Hummus Kitchen, Upper East Side

This post is in collaboration with Hummus Kitchen.

Back in December, I was invited to check out Hummus Kitchen on the Upper East Side. I’m surprised I’ve never come across place before as 1) I love Mediterranean food, 2) it’s very vegetarian friendly, 3) there are four locations in Manhattan, and 4) there’s a great boozy brunch deal. For $16, you get a brunch entree, several appetizers, and Turkish coffee or tea. Add $7 for unlimited mimosas or sangria.

It’s best to visit the UES spot for dinner and on weekends as they’re, unfortunately, right by the subway construction. It might be pretty noisy during weekday lunchtimes. The space feels comfortable and homey, and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.

I’m always a fan of anything with fresh mint so I opted for tea. John got the Turkish coffee. If you’re not familiar with Turkish coffee, it’s unfiltered and the coffee grounds are left in the pot that it was simmered in. Small, but mighty!

We also tried the sangria, which had a kick of cinnamon too… pretty tasty, but might not be for everyone. The sangria was on the sweet side too.

Our brunch entrees came with four small plate appetizers to share. First up, the masabaha. Served with tahini and garlic, this is a variation of hummus, where the chickpeas are slow cooked, but remain whole. This was okay, but I personally prefer blended hummus as for its smooth, silky texture.

The cabbage with lemon juice, sesame oil, and roasted sesame seeds was a simple cabbage slaw. This could be refreshing for the summertime, but it wasn’t the most exciting salad dish.

My favorite of the appetizers was the grape leaves. They’re stuffed with basmati rice and served with a tahini mint dressing. I love stuffed grape leaves, and these were tasty. Each one is a couple of yummy, savory bites.

We also received a basket of pitas and a Mediterranean tomato stew that might be the same stew used for the shakshuka. This is basically the Mediterranean version of tortillas and salsa. The pitas were warm and fluffy, and I quickly lost track of many we ate.

John got the omelet filled veggies and served with a side salad and fries. He seemed to enjoy the omelet and salad. I had a taste of the fries, and they were very crispy.

I obviously went with the shakshuka, always a favorite of mine. It’s listed on the menu as “green shakshuka”, which initially made me think there would be green tomatoes involved, but that’s not the case. The green comes from the wilted spinach on top. The stew of Mediterranean tomatoes, peppers, and onions was vibrant and good with the eggs. You need the pitas to mop up that tomato stew!

Note: This post is in collaboration with Hummus Kitchen. I was invited as a guest to this establishment and received a complimentary meal. This was not in exchange for a positive review and all opinions expressed here are my own.

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