Hummus World

Delicious — swalafel!!! The salad they give you on the side is fresh and yummy. Enough food for lunch tomorrow !

Hummus have been love
But it’s over now
It was in the shawafel
But I lost it somehow
Hummus have been love
But it’s over now
The shawafel I missed
Ever since they closed down
— Roxette
What to get: You can’t get anything here anymore… but when you could, it was Shawafel
What you get: You get closed-​down food legends that are consigned to the past. If we keep going to chains that will prevail with or without our business, the greatest food gems (like this one) will not prevail :(
This was not just one of my fave restaurants in the NY area, not just my fave on Long Island, but one of my 10 fave restaurants in the entire country. It’s a real tragedy that it has closed down.
The reasoning is that the rent went too high and they were forced to close. However, I have heard from the owners (an older couple from Israel) that they are looking into re-​opening elsewhere, so until they do I will wait with baited breath and hope to taste my shawafel again.
Very simply, this was the greatest Israeli food in the USA, and probably the greatest Middle Eastern food in North America for that matter. The Shawafel was a perfect pita (*the* perfect fluffy doughy dreamy pita) stuffed with dreamy perfectly-​spiced falafel, tasty seasoned marinaded bits of delicious chicken shawarma, a generous helping of luscious dreamy creamy homemade hummus, lots of different types of paprika-​infused veggies and pickles, all topped with the tastiest tahini you’ve ever had. And some yummy pickles on the side for good measure.
The old guy was a wealth of stories and fascinating to talk to. A very passionate man full of wisdom. He and his wife were often arguing and weren’t too friendly with the employees. And yet they survived, for years, with some of the best food the lucky few to grace this place have ever tasted. The price was prohibitive (well over 10 for a sandwich) but absolutely worth it. Best 12 or 13 dollars you’ll ever spend. I can’t help thinking that perhaps the unusually high price for this pita-​from-​heaven was part of the reason they weren’t making enough to stay open. It never pays to overcharge. But in this case I can see why they did. The food was *so* elaborate and delectable and perfect. I’ve never had such a well-​assembled pita in my life. Ever. Anywhere.
I’ve taken 2 or 3 people here over the years. Every single one of them has agreed it was the best pita they’ve ever had in their mouths (and a couple of them have had all kinds of naughty things in their mouths, so they would know).
I miss Hummus World. So much that beyond the Roxette opening and the dirty joke in the previous section, I can’t possibly say anything naughty in addition to this.
Goodbye, my friend, it’s hard to close
The smell of shawafel it still haunts my nose
Now that summer’s in the air
Israeli food is everywhere
But no-​one else’s can compare
We had joy we had fun we had Shawafel in the sun
But all joys have their time and your landlord drew the line
We had joy we had fun we had Shawafel in the sun
But good things don’t last long and now Hummus World is gone
— Terry Jacks

One of my favorite places and absolutely the best Hummus.
Went there today, and they are GONE. Out of business.
Anyone know what happened?

Excellent chicken schawarma and falafel on the pricey side but it is a good siZe portion for potentially two meals. It’s kosher so must keep in mind holidays as they do have limited hours.

You will love it. There is no other falafel and Shawarma place on LI that compares. Part of the entertainment is listening to the husband and wife argue with each other in Hebrew. They are very nice people but the lady certainly is extremely strong headed. People who come in are often very nice as well I like this place its good and the owners are very nice

What a hole in the wall should be. The shwafel is the best ever. A little pricey but one sandwich is enough for two people. Perfect pita, perfect schwarma. Perfect falafel.
Bring cash until the machine is fixed.
The couple who own/​run the place are worth the price of admission. Listening to them go off on each other in Hebrew was the awesomesauce.
Oh, and did I mention the food? Really really good. I hope I have to go back to Long Island soon just so I can try the salad.

The friendly, unassuming, multilingual owner engaged me in pleasant conversation while I partook of his hearty Israeli Chicken Soup and out-​of-​this-​world falafel. The soup was brilliantly spiced and the falafel did what no other NYC falafel place has managed to do yet — its soft green center was perfectly enveloped in a non-​greasy, crunchy crust that has made an addict out of me. Not only am I going there again but I’m bringing my friends and family.

Oh my god. How have I lived on Long Island all my life, and only heard of this place now?
Stopped in for lunch today on a whim (my GF found it on Google, just looking for a new place to get some hummus). First off, I was very happy when I got there realized it was an Israeli joint, as I don’t know of any others in this area of Nassau County. We split the Israeli soup, a shawarma sandwich, and hummus/​pita. Everything was outstanding, and we couldn’t come close to finishing everything!
The soup was very flavorful, broth tasted very cilantro-​infused, and had plenty of moist chicken, potato chunks and assorted vegetables in it. Hummus was creamy and delicious, and the pita was fluffy and perfect. I found out later it is frozen and imported from Israel! The chicken shawarma blew me away. I’ve been driving to Grill Point in Flushing whenever I get a craving for shawarma, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that anytime soon! No knock on Grill Point, I love their food, but it’s very out of the way for me, and honestly I think I liked this chicken shawarma better! Bursting with flavor/​spices, and very moist. The sandwich came with the quintessential salads, hummus and tahini.
Took home extra hummus, pita and soup for later! I will be going back very soon. Yes, the prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for, and honestly, they have no competition in this area.
Just make sure to call them to verify they’re open before you take the drive, as they observe the sabbath and all Jewish high holidays. Also, cash only.

Ok ok, the food is good, relax, the one star doesn’t reflect the quality of the food.
The one star, however, is indicative of how the guy charged an extra three dollars extra from what was originally already twenty bucks for a drink and a sandwich.
You kidding me bro?
The guy there is no moron, he knew exactly what he did.
Fool me once shame on you. You’ll never fool me twice because I’m never stepping foot in rip off world again.
Despicable.

Whenever I go to Roslyn I go to Hummus World. The falafel sandwiches are amazing and I always get hummus and pita to take home. The Israeli salad is great too– and the staff are helpful and nice. Some people say the prices are a little high but I always get two meals out of one so I don’t mind. If you are in Roslyn make sure you go to Hummus World!

Prices are relatively high, but that’s what happens when there is no (quality) competition nearby. Credit card machine is consistently «broken’, i. e, bring cash.

Delicious home cooked kosher Israeli food in a pocket sized restaurant, which is fitting because their pita is delicious. So is the crispy, yet tender falafel, the nicely spiced chicken schwarma and the eponymous hummus. Yellow sauce is among my fave’s, green sauce is really hot. Yochanan and Esther are warm and welcoming and Esther’s soups are incredible. Worth the trip!

The space is small… it seats only about 10 inside and 12 outside. The drinks are a simple selection of bottled water, American sodas and Israeli sodas.
This review is all about the food and food is what Esther does best. Her kitchen skills combine with her husband Youhanna’s gift of gab will keep you coming back here again and again… and again.
FALAFEL:
One word, perfection. Simply the best falafel I’ve ever eaten. To quote our friends from Israel, «This is exactly what you would find in Israel, and it’s perfect.»
PITA:
Two words, from Israel. Why is the pita here so much better than what you get everywhere else? They import it from Israel. It’s flavorful, chewy and full of little holes on the inside that soak up and absorb all the deliciousness out in them.
SOUP:
Three words, Israeli Chicken Soup. Everything about this says homemade and simmered for hours. The chunks of shwarama style chicken added at the end for perfectly with the flavorful broth full of veggies.
SHAWARMA:
Here the shawarma is chicken and it’s excellent. Whether on a plaster or in pita, the combination of freshly pickled vegetables, hummus, tahini and tomatoes is out of this world.
SIDES — These you need to know about:
Moroccan eggplant: I can’t tell you what Esther does to make this because every time I ask she’s done something different. All I know is you need to taste this because it’s heavenly
Mushrooms: Again, just order and thank me later.
Hot Sauce: This isn’t your typical red, runny, vinegar based hot sauce. It’s green, pasty, full of spice and heat and it is quite simply the best hot condiment I’ve ever eaten. I can, and do, take it home and put on EVERYTHING.

Love the food here. Had the Schwaffle, which is a mixture of Schwarma and felafel. Really good, filled with hummus, pickles, cabbage. Good portion of fries.
The place is a little small and cramped for dinning in, but the food is worth it!

A lot of people will drive right past this place. It doesn’t have the greatest curb appeal but the food is delicious. I highly recommend their chicken schwarma pita. The portions are large and I always have to share with a friend. Their chicken is well seasoned and tender. The different textures of the chicken with the crunchy salad and warm pita are a treat for your taste buds. They also have great sides, such as their seasoned fries made fresh and their home-​made pickles. The staff are also very friendly.
I highly recommend this place!

It’s a tiny hole in the wall with a giant owner and giant flavor. Only a few tables so its mainly take out. The owner is super friendly and really helpful when you order. Everything is terrific. He imports most of his ingredients from Israel including the pita which is among the best I ever had. I had the Shawafel which is chicken Shawarma and falafel in a pita. Filed with all sorts of veggies and a hugely generous portion of falafel and chicken. I’m a big guy and I struggled to finish it.
Everything is super it’s a MUST TRY joint!!!

$ 8 mediocre Falafel
Came here with friends. Decided to go simple and get a Falafel sandwich. Though it is advertised as coming in a whole wheat pita, it comes in a white one. That was a little bit of a bummer since I really hate white bread. Anyway, it was stuffed full, but in an overwhelming way. I love a well packed pita full of Falafel and fixins, but this seemed monstrous and messy. Took a bite in and realized something didn’t feel right texturally to me. I examined one of the Falafel balls to find that it was not cooked right. The outside was brown and crunchy, but inside it was uncooked dough. The flavors didn’t particularly pop, and the sandwich ended up being pretty one note and heavy. I could barely decipher the individual ingredients, which is not the way Falafel should be.
My friend got the Israeli Fries. They were just regular french fries with some seasoning on them reminiscent of curly fries. Nothing special (actually pretty bland).
I was particularly disappointed given these reviews. Maybe I went on a really bad day or the wrong people were working there? My idea of amazing Falafel is Taïm in the West Village and nothing else has really come too close for me. Yes, I’ve been to Israel and there’s some great Falafel there too (better than here), but Taïm is the best I’ve had.
I don’t plan on coming back here.
Tips & Notes:
1. Parking is not the easiest in this location. Try around the block, though there is 1 spot in front.
2. Apparently they can’t take card unless «the boss» is there. Not sure if this is policy, or just because the person at the cash register when I went didn’t know how to use the machine.

Best schwarma this side of Tel Aviv! A little pricey but we ordered the Schwafel platter and for about $ 20 you can feed two to three hungry people with this platter.
A little slice of Israel in our own backyard!

Oooooooh — this is me, swooning right here. I need a schwarma, in my hands, right now!
Let me tell you, my first time at hummus world three years ago, I knew not of the magic of a chicken schwarma. I arrived completely unbiased, untainted, free of any presumption about Israeli food and the warm people who serve it. The owner behind the counter is so sweet and friendly. He chatted us up about all the different types of food he serves, his wife’s recipes etc. They are truly dedicated to the little shop. His food? Awesome. I’ve only had one item (I know, I know) so I really don’t have a large sample size to go off of but what I ate was amazeballs. Warm pita, succulent spiced chicken, a little bit of hot sauce if you please…
There are tables for sitting on you tush when it’s warm outside, just watch out for the bees. Those little nasty jerks want my food more than I do (seems impossible, I know).
12 big ones may seem a lot for a sandwich but don’t worry my foodie friend, you won’t regret it. Now I need to try this falafel that everyone east of elmhurst is raving about…

Hummus World is not an upscale restaurant — it’s a bit of a dive. What makes a dive a five star place? When they turn out top flight food with friendly service for reasonable prices. Hummus World does just this.
The prices may not seem reasonable at first glance. $ 8 for a falafel sandwich? $ 12 for a shawarma sandwich? Seems a bit steep, no? Until you see the size of them — feel their weight in your hands — they’re enough to satisfy a hungry man for supper. For lunch I’d suspect the average person would have difficulty finishing one of these. (Six of us crammed in here for a late lunch, and only two managed to finish their sandwiches). I’d say prices are reasonable given the portion size. I wouldn’t even think to order an $ 18 platter unless one or two others were going in on it with me!
But what matters most is the food. The food is the reason this is a five star review. Falafel and chicken shawarma are both perfectly seasoned and cooked. The hummus is also excellent, and a generous amount of it graces the lower half of each sandwich. The salads that top them are all several notches up from what most falafel joints offer. Even the table pickles are substantially above average. The hot sauce has just enough kick to satisfy fans of real heat — the timid would do well to take that to heart. (I got it on the side, and found myself eating it by the fork full in between bites of the sandwich. It had my father gulping water in short order. Delicious, but not for everyone).
Service was very friendly, but a little scattered. (We had to ask after forgotten orders of hot tea, and remind the owner what we’d ordered when he was adding up the bill). But the warmth of the guy was charming. When we complimented him on the place he waxed, «You ought to see the summer when we have tables outside. It’s beautiful!» On a frozen winter afternoon it seemed like most of their business was take out and catering. That made it no less of a lovely spot to sit, warm up to the smell of frying falafel and enjoy some top flight Israeli food.
Recommended.