Sumac is a tangy, lemony red spice made from dried berries. Here's how it's used, an easy sumac onion recipe, and where it appears on our brunch menu.
What is sumac? It's a deep red, slightly coarse spice made from dried and ground sumac berries, and it tastes sharp and lemony. If you've noticed a sprinkle of purple-red on our brunch plates and wondered what it was, this is it. Here's what sumac is, how it's used, an easy recipe to try at home, and the dishes at Kybelle where you'll find it.
Where sumac comes from
Culinary sumac comes from the berries of a shrub (Rhus coriaria) that grows around the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The clusters of red berries are dried and ground into a powder. It's a different plant from the "poison sumac" found in North America, so there's no need to worry about the name.
What does it taste like?
Sumac is sour first: think lemon, but softer and a little fruity, without the liquid. It isn't hot. That sharpness is why it's often used where you might otherwise squeeze a lemon, and why it works so well against rich things like eggs, yoghurt, avocado and oily fish.
How sumac is used
Across the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean, sumac is a table spice as much as a cooking one. It's scattered over salads such as fattoush, rubbed onto grilled meat and vegetables, and dusted over hummus and dips. It's also one of the main ingredients in za'atar, a blend usually made with thyme, sesame and sumac.
Quick sumac onions
This is the easiest way to get to know sumac, and it goes with almost anything savoury:
- Slice one red onion as thinly as you can.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and rub it in with your fingers for a minute, so the onion softens.
- Add one to two teaspoons of sumac and a handful of chopped parsley.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon, toss, and leave for ten minutes.
Pile it onto eggs, wraps, flatbreads or a salad.
Other ways to use sumac at home
- Dust it over fried or poached eggs.
- Add a pinch to smashed avocado on toast.
- Stir it into thick yoghurt with garlic and olive oil for a quick dip.
- Toss roast vegetables with it straight out of the oven.
Add sumac at the end rather than cooking it for a long time. Keep it in an airtight jar away from light so the colour and tang last.
Smoked Salmon, finished with sumac 
Kybelles Hash
Where you'll find sumac at Kybelle
Two of our brunch plates use it. The Smoked Salmon plate is smashed avocado, poached eggs, smoked salmon, baby rocket and micro greens, finished with sumac. Kybelles Hash is hash browns topped with creamy scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, with garlic yoghurt and a red onion, fresh parsley and sumac salad. Both are on the menu all day.
Try it at Kybelle
- Smoked Salmon, £14.00
- Kybelles Hash, £13.90 (£16.40 with bacon)
- For more Mediterranean flavours: Cilbir Eggs (£13.90) or the Mediterranean Breakfast (£15.90)
See the full menu or our page on Mediterranean breakfast in Shoreditch.
Find Kybelle
Kybelle Café & Brunch, 62 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3QR, about four minutes' walk from Old Street station. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are served all day, dogs are welcome and there's outdoor seating. Get directions on Google Maps.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am–4pm · Saturday and Sunday 9am–5pm. Walk-ins only — no booking needed, just turn up.
See the full menu · Directions & opening hours
Questions people ask
What does sumac taste like?
Sharp, tangy and lemony, with a slightly fruity edge. It adds sourness rather than heat.
Is sumac spicy?
No. Despite its deep red colour, sumac isn't hot like chilli.
What can I use instead of sumac?
A little lemon zest with a pinch of salt gives a similar bright, sour note, though not the same colour.
Which Kybelle dishes have sumac?
The Smoked Salmon plate (£14.00) and Kybelles Hash (£13.90), which comes with a red onion, parsley and sumac salad.
What is sumac?
A deep red spice made from the dried, ground berries of the sumac bush. It tastes tangy and lemony.