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The designers behind super-stylized West Side restaurants Vynl and El Centro created the sleek look of this red-walled hummus bar near Lincoln Center, outfitting the small storefront with curving maple wood panels, green tiling, and dramatic glass light fixtures artfully filled with dried chickpeas. For such high-concept digs, the menu has a surprisingly straightforward slant—at the communal butcher-block table, running the length of the center of the space, calorie-counting diners select from a handful of fresh salads, like mixed greens with chopped chicken and sautéed onions, protein-packed wraps, and pared-down hummus dishes ideal for sharing—created using only organic chickpeas, spices, and olive oil. Several dressed-up versions of the favorite Mediterranean spread are also available, including hummus topped with spicy sun-dried tomatoes, hearty fava-bean stew, and ground beef with pine nuts. You can add ingredients of your choice, like boiled eggs, green olives, or veggies. Side dishes, like smoky eggplant “caviar,” a baba-ghannouj-type dip, and a quinoa salad, sprinkled with raisins and cranberries, add welcome bursts of flavor to a healthy meal. — Alexis Korman

Hummus chicken, $10.95; quinoa salad, $9.50