I like, no…I love hummus.

I think when traveling to a foreign country, a special part of any tour should be sampling the local cuisine.

One of my favorite things I say to my clients is: “This is a Jewish country. You’re going to eat well.”

Most of the Jewish population of Israel arrived within the last hundred and fifty years (believe it or not, a small number of Jews never left to the diaspora. They stayed, adopting the local lifestyle, speaking Arabic on a day-to-day basis). With them they brought the foods of the countries they came from.

Half of these people came from North Africa and the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, etc.) and so the wonderful foods from there countries were given a Kosher label and today we can enjoy hummus, falafel, malau’ach, kuba and other tasty treats in restaurants all over the country.

However, one of the most popular dishes is local. Hummus (a paste made mainly from chick peas) and pita bread is one of my special favorites.

The question is: where is the best hummus in Israel. The answer is: Akko.

That’s right. Akko (sometimes spelled Acre or Acco) has not one, not two, but lots of really good hummus joints!

The most famous of these is Hummus Said (pronounced Sayyid). For about $6, you get a meal of hummus, fresh-baked pita bread, olives and pickles, and a small plate of fresh sliced tomatoes and onion. Located in the market of the Old City, just ask directions how to get there. The locals will give you a knowing smile and direct you to the main street of the market.

But Said isn’t the only place to get great hummus. Just down the lane is Shamsiya’s. A little hole-in-wall, but clean and well-lit, you can order their wonderful hummus and also falafel, Israeli salad and schwarma.

I can go on and on about the hummus in Akko, but the truth is that you are going to have to try it on your own.