Day trip · 9 hours
From San Jose: Small Group Napa & Sonoma Valley Wine Tour
Explore and relish the enchanted day trip to California's famous wine country on this full-day tour of Napa and Sonoma County.
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What to order at Falafel's Drive-In
- Must order
- Falafel sandwich with house-made banana shake
- Editor tip
- Order the banana shake alongside your falafel sandwich; regulars have treated that pairing as the standard order here for generations.
CuisineMiddle Eastern
Price$$$$
NeighborhoodWest San Jose
Hoursmon-sat 10:00-20:00, sun 10:00-18:00
Phone+1 408 294 7886
Last verified
Why locals love it: Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives yet still unknown to many San Jose visitors, this walk-up window has served the same crispy falafel recipe for decades.
Book food experiences in San Jose
2 hours
San Jose: Sushi Making Class (Includes 3-Course Meal)
Learn how to make your own nigiri and seafood rolls from scratch in this hands-on class with Chef Elham. Cook spicy edamame, prep sushi rice, and roll it with a variet...
from$192 Check dates
2 hours
San Jose: Chinese Cooking Class (Includes 3-Course Meal)
Cook a 3-course Chinese-Californian meal in San Jose. Make dragon cauliflower, pineapple chicken and rainbow fried rice with Chef Parsati.
from$187 Check dates
Location
Address: 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
More hidden gems in San Jose
Roy's Station Coffee and Teas ★ 4.3
Roy's Station in San Jose's Japantown occupies a 1930s gas station shell, serving Verve Coffee and organic teas in a beloved community gathering space.
OrderVerve Coffee pour-over with a fresh pork bun
Why locals goBuilt on the footprint of a 1930s Mobil station that Grandpa Roy actually operated, this family-run Japantown gem serves the neighborhood's soul as much as its coffee.
TipPork buns from Tengu Sushi arrive fresh each morning and often sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Huong Lan Sandwiches ★ 4.5
Huong Lan on Tully Road is a San Jose Vietnamese deli legend open before 05:00, serving large soft baguette banh mi considered a Bay Area gold standard.
OrderBanh mi #1 with pate, head cheese, and cured ham
Why locals goOpen before dawn for workers and students, Huong Lan has quietly served banh mi since the early 2000s without the long lines of higher-profile competitors nearby.
TipThe deli case holds roasted duck and BBQ pork belly that sell out fast - arrive before 10:00 for the full selection.
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill East ★ 4.1
Back A Yard on E. Capitol Expy delivers smoky jerk chicken, oxtail stew, and curried goat to East San Jose with Caribbean recipes perfected since 2004.
OrderBeef oxtail stew with white rice and plantains
Why locals goThe East Capitol location is quieter than downtown but serves the same fragrant jerk chicken and oxtail stew that built Back A Yard's San Jose following since 2004.
TipThe oxtail stew runs out by early afternoon on weekends - call ahead to reserve a portion.
Pho Kim Long ★ 4.3
Pho Kim Long is a cash-only San Jose institution on N. Capitol Ave where long-simmered broths have earned a devoted following since the early 2000s.
OrderPho bo tai with rare sliced beef and bean sprouts
Why locals goCash only and off the downtown radar, Pho Kim Long produces broths that serious pho eaters in San Jose rank above far more famous Bay Area spots.
TipArrive at 09:00 when the bones have been simmering all night and the broth is at its richest.
Phonomenal ★ 4.2
Phonomenal at San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose serves elevated Vietnamese and Asian fusion in a food-hall setting steps from the SAP Center.
OrderShort rib and brisket pho with bone broth
Why locals goTucked inside San Pedro Square Market, Phonomenal gets overlooked next to flashier food hall vendors but produces some of downtown San Jose's most refined Vietnamese fusion.
TipThe market gets busy at peak lunch - order early and grab a table in the outdoor market area.
Bun Bo Hue An Nam ★ 4.4
Bun Bo Hue An Nam serves San Jose's deeply aromatic Central Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup from a humble Story Road storefront beloved on the East Side.
OrderBun bo hue with extra pork knuckle and blood cake
Why locals goCentral Vietnamese food is San Jose's most underrated cuisine corridor; An Nam's spicy lemongrass broth has regulars driving across the Bay but rarely appears on foodie lists.
TipClosed Tuesdays - plan ahead. Cash and debit only. Weekends open an hour earlier at 09:00.