Picture the scene: it’s Sunday night.

The shops are closed, and the fridge is empty. Meal-prepping for your office lunch on Monday just isn’t going to happen. So, you need an alternative option that you can grab on your break – one that is cheap, quick and fresh, but not heavy enough to send you into a mid-afternoon slump.

This is my life pretty much every week. More often than not, the humble falafel wrap comes to my rescue.

Luckily, Oxford has a whole range of options tucked away across the city. There’s definitely more falafel spots than I’ve listed below, but these are some of my favourite experiences so far.

Rozana, Covered Market

This wrap was absolutely ROASTING hot when it was handed to me, which was perfect for a cold autumn day (but also a bit of a shock to my mouth).

The wrap was thin and very crispy – it gave a nice crunch to the overall texture, but it might not be your vibe if you prefer a fluffier dough.

As usual there are loads of options for the fillings. I went for falafel and roast lamb; the falafel was nicely moist and the meat had a great flavour. However, there’s no shortage of veggie options as well, all of which looked very tempting.

The chilli sauce definitely had more of a kick than other places on this list, which I enjoyed (don’t worry though, it won’t blow your head off). Aside from that, the wrap wasn’t overly saucy, which made for a comparatively neat eating experience.

I had to queue for quite a while, but who cares when you can occupy yourself with people-watching in the Covered Market? This one set me back a fiver.

Aleppo’s Falafel, Cowley

You’ll find this cosy falafel shop tucked down a side street just off Cowley Road.

It’s worth the journey out to East Oxford – they’re very friendly and I got the impression that it has its local regulars. When I was there, someone came in just to buy a bag of 20 fresh falafel (basically living the dream). 

I ordered the falafel, hummus and halloumi wrap. It was only warm-ish but I didn’t mind – it meant I could snarf it all down straight away. The wrap itself is thicker than other places on this list, and stays soft. Personally, I really liked this texture. The chili sauce was quite gentle, and the wrap also came with a generous helping of salad which gave a lovely crunch.

Unlike the other places on this list, there are a few seats inside the shop, so you can sit down and munch. There’s also a couple of chairs outside if it’s a sunny day and you grab them quickly! My wrap here cost me £4.90. Bear in mind, Aleppo’s is cash only.

Falafel House, Gloucester Green Market

Two words: queue falafel! Yes, these lovely people give you a falafel taster while you wait.

(At least, they did the two times I visited… we obvs can’t guarantee this is a permanent policy). This was a real treat; perfectly crispy, beautifully flavoured and fresh out of the fryer. I definitely should have let it cool down first though, because that baby was HOT.

The wrap here is quite thin but stays soft, as it’s served warm rather than hot. It felt a bit smaller than other wraps I’ve tried in this falafel adventure and was a little pricier at £6, but it was still filling enough – perfect if you prefer a light lunch.

I ordered the falafel and halloumi. The cheese was really creamy and – as I’d already discovered – the falafel itself was delish. The chilli sauce wasn’t very evenly spread throughout the wrap, which meant some mouthfuls had a disproportionate kick. The salad was great though – I appreciate that they don’t include cucumber, which is never good when warmed up.

Najar’s Place, St. Giles

You’ll find Najar’s Place in an unassuming blue shack on St Giles.

You’d hardly notice it when it’s closed, but when it’s open you’d be hard-pressed to miss the extensive queue snaking from it’s door. Be warned: if you go at lunchtime and it’s a sunny day, you will have to wait.

It’s worth it though. These were some chunky wraps. The falafel had a great flavour and was incredibly crispy, with a healthy dose of sesame seeds which I especially enjoyed. I also really liked the garlic sauce, which wasn’t overpowering at all.

I chose some aubergine as an additional filling, which was juicy and delicious (best not to think about how much oil it was cooked in). I also had a bite of my partner’s wrap with roast lamb. The meat was cut into large strips and was really flavourful. I couldn’t choose a favourite! 

I will say though that there were clumps of raw onion in the salad which occasionally became the dominant flavour, so maybe ask for them to leave that out if that’s not your thing. 

Najar’s Place is one of the cheapest options on this list at £4.50 (depends on what you get though) but bear in mind it’s cash only. 

Now, go forth and find your perfect falafel!

Let us know in the comments if you’ve got a fave spot we’ve missed.