Hisham Wattar is on the cusp of his golden years and yet, he has no plans to retire.
And why would he?
Every day, the 62-year-old founder of Best Falafel puts smiles on faces, contributes to his community and flexes his considerable culinary talents.
And they are talents that border on otherworldly – shawarma, hummus, falafel and pitas that are made with the best in authentic Middle Eastern ingredients.
“My kids ask me ‘How can you do this all this time’ and I tell them that it’s because I love it,” Wattar says. “I don't know the word retire or what that looks like, because I don't think that passion will ever leave me.”
Wattar moved to Canada from Syria in the 1980s and began the Best Falafel story in 2000 with his first location on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, followed by the opening of a Kitsilano outlet in 2018. The North Shore restaurant opened in 2021 and serves as a beacon for the area’s sizable Persian community and tourists alike who are looking for authentic meals and a welcoming vibe.
“It's going really well for us on the North Shore because we’re one of the only places offering this type of food,” Wattar explains. “We know this food well, we know what goes in it and we're much more authentic.”
In December, Best Falafel will be bringing a unique twist to its menu with the introduction of Saj wraps, a beloved Lebanese street food. Unlike traditional pita wraps, these will feature the thin, crispy texture of saj bread, offering a fresh, bold flavour profile that’s sure to delight both new and loyal customers alike.
After more than a million dishes prepared over a quarter century, some common denominators still hold true for Wattar. Chicken shawarma and falafel wraps remain as timeless, customer favourites; affordability and fresh produce never go out of style; and centuries-old recipes are always adhered to.
“I'm not into the concept of high prices—I like really affordable prices and volume, which keeps everything moving and everything fresh,” Wattar says. “And we really pay attention to the original ingredients. All of my products come from Montreal to make sure we get exactly the right recipe and exactly the right ingredients that we need and that our customers expect.”
Best Falafel’s culinary command is not solely confined to the in-store experience, as catering for any number of corporate events or office parties is available with exceptional turnaround times. Party planners can order tried and tested menu items or opt for all of the components separately – salads, falafels, sauces and the whole kit and kaboodle – so that meals can be assembled on the spot.
“That way the customers have the freedom to create their own plate however they see fit,” Wattar says. “We need less than 24 hours to prepare and we can serve 200 to 300 people no problem because we are that fast.”
And as a gesture of thanks to this loyal clientele this holiday season, Wattar will hold a one-day special on Dec. 13 at all of his locations that will see half-price falafels going for $4.99.
“We really take pride in what we do and seeing all of customers satisfied,” Wattar says. “That’s why I keep doing this everyday after 25 years.”
To learn more about Best Falafel, visit bestfalafel.ca
