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Inspiration for Tampa Falafel House stems from Syria

By Jason Wright
Published  February 23, 2025 6:25pm EST
Tampa
FOX 13 News

Tampa Falafel House

FOX 13's Jason Wright takes us inside the food truck inspired from one family's Syrian roots.

The Brief

    • The story of the Tampa Falafel House began in the kitchen of the owner's uncle back in Syria.
    • Due to the war and trouble that it brought to their home country, Jenyat and his family came to the United States.
    • The Falafel House is usually parked in the parking lot of Terrace Oaks Plaza.

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. - The story of the Falafel House began in the kitchen of the owner's uncle back in Syria.

Hosam Jenyat and his brothers grew up in Homs, Syria where the story of their business began.

"It's like a family story. The story starts back home when we were kids," explained Jenyat, "Every weekend my uncle would invite us on a breakfast."

The story of the Tampa Falafel House began in the kitchen of the owner's uncle back in Syria.

That tradition, those memories and that family time gave birth to the idea that they could create those great recipes too.

"When he was doing the falafel, we would be surprised how much he really cared about the fryer to be perfect," recalled Jenyat, "He didn't put anything extra, anything less."

Due to the war and trouble that it brought to their home country, Jenyat and his family came to the United States. 

Local perspective:

They relocated to the Tampa Bay area where getting reconnected with those roots became an important way to keep that history alive.

"So when we came here we don't stop thinking about how we can make something here to make him proud." Jenyat said, "We start with a small menu."

Tampa Falafel House

Creating falafel the same way their uncle did, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

What their uncle trained them to do is now their business to remind them of home. 

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The Falafel House is usually parked in the parking lot of Terrace Oaks Plaza.

Tampa Falafel House

Their menu is simple, but offers the main item that they grew up loving.

Jenyat described it this way, "It's one of the foods... you can taste it, you will not forget ever."

The Falafel House is usually parked in the parking lot of Terrace Oaks Plaza in Temple Terrace.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jason Wright.

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