The spirit of sharing is at the heart of the mezze platter. Why order one dish, when you could order 20? For your next dinner party, skip Taco Tuesday and instead, feast like a Greek god, treating your palate to the wonders of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Grab some colorful cushions and arrange them around a low table decorated with candles and draped in printed cloth. More is always merrier with guests, but especially with food. Fill the room with your favorite people and the table with plates of hummus, baba ganoush, warm pita bread and as many other delicious bites as can fit. Turn up the tunes, lay your feet up on a pillow, dig in and only stop when you’re fala-full.

CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: MezZe Platter Chicken skewers, gyro meat, hummus, tzatziki, spanakopita, tomatoes, beets, Greek olives, feta and grilled pita; Apollonia Grill, 4956 S. Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, apolloniagrill.com. Yellow Lentil Dip Yellow lentils with red onion, oregano and EVOO; Blu Kouzina, 25 N. Boulevard of the Presidents, Sarasota, blukouzina.com. Sampler Appetizer Htipiti (spicy feta dip), hummus and tzatziki; Athen’s Family Restaurant, 2300 Bee Ridge Rd., The Colannade Plaza, Sarasota, athensfamilyrestaurant.business.site. Mediterranean Platter Baba ganoush, hummus, tahini, couscous and chopped salads served with falafel and pita bread; Fresh Start Cafe, 630 S. Orange Ave., Sarasota, freshstartcafesrq.com, @Fresh_Start_Cafe. Lolita’s Sampler Spreads of fresh salmon, tzatziki and eggplant caviar served with warm bread; Lolita Tartine, 1419 5th St., Sarasota, lolitatartine.com.