Before the 1970s in North America, falafel was found in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Jewish neighborhoods.
Falafel initially reached North America through immigrant communities and specialized restaurants rather than mainstream fast-food outlets. Those settings included Middle Eastern and Mediterranean neighborhoods, as well as Jewish neighborhoods and restaurants. Its limited early distribution reflected the dish’s association with regional cuisines and with communities already familiar with its ingredients, preparation, and serving styles.
Falafel later moved beyond those neighborhoods. By the 1990s, it had begun reaching a broader North American public, first as an exoticized “eastern” food and later as a normalized street-food choice. Its meat-free character also helped it appeal to vegetarians and vegans. A common mistake is to treat falafel as exclusively Israeli or exclusively Arab; its history and modern identity cross several Middle Eastern communities, and claims about ownership are politically contested. The question asks where it was found in North America before the 1970s, making “Jewish” the specific missing category.