I always say the best falafels are either in Israel or in Paris’s little Jewish quarter. Having said that, I’m always on the hunt to find even better ones around the globe. Food is a connection to a certain culture. And missing the taste of a good a cuisine is parallel to missing the country itself. In my case, I was desperately missing Israel. The overly hot summer, incredible iced coffee and beautiful sunsets are irreplaceable. But lucky for me, a falafel is not.

This bright morning I went to Sofra Bakery & Café in search for a little piece of Israel. I must admit, this restaurant is considered Turkish—but let’s be real: a Middle Eastern falafel is a falafel regardless of what the owners call it. These yummy baked chickpea balls laid on a warm pita is all I need to cure my nostalgia.