Hummus in Columbus is not one lane, it is a dozen counters and grills across the city and its ring, each with its own idea of how creamy the chickpeas should get and what goes on top. This guide sticks to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern rooms doing the real work, plus a couple of neighbors worth knowing when the craving hits and hummus is not the only thing on the table.
№ 01
Sababa Mediterranean Grill
$
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The salad built on kalamata olives and harissa gets the most attention here, but the hummus anchors the rice bowls and plates that make this counter a weeknight standby. The room stays clean and the staff moves fast, which matters for a spot that leans hard on delivery and quick turnover. Order the rice bowl if undecided.
What to ordersalad with kalamata olives and harissa, rice bowl, grilled kebab
№ 02
Mazah Mediterranean Eatery
Grandview Heights $$
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Hummus, falafel, and kebab form the core of a menu built for groups and coworker dinners, and the kitchen holds its quality across a full table of orders. Restaurant week deals here have run four dishes for twenty dollars, a sign of a kitchen confident in volume. A dependable choice when a table wants Mediterranean without debate.
What to orderhummus, falafel, kebab
№ 03
Pita House
Bexley $
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This counter has served the same chicken shawarma plate and creamy, daily-made hummus for over a decade, and regulars treat it as the standard against which other hummus in the city gets measured. The gyros carry a full lineup of fresh add-ons. Order the shawarma plate with two sides and pita for the fullest picture of what the kitchen does well.
What to orderchicken shawarma plate, gyros, hummus
№ 04
Pita Hut Grill
$
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Wedged between a bar and a cigarette shop, this plaza storefront turns out shawarma and falafel that outclass its plain interior, hummus included. Long-time customers who wandered off to try newer spots keep finding their way back. The room is unpretentious by design and the food does not need the decor to make its case.
What to orderhummus, shawarma, falafel
№ 05
Agape Mediterranean
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Bowls built around Greek salad, souvlaki, and mezze define this counter-service spot, where portions run generous relative to the price point. The Grandview Heights location gives northwest diners the same quick-bowl model, ingredient quality that reads closer to a chef-driven kitchen than a fast-casual one. Good for a fast, satisfying lunch without a sit-down wait.
What to orderGreek salad, souvlaki, mezze platter
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The shrimp kabob draws repeat visits, but the hummus and lavash bread round out a menu that has kept its quality steady over years of service. Takeout runs strong here, and the hot sauce on the side brings real heat without overwhelming the plate. A reliable pick for groups who want Mediterranean food that does not vary visit to visit.
What to ordershrimp kabob, lavash, hummus
№ 07
Brassica in the Short North
$$
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This fast-casual counter in the Short North builds customizable sandwiches and salads around a hummus base, and the crowds at lunch prove the model works. Expect a packed room and a bar to grab a seat at when tables run out. The pace stays quick even when the line backs up toward the door.
What to ordercustomizable sandwich, salad, hummus
№ 08
Olive & Lime Cafe
$$
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The pita bread here gets singled out as much as the hummus, and a small platter comfortably feeds three people with leftovers to spare. It runs as an order-at-the-counter operation with real dining room seating, unusual for a spot this fast. Baklava closes out the counter's range from savory to sweet in one stop.
What to orderhummus, pita bread, baklava
№ 09
Sumac Mediterranean Grill
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Hummus, grilled lamb skewers, and falafel come out fresh and in large portions, run by a small crew that greets people at the door. Customers who tried other spots first and ended up here describe it as the strongest Mediterranean kitchen they found in the city. Worth seeking out on purpose, not just when other options are closed.
What to orderhummus, grilled lamb skewers, falafel
№ 10
Shawerma Bite
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Chicken and steak shawarma anchor the menu at this quick-service spot, savory enough that customers who tried it once stopped comparing it to anywhere else. The corn side and steak occasionally sell out, so early visits are safer bets. A second location at Easton gives diners a backup when this one runs short.
What to orderchicken shawarma, steak shawarma, corn
№ 11
Cafe Istanbul Easton
$$
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Kebab, meze, and baklava built around Turkish tradition define this Easton area room, distinct from the Mediterranean counters elsewhere on this list. Service can slow down on busy dinner nights, but the food and room have kept regulars returning for years, including diners who had let the place slip out of their rotation and came back.
What to orderkebab, meze, baklava
№ 12
Z Cucina di Spirito
$$
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Short rib, orecchiette, and meatball make this Italian room a solid choice when the group wants something beyond Mediterranean, especially for celebrations. A happy hour runs at the bar, though seats there fill fast on busy nights. Service stays attentive even when the bar is packed and the game is on.
What to ordershort rib, orecchiette, meatball
Frequently asked
Which restaurant has the best hummus near me in Columbus?
It depends on which part of the metro is closest. Pita House and Pita Hut Grill are both inside Columbus proper and have built decade-long reputations on daily-made hummus, while Lavash Cafe and Sumac Mediterranean Grill are strong picks if a shawarma or lamb skewer is also on the agenda. Check the Insider Score on each listing to compare current standing.
Are any of these restaurants outside the city of Columbus?
All twelve restaurants in this guide are located within the city of Columbus itself, not in ring cities like Bexley, Grandview Heights, or Upper Arlington. Agape Mediterranean does have a Grandview Heights location in addition to its Columbus spot, so double check which address is closest.
Do any of these restaurants pay to be listed on Top of Columbus?
No restaurant pays for placement or ranking on this site. Every entry is ordered and scored using the Insider Score, which is built from the public review record, and that score has nothing to do with advertising.
Is Cafe Istanbul Easton the same kind of food as the rest of this list?
No. It serves Turkish cuisine, which is a distinct culinary tradition from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern grills that make up most of this guide. It is included because its meze and kebab plates appeal to the same diners looking for chickpea-forward, shareable Mediterranean-adjacent food.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Amina Warsame
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Amina Warsame is a Staff Writer at Top of Columbus. Born in Mogadishu and raised in Northland, she grew up between her mother's kitchen and the grocery-cafes of the Somali malls. She writes the guides, sweeps the whole Outerbelt, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
