Mama Mary's Pickle hummus: Don’t underestimate the zing from this dish ($3.99 for 8 ounces). Made with chickpeas, garbanzo beans, casino paste and a pinch of lemon juice and olive oil, the unique dill flavor stems from real pickle juice, which is used in place of water. “It tastes just like you’re eating a pickle,” says owner Muntaha Dari. 9796 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls, 440-235-0351, instagram.com/mammaryshummus
Mezza’s sweet red pepper hummus: This hummus ($6) is a perfect balance of salty and sweet with roasted red peppers, making it a great pairing with pita chips or crackers. Owner Mona Iskander helps make everything in-house almost every day and has done so since the restaurant opened in 2004. “We do everything here on the premises,” says Iskander. 28743 Center Ridge Road, Westlake, 440-892-2220, mezzaonline.com
The Vegan Club’s black hummus plate: This black hummus plate ($10), served with a veggie-packed lentil salad topped with a red wine vinaigrette, gets its smoky edge from a special black sesame tahini, an ingredient chef Porscha Phillips discovered while planning the menu. “[The hummus] has a more nutty and robust flavor to it, versus a normal, traditional style hummus,” says Phillips. 13228 Shaker Square, Cleveland, 216-465-2054, theveganclubcle.com
Zaytoon Lebanese Kitchen’s roasted jalapeno hummus: The roasted jalapeno hummus ($4.29-$6.49) packs a punch with organic chickpeas, fresh lemon juice, garlic and tahini to help elevate the natural flavors of roasted fresh jalapenos. “It’s a great snack and it’s not overwhelming with heat, there’s more flavor than anything,” says owner David Ina. 1150 Huron Road E., Cleveland, 216-795-5000, zaytoonlebanesekitchen.com
Zhug’s curried lamb and apricot hummus: The mouth-watering curried lamb and apricot hummus ($14) is a must-have dish with ground spiced lamb and minced apricot topped with chili oil, parsley, dill and lemon sauce. “When you eat it all, it just blends so well together because you have this great acidity, this great spice,” says owner Douglas Katz. 12413 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-862-2508, zhugcle.com
