Pita is the type of bread traditionally used to wrap a falafel sandwich. Its soft, round shape—often with a hollow pocket—makes it practical for holding falafel, vegetables, pickles, and sauces such as tahini.
Falafel itself most likely originated in Egypt and later spread throughout the Levant and the wider Middle East. The pita sandwich became especially popular as falafel developed into an inexpensive, portable street food. A 1939 Palestine Post article is cited as an early mention of falafel served in pita.
Pita is the standard quiz answer, although regional sandwiches may also use flatbreads such as laffa, samoon, or taboon. Laffa is larger and generally lacks pita’s pocket, so it is a regional variation rather than the usual canonical answer.
Falafel may be served alone, on a mezze platter, or inside bread. Common fillings include tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, pickled vegetables, and tahini sauce.