Whether you’re catching up with family and friends, meeting with coworkers, or simply popping by for something that always hits the spot, if you’re in Fairbanks and in the know, you’re part of the falafel following. You’re going to Pita Place!
Since opening at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market in 2007 and expanding to its iconic College Road location, Pita Place quickly became recognized as an absolute-mustgo lunch spot in the Fairbanks area.
The success of their crunchy, herbaceous, and perfectly spiced falafel in interior Alaska was a pleasant surprise for co-owners and married couple Nadav Weiss and Teri Gross. Weiss shared that they “expected to have to educate the community on what it was all about” and even had a website ready to go. However, there was no need. “Even if they don’t know what [falafel] is, people were adventurous enough to just try it,” Nadav learned. Gross was equally struck: “I think we were surprised by how many people wanted to eat it!”
Pita Place’s falafel following has seen a few twists: They’ve pivoted to a picnic-style menu at the brick and mortar, they’ve started offering seasonal sorbet, they are available for delivery via apps, and the family often returns to where it all started, with a “grab and go” selection of their signature creamy hummus, pita, and falafel at the weekly farmers markets.
This summertime connection to regional farmers in the interior is one of the things the couple likes best. Gross says, “The produce is fantastic, and I’m so happy anytime something is ready. It’s people who live here, they know who we are, they call us when things are ready, it’s a great relationship, and the product is better than anything you can get anywhere else.” This close relationship means Pita Place features local cabbage, lettuce, parsley, cucumbers, and even onions. Midnight sun–grown staples meet traditional Middle Eastern flavors.
When asked which Alaska-grown crop is their favorite, Weiss and Gross immediately agree: parsley! This fresh herb shows up in almost every single dish on Pita Place’s menu and in their home kitchen, from sauces, salads, and of course, in those famous falafel balls. Gross says, “Parsley that we can get here is so different from anything you can buy in the store. It’s just beautiful. It’s flavorful. Fresh, crispy, and amazing. I love parsley.”
Pita Place is located at 3300 College Road in Fairbanks, and is typically open for counter service and dine-in for the season from April into early August. In winter they are sometimes open for “picnic” style takeout, subject to availability and pre-order.
The Tanana Valley Farmers Market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays (May–September) at 2600 College Road.
