Londoners love their hummus. We’re never happier than trying to beat the laws of physics on just how much of the stuff we can scoop up with a bit of pide. And while there are some excellent classic versions of the stuff all over town - anywhere on Green Lanes, for example, would see you right - we’ve picked out some of the more interesting takes on it being served up by London restaurants that you might want to try.
The bright green one
Arabica
Borough Market, King's Cross
This zingy green hummus is made with spinach, watercress, sprouting pulses and a basil zhug. If you’d prefer a meatier option, they also do a hummus with crispy Rhug estate lamb that is excellent too.
The one with burnt butter
Bubala
Spitalfields, Soho
Bubala's hummus is made with burnt urfa chilli butter whipped into it and pooled into the middle before being topped with crispy chickpeas. And now they have a second branch, in Soho, so you have a better chance of scoring a table there.
The one with everything on it
Carmel
23-25 Lonsdale Rd, London NW6 6RA
There is a veggie version of the hummus at Carmel (Josh Katz's Queens Park restaurant) but if you're an omnivore you'll be wanting the all-in version which features lamb ragu, pistachio and curry leaf
See also: Sibling establishment the Shawarma Bar on Exmouth Market does a similarly OTT Iraqi version topped with amba, zhoug, pickles, egg, zaatar and fried aubergine.
The one with grilled chickpeas
Mangal 2
4 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XN
While it hurtles up the National Restaurant Awards chart with a dazzling array of new dishes, Dalston’s Mangal 2 is also refining the classics too. Chef Sertaç Dirik’s hummus uses grilled chickpeas which he says makes it “smokey, charred and impactful”. Add to that a drizzle of confit garlic kaymak oil and you’re in hummus heaven.
Photo: Markos M
The black hummus
Berenjak
27 Romilly St, Soho, London W1D 5AL
Did you even eat at Berenjak if you didn't order their signature hummus? Made with black chickpeas, tahini, walnut and sumac this not only produces a very startling looking hummus, but it's also apparently creamier than hummus made with normal chickpeas. Style AND substance.
The one with green chilli tatbila
Honey & Co
54 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LW
If there’s one place in London you’d expect to turn out a stellar bowl of hummus it’s Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s Honey & Co. They may be in new digs in Bloomsbury but their hummus is still as good as ever, topped with crispy chickpeas and a green chilli tatbila sauce.
The one with peanut curry pesto
Le Bab
Soho, Covent Garden, Brixton and Old Street
You've only got to scroll through Instagram to see how Le Bab's fans feel about their hummus. Topped with a peanut, sundried tomatoes and za'atar pesto it's the stuff that brings folk back time and time again.
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