place.
Sure, the service is very "Soup Nazi" *(entertaining a 'la Seinfeld) but the food is not that good. It is cheap and fast but c'mon. There are great Middle-Eastern places beyond Thayer.
* do you know about the infamous ketchup ban?
I was kidnapped napped and brought one eve only to discover that this place is one of the best falafel spots on the east coast. Since then it has become a mandatory destination whenever I roll through Providence. The food is great and the service has been excellent every time I have been here.
I've tried the falafel wrap and chicken wrap: both were delectable.
But the human interaction was truly beautiful:
My first visit was 2 pm on a Sunday, lunch rush. But the line was moving so quickly and smoothly!
"May I take you order, please?"
"Falafel wrap, please."
"What would you like on it, please?"
"Everything but jalapenos and onions, please."
[// slides wrap down the line //]
"Thank you, next please!"
By using "please" to the point of excess, this man was artfully controlling the cadence and atmosphere of his business through language, that ethereal superpower. Incredible.
Light on the sauces, PLEASE. I felt as if I was trying to consume a middle eastern soup sandwich. Trust me, the execution functions as terribly as the theory sounds.
Americanized, but great for the area. The best gyro I've ever had is at Mad Greek's Diner in Baker, CA, which is 2,911 mi away so I suppose this will do.
I'm also sure you can get better gyros in Greece.
Great place to grab a quick bit to eat. It's always my first choice when I'm on Thayer St.
Delicious hummus.
Fast service.
Great for a quick meal with friends.
Best falafel I've ever had.
Excellent falafel, even if they fudge on tradition a bit. The lines can be long, but traffic moves relatively fast. Seating is limited.
This place is run like a well oiled machine. When we walked in there was quite the line, but it was over and we had delicious sandwiches in our ands in less than 5 minutes. We of course ordered the falafel wrap with everything on it.
I have to say, I was mightily impressed with what they put on it. Pickles?! A-mazing. Yogurt cucumber sauce really helped cool the mouth after a bite of the hot falafel. Tabbouleh was also a nice touch. The hummus was a little too liquidy for me and the falafel themselves? Well they were terrific obviously, but they didn't have as much flavor as the falafel's at Falafel King. However, even with all those additions, I think it was cheaper than Falafel King, which is pretty good. Also, I really enjoyed their hot sauce, which had a very tomato taste to it and was a pleasant surprise.
I can see how this is definitely a popular spot for the college kids. As it was move-in weekend for all the surrounding colleges, the place was pretty packed, and since it's on the small side, didn't have a spot to sit until one of the tables outside was vacated. I would definitely be here on a regular basis if I went to school in the surrounding area.
Seriously...this place makes such freaking good falafels. Don't question them, just put every single ingredient available on. Everytime they ask, say yes..."Pickles?" Yes. "Tomatoes?" Yes. "Cucumber sauce". Yes. Yes. YES!
For it to taste the best though, you must eat it in the car on the way home and get condiments all over yourself.
Expecting to find this place a little sleepy on a rainy Sunday in the mid-afternoon is not a reasonable thing to expect... especially not on Brown move-in day. Needless to say, an indoor seat was not to be found, but on outdoor table under a large awning to protect us from the rain happened to open up.
It's considerable popularity, however, did not shy us away. In fact, the line moved swiftly and efficiently. Amanda and I both got falafel wraps with everything (except mine without hot sauce as I think it detracts from other flavors. I am not soft.) There were all sorts of ingredients in there, including cucumber, pickles, hummus, tabbouleh and a cucumber-basil sauce, I believe. The falafel itself was a little on the soft side, but still packed with savory spices. We might have paid just over $10 for the two of us to eat. If in the East Side of Providence again, I wouldn't hesitate to come back here.
I allocated a Saturday last month to drive from Somerville to Providence just to get an East Side Pocket. That alone should be testimony to the greatness of this fabulous little restaurant. Going to school in Providence, I would save my pennies just to make the trip from the PC ghetto to Thayer Street to order a falafel pocket. I have searched high and low for a comparable sandwich in the Boston area, but alas, I have been unsuccessful. Anyone looking for a satisfying lunch in Prov, I urge you to check this place out, get a falafel pocket with everything (even hot sauce) except onions, perhaps a side of stuffed grape leaves, and an order of their famous baklava. You can thank me later.
This is the place that started my love for all things pita. East Side Pockets is really the ONLY thing I miss about living in Providence.
I noticed that the store did some sort of remodeling? After reading reviews, I see that their quality is still great and their fanclub is hearty.
Funny story, flashback to 1999: one of the workers got into a fight with some drunk college bloke who was pretending to pee on the floor. The worker jumped over the counter, grabbed a 3 foot long sword (yes, a real sword) from the wall over my head and threatened to kill the frat boy. The boy ran out, sword was replaced on the wall, and the cook returned to his cooking station. Of course, I kept on eating my falafel pita like nothing was wrong. That's how good the food is....I will flirt with death to finish my meal.
Please tell me that the swords are still hanging on the wall.
Fresh ingredients. Fast service. Delicious! Great prices. I LOVE THIS PLACE! Next time I will ask for vinegar or lemon because the gyro sandwich lacks acidity.
Quick, fresh, tasty and consistent. Have never been disappointed. Friends and I go at lunch and the worst part about the visit is finding parking. But the wraps make it well worth it.
so I reviewed this LAST YEAR & yelp erased it. LAME!
but it looks like everyone caught on to the fact that this is THE BEST falafel you will ever have in your life. EVER.
they load it up with so many extras - its not dry at all, tons of flavor, cheap, open late - what more can you ask for?
I have brought back a bag of falafel wraps to boston on many occasions. when I ask my other RI-natives - "Hey Im going home this weekend, want me to bring anything back?" this is always at the top of the list, (along with wimpy skimpy's from cassertas). sadly, Del's would melt on the way back to boston :(
This is one of my favorite places! I want to try everything on their menu, but I love the falafel with everything (all the toppings and sauces totally make this the best falafel ever) so I can't seem to move beyond it. It's really fresh and you can tell that they take a lot of pride in their food - it really shows. I can't get enough of it.
Quite solid, and what little I tried I'd probably put in the 3-4 star range but I had some trouble with my debit card when I went to pay and the lady there was very understanding and nice and it worked out great - 4 stars it is.
The falafel is really good and flavorful, however, I would avoid the red sauce they put on there if you don't tell them you don't want it - it tasted too ketchup-y to me. Also, I would maybe not get the pickles on it next time but hey! The whole reason you go the first time is so you know what to order better the second time.
Falafel yes!!!
Best middle eastern food around. The place is spotless, the food is delicious and the line is quick.
An absolute favorite!
Any time I was sick of dining hall food, this was ALWAYS my go-to. The guys are SUPER nice who work there (they still remember my name), and they're quick and efficient.
I usually go with a combo pocket (Lamb + Falafel), but I can seriously eat anything there. Their falafels are great, their pockets are all great, and their salads are all great. If you're vegetarian, than this is definitely a great place for you!
The prices are also VERY reasonable.
If you're in Providence on the East Side, this is definitely a must.
P.S. A little hint, if you tip them, they give you free baklava!
I have to say, this is one of my favorite places to eat in rhode island. the falafel is outstanding. the owners must make a fortune.
I was never a college student in Providence. I have never even spent more than three consecutive days in Providence in my life, nor have any great love for Thayer Street or anything else on it.
Yet despite this, I still LOVE EAST SIDE POCKETS. Love.
Quick, efficient, cheap, friendly service, yummy, fresh, made-to-order, homemade tzatziki, juicy kabobs.... oh East Side Pockets my mouth is watering just thinking of you! How many times have I ventured to the bounds of Thayer St just to savor the goodness of one of your mouth-watering pockets? Oh so many... How I love bringing home a side of tzatziki with pita as a movie snack rather than popcorn!
Must. Drive. Down 95. Visit friends. And get East Side Pockets. Tonight!
Wow, this was a good lunch. In town from Chicago, afternoon to kill, went to see Brown and its "campustown" and stopped in here for a bite. had a chicken/falafel wrap that was amazing. The secret is the combo of ingredients they include alongside the main part of the wrap so be sure to ask for everything, except maybe onions if you are planning on kissing someone later.
You know it means something when a place is the most reviewed restaurant out of all restaurants in Providence. And I knew I had to try it...so glad I did!
I can still taste the baklava in my mouth and am kicking myself for not buying a box and bringing it home. And when I saw the other table eating those grape leaves, I couldn't believe I didn't get any. Fortunately the Kafta Kabob Pocket was pretty darn good. This place totally does it right with all the fixings and I'm totally jealous of all the locals who can go there everyday.
So if you're lucky enough to be close to East Side Pocket, go by and try the baklava. Just don't blame me if you can't stop eating them.
I love east side pocket, once I asked for "Extra Hot Sauce" like i always do, and they gave me some special hot sauce from the fridge, it was so insanely hot. Sometimes the guy gives free desserts too. The food is always consistantly good.
best gyros ever! a little pricey but it's so good and they give you such a large helping that it's worth it. the people there are all really nice and polite and have a great/efficient system going. if you go here, try to avoid peak hours by going a little early or a little late...it gets pretty crowded in there.
Amazing food, quick service and great prices. They have the best falafel around!
I also love the renovations to the inside, there is a bit more seating now, which is a huge plus.
Fast service, delicious wraps, and there's an express lane for those who just want falafels etc. Also, if you tip $1 they'll give you a free piece of baklava.
I love east side pocket - I have yet to find a better falafel anywhere else and I often catch myself comparing every other falafel I order to theirs...so juicy, so flavorful, and so inexpensive!
Super cheap super fast food. Outdoor seating is great for people watching and for enjoying the weather. The food is great for a super cheap super fast food place, but not good if you're expecting something gourmet.
You walk in, stare up at the menu, and order your wrap / plate while the guy assembles it in front of you a la Subway style. They have a ton of toppings, and I usually get everything expect hot sauce but with extra yogurt. My favorites so far are the chicken plate (HUGE) and the gyro wrap.
Definitely make a stop if you're in the mood for a pita wrap or need to find a place for a quick lunch. It's also opened super late, but then it's full of drunk college kids.
This is the best Middle Eastern sandwich shop that I've ever been to. EVER. They load up the wraps with lettuce, hummus, tabouli, hot sauce (get the hot sauce), pickles, and whatever else you want. This is top-notch wrap-making in action.
I'm actually struck dumb and don't know what to say right now. This place is so delicious that I want to slap somebody. The kafta kabob is my A-list #1 top choice here.
If I still lived/worked in Providence, I would eat here at least twice a week. Just go, already (and tell them to open another shop in Boston)!
Secret bonus: It used to be that if you left a dollar in the tip jar, they would hand you a piece of one of their delicious pastries. Ssshhhhh.
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