River North Art District, Denver, CO · $$
Safta means ‘grandmother’ in Hebrew, and though our grandma’s place never looked as sleek as Alon Shaya’s beautiful Denver debut, there’s something instantly warm and soothing about it. The James Beard Award-winning chef cooks up an Israeli-focused menu, with influences from Yemen, Syria, Morocco and Greece thrown in. Also on the menu: cocktails and classic Moroccan mint tea.
“Safta — A Gorgeous Space With Even Better Food Safta is one of those places where the room itself pulls you in before the food even arrives. The open, airy space is gorgeous — bright, modern, and designed in a way that makes lunch feel like an experience, not just a meal. The food was delicious, but the service was even better. Warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. It turned an already great lunch into one of the best I’ve had. The lineup was perfect: the hummus, the whipped ricotta, the pita, the beet salad — every dish was fresh, vibrant, and incredibly satisfying. Nothing heavy, everything flavorful. A beautiful space, standout service, and food that hits every note. Safta is an easy yes.”
“Excellent dinner. I love middle eastern/Mediterranean cuisine and this was as good as it gets. The Brussels sprout hummus and the eggplant were my two favorite dishes. The cocktails were perfect and the service was top notch. I’d highly recommend as it was one of the better meals I’ve had in Denver.”
“Always coming back! Safta is an elevated experience of Israeli cuisine brought to modern levels along with stylish restaurant and great cocktails! I used to live in Denver, when I discovered this pearl, and now always come back to taste amazing humus, greatly prepared lamb and amazing sides and deserts. They also have a good selection of wines and overall it will elevate your experience in modern Denver area.”
“My friend and I went to Safta for their Valentine’s Day buffet brunch, and it was outstanding. The spread featured a wide variety of Israeli dishes, and every dip we tried was packed with flavor. The in-house pita was soft, warm, and incredibly satisfying. The focaccia was just as impressive. Honestly, all of their breads were exceptional. Service matched the quality of the food. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, promptly clearing plates and keeping our water glasses filled. Their Cortado coffee was smooth and well-balanced too. Overall, it was absolutely worth it. I’d happily go back again.”
“I’d give 4.5 stars if I could. TLDR it’s a bit overpriced but the food is excellent. The pita is perfect, the servers are super friendly, the space is beautiful, and super fun to order a lot of the different dishes to share! Must tries are the lamb hummus, mushroom hummus, muhammara, and the Bulgarian lamb meatballs. Skip the babaganoush and the Persian rice, they were pretty mid. We had 3 different cocktails and all were amazing, but very very pricey.”
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