Local 92 – Hummus Bar with Creative Cocktails

When a friend recently asked for help finding a restaurant for her birthday dinner, I first referred her to my recent blog post, Tips for Planning a Group Dinner in NYC, and then gave her some of my personal recommendations. Though she liked the ones I suggested, she ended up going out on her own and finding one I had never heard of.

Local 92 Hummus Bar

Located in the east village, Local 92 Kitchen is doing much more than hummus. With wine, creative cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and of course a variety of hummus options, Local 92 Kitchen has something for everyone. Perfect for a date or a large group, this restaurant is spacious and has a lovely ambience for any occasion. Our group of 16 was placed in a private room in the back, allowing us to enjoy our company and food removed from the rest of the restaurant.

As we perused the menu, we became more and more indecisive. Everything sounded equally unique and amazing. We wanted it all. That’s the thing with big groups, you can have it all. So we ordered a bunch of different things so that we could have a small taste of everything.

The obvious start was the hummus. Some of us went with the original, while others opted for something more unique, such as the Mushroom Hummus and the Hummus Masabach, which is the classic topped with soft, warm, herbed whole chickpeas.

Speaking of Hummus, it is very important to note the quality of this hummus. This is definitely not your average store bought hummus….

The Chef, Shai Zvibak, dries the chickpeas for hours and purees them with tahini instead of olive oil.  Chef Zvikab uses spices that were brought in from Isreal to add an amazing flavor to his hummus.  Having eaten a lot of hummus I can tell you that Local 92 Hummus Bar really has something special here.

 After devouring the hummus with the delicious seasoned pita, we then ordered our entrees. Some went with the salmon, but most went for the Shakshuka. Served in a cast iron skillet, this dish pleases both by presentation and taste. The only downside I found was that instead of our side of fresh Challah, as menu had suggested, we were instead served a mediocre bun. Not sure what happened, but hopefully next time I’ll have a chance to try the Challah!

Overall, our group had a wonderful time and the food was delicious. Local 92 Hummus Bar is definitely a place you want to consider for you next group outing, especially with the price range being in your favor. (Most items range $9-$15 with entrees being a bit more).

Any other great recommendations for large groups? Let us know and we’ll be sure to check it out!