By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published May 18, 2016 at 5:17 PM

It’s official. After a solid soft opening on Tuesday, May 17 during which the new shop sold more than 100 falafel sandwiches in just over three hours, Hello Falafel is officially open to the public.

The new fast casual restaurant, located at 2301 S. Howell Ave. in Bay View, doesn't have an exterior sign quite yet. But it's easy to spot, thanks to the bright blue exterior.

Hello Falafel offers up a fresh take on vegetarian and vegan Middle Eastern-inspired fare including salads, falafel sandwiches, rice pilaf dishes and sides. Fresh, made-to-order juice blends round out the menu.

For more on the menu and space, check out our sneak peek from last week.

For now, Hello Falafel is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., or until the falafel runs out. Starting next week, the restaurant will move to regular hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.