The Hummus & Pita Co.
Locations:
Chelsea – 585 6th Ave., New York, NY 10011
Tribeca – 79 Chambers St., New York, NY 10007
8th Ave – 616 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018
Website: HummusandPitas.com
Hours Of Operation: Mon-Sat: 11 am – 10 pm, Sun: 11 am – 9 pm
Type Of Cuisine: Vietnamese
Produce plays a major role in the menu at The Hummus & Pita Co., a new fast-casual restaurant serving up 100 percent homemade, fresh and healthy cuisine in an inviting, contemporary environment. In fact, more than 75 percent of its menu is vegetarian.
“Since our menu is primarily Mediterranean, produce plays a predominant role in the cuisine we serve,” notes David Pesso, director of business development. “Not only is our food ridiculously crave-able, but it is also very healthy.”
The concept combines authentic flavors from across the Mediterranean with a modern-American service style, The Hummus & Pita Co. brings high-quality, flavor-focused eats to those with busy lifestyles. Executive chef Jose Tapia’s menu draws its inspiration from across the Mediterranean and beyond, with nods to Greece, Israel, Morocco and the Middle East. Fresh ingredients inspire daily specials, and everything served at The Hummus & Pita Co. is made from scratch on the premises.
Hummus & Pita typically doesn’t use exotic or unusual produce, but it does make great use of almost all the mainstays. “We receive our produce fresh daily,” says Pesso. “Our menu consists of more than 30 types of produce that we use in a variety of ways — from the fresh spinach in our Spinach Hummus to the fresh parsley and plum tomatoes that we use in our tabbouleh.”
The popular Vegetarian Platter includes various hummus options (sundried tomato, spinach, roasted pepper, jalapeño) and fillers like grilled vegetable, Israeli couscous, Mediterranean rice, brown rice, corn salad, Moroccan beans, baba ganoush, tabouleh, spanish eggplant, beet salad, chickpea salad, Israeli salad, stuffed grape leaves with vegetarian, fried eggplant, carrots (spicy) and coleslaw. Toppings include lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, pickles, cucumber, red onion, olives and red cabbage.
In addition, sides include Grilled Vegetable, Mediterranean Rice, Brown Rice, Moroccan Beans, Corn Salad, Baba Ganoush, Spanish Eggplant, Beet Salad, Fried Eggplant, Chickpea Salad, Israeli Salad, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Quinoa Salad, Carrots, Coleslaw and Grilled Onions.
The concept has a single small local supplier that it has been using since day one, called Pac American. Says Pesso, “They do a great job of searching the markets for us and sourcing the best quality produce out there every day.”
Pesso says most restaurants underestimate produce because they don’t truly comprehend that “produce done right is not only healthy but incredibly delicious.” On the other hand, he is finding that “more and more customers understand that and are now demanding it. In our restaurants, produce is always in the forefront and never second fiddle.”
