Safta

I went on a Saturday night around 7:30 pm, we didn't have reservations but we were seated at the bar right away. The cups for water and the coasters were so cute, immediately loved the whole vibe of the place. I got the ruby ring cocktail to drink; it was okay it had a lot of grapefruit juice but towards the end just seemed a little sweet/medicinal tasting. The star of the show was definitely the food! My friends and I ordered the tahini hummus to start. It came with three fresh pita breads, so so yummy and creamy. Then we shared the braised lamb, the salmon, and the crispy eggplant. All were absolutely delicious! The lamb was so tender and the sauce was sweet but not in a weird way. The salmon had a super crispy skin and was still nice and flakey. The eggplant was huge and was really tasty with all the toppings. 3 of us shared these and we didn't finish it all so we took some leftovers home. We did finish off with some dessert, our server recommended the doughnuts and so we went with that - it's filled with raspberry and served with a caramel sauce. 10/10 would recommend! Service was really great no matter who we talked to, even if they weren't our server!

Next level higher end Middle Eastern Mediterranean food. The eggplant is out of this world!!!!The lamb sausage hummus is to die for! Their salmon dish so also amazing. Pistachio ice cream is not like any other pistachio ice cream you've had before!Great wines that are different and delicious. Attentive staff.I have nothing less than praise to say! Great restaurant!

I emailed the GM with my issues trying not to cause a scene but it's been two weeks and no response.I've been in the restaurant industry for over a decade now and this was insane, especially for a Michelin guide restaurant. I came to Smok to pick up BBQ for me and a friend and saw Safta. I'm middle eastern and had heard it was really good so quickly placed an order for some labneh. Figured it'd be quick and easy. Ran out to my car to put the BBQ away then headed over to Safta. I checked in with the hostess and she said it'd be about 15 min. I thought that was a little long for labneh (it's yogurt that has to be strained for like 24 hours so it should be prepped) but I was down to chill and wait. After about 20 min I went up and checked again. She asked for my name again and went to go check. Still waiting. This is when I saw a sign that there was a photoshoot in progress. There were only two tables and I figured the kitchen was maybe busy with the photoshoot. At about 35 min I went to check again. Still waiting. I ended up waiting 57 min for labneh. I understand a photoshoot was going on, we do the same at my restaurant. But that's no excuse to ignore other orders. Imagine if I was sitting at a table and waited an hour for an app!!!The labneh was also so salty it was inedible but that's beside the point. The hostesses were amazing. Love them. But that was inexcusable. I really should've just left but good middle eastern food is so hard to find out here and I had such high hopes. ):

Delicious Israeli/Mediterranean food inside The Source Hotel. Everything we ordered was delicious, but the flavors were really bold and I felt that they sometimes competed with each other. Perhaps I should've gotten recommendations on what sides paired well with the dishes. The most subtle flavor was the Persian rice, and its richness complemented the other bold flavors well. Prices were higher than I expected. Service was friendly and food came out quickly. Restaurant was lively and nicely decorated. I noticed they had the garage-style windows that could roll up, and I imagine it's lovely to have them open during a nice day.

I was in town for business and had a solo meal at the bar at Safta. The female bartender was absolutely amazing. The restaurant takes allergies and food restrictions seriously and they were able to mark up a menu prior to ordering. The hummus and pita were amazing. The salmon I'll be dreaming about for weeks and the martini was perfect. Would highly recommend!

Safta got me channeling my inner Oprah:I Looooooove BREAAAAAAD!I don't want to discount their food but the most memorable thing about Safta is their pita bread. Fluffy huge pillows that I never wanted to end, some of the best pita I've ever had! Per the suggestion of our server, we got items to have family style.Lamb ragu hummus: very tasty, highly recommend.Whipped feta: double recommend! I just wish there was a bigger portion of this, order this!Lamb kebabs: more like meatballs, this was my least favorite item. I love lamb but found the blend to be a little too gamey for my taste.Crispy eggplant: order this! I had just gotten back from Italy and was on a high from all the aubergine I ate there. This eggplant was a perfect shareable item and the flavors reminded me a little of Italy as well.All and all, great place when you're looking for elevated middle eastern plates to share!

Wow, yes!If that's all I wrote in my review I hope the pictures + the statement would say it all. Service was top notch from the start. We didn't have reservations and even on a weekday it got packed very quick. Big shoutout for everyone standing at the host stand. I counted 4 people which was a bit overkill but everyone was smiling, offering suggestions and even said if a table freed up before the 1.5 hour mark they would come find us. We made our way across from Safta and chilled on the couches in the common area and caught up and got to know some new friends too. 15-20 minutes passed and the original hostess walked over to inform us a table was ready.They sat us fair close to the entrance and within minutes there was a big line that formed at the entrance. The waitstaff was far beyond welcoming and offered even more suggestions and agreed with some of our selections. I will let our pictures do the talking.Even for a rainy day the restaurant was bright and airy. Many smiles were offered throughout the evening and dishes seemed to be expertly timed to arrive at our table. I would recommend coming here and even make reservations before arriving. Didn't realize they ended up on the Michelin guide too. Even without the knowledge of that I still dig this place. Happy it ended up on our radar and now I want to come back for the lamb ragu hummus, eggplant, meatballs or even the whipped feta. My mouth is watering! Take me back! I want to try a lot more!

Omg I have been to Safta so many times over the last few years (on so many dates, for that matter) and posted a ton of photos of their rarely changing menu. Still 6 out of 5 stars and one of my favorite restaurants in Denver. They are now Michelin-recognized, although no star yet. every detail about Safta is beautifully curated, from their food to their customer experience.I've loved every dish I've tried here, and it sounds simple, but the Tahini Hummus is still my favorite. The best way to dine here is with a group, ordering a few items from each section of the menu. They're great at accommodating dietary restrictions as well. I can't even highlight more items because everything is good.It might seem obvious, but make reservations in advance. Primetime dinner slots fill up. Parking in RiNo can be challenging, but there's a paid garage attached to The Source Hotel, which Safta is located in. I feel pretty spoiled living so close to this restaurant. If you ever have a chance to check it out, whether you're local or visiting, you won't regret it. I still need to try their brunch!!

Super fantastic Wow - really excellent. On the Michelin list (not star) but crazy fantastic. I would go back here, bring friends, bring strangers, wow. Lots of gluten free options too. We liked the staff and the vibe was cool in this super large space.

Like, what just happened?? This was not an easy reservation to get, but boy am I glad we found a way to make it happen. Came for brunch with a party of 8 and we still can't stop thinking about what a lovely, flavorful, delicious, incredible meal we had. Beautiful Jewish flavors from all over the world, namely North Africa, Iraq, Iran, American Jewish, and Israel. The brunch is delicate, but plentiful. We had kids as young as 8 years old and they also found the meal to be amazing! Lovely service - we felt really cared for and special.