Lately, there’s been all this talk about Elmwood’s House of Hummus (HoH) amongst the Buffalo Rising team, vegan groups, and people who just think I love hummus more than avocados. That’s not true, but I am a little bit jealous of the Hummus Expert who appeared on BBC… dude I want that job!
I recently had an opportunity to pay a visit to HoH for the first time, along with the crew from Buffalo Vegan Drinks – an online social group that connects the vegan community through a bi-weekly happy hour.
I have to admit that I thought HoH was going to be on the boring side – come on I’m a foodie! I could have saved myself some trouble and checked the menu ahead of time, but I was in the mood for a surprise, and wanted to give BRO Readers the 411 by going into this place with zero expectations. Let me tell you about expectations and traveling as a vegan. It takes a lot for a plant-based burger to impressed me. I’ve been there, and done that, and I didn’t want to be going down that ho-hum road again.
Boy was I wrong! This vegan-friendly place is rocking, with a super friendly owner, and a dialed in menu. There’s also plenty to choose from for those who prefer chicken, beef, and steak, so don’t let the ‘vegan-friendliness’ scare you off.
Overall, I feel like the menu was pretty diverse in terms of vegan options. They had appetizers, wraps, and subs for me, so I didn’t feel excluded. We didn’t have booze at this meet-up. Everyone was so excited to be in the presence of great food that I don’t think anyone actually missed it. Okay, who am I kidding? Again, it’s Buffalo… we miss a cocktail anywhere.
Me personally, I was good with my falafel veggie burger (inset – right), topped with lettuce tomato, onions, and a signature sauce (green or garlic). I also, felt secure knowing a vegan by the name of Amanda was working behind the counter – Ahmad Hamideh, the owner, just hired her. He’s finding that that Elmwood villagers are appreciating the food that he’s putting out. He also says that he’s listening to customers about their desire to see more vegan options on the menu. He says he knows the struggle and wants to make sure he has something for everybody, so he’s expanding the menu to accommodate the requests. Nailed it!
Now, let’s get down to it.
There was a featured lentil soup (lead image). The bowl was huge, for $4.00.
The Hummus and Rice Bowl (inset – left) was also ample and beautiful. It was $10.99 for the vegan option topped with falafel. I’m definitely ordering this next time, as it was an overall great experience.
And just because I’m a vegan doesn’t mean that I don’t like sweets. I happily added a vegan brownie to my tab, which was a great way to cap off the meal.
If there’s anything I want to leave you with, it’s don’t judge a book by its cover. I was totally judging this place, thinking it was going to be dumbed down vegan food, but it wasn’t. I’m excited to say that House of Hummus at 502 Elmwood, or 1150 Hertel, is not only healthy and delicious, it’s also halal. I’ll be recommending HoH to friends and family, while checking back to see what Ahmad has cooking in weeks to come.
House of Hummus | 502 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14216 | (716) 331-3313 | Menu