Safta

"From the famous hummus and the dazzling array of salatim (small shared plates) to hefty entrees like the pomegranate-braised lamb shank, there’s no place quite like Alon Shaya’s Eastern Mediterranean outpost in the Source Hotel for breaking bread — or in this case pita — with a tight-knit crew. (Note that parties of eight or more are automatically offered a prix fixe menu, served family-style, for $70 per person.)" - Ruth Tobias

"Latkes are a Hanukkah “must” for Alon Shaya, chef of Safta in Denver. “My mother and my safta (grandmother in Hebrew) used to let me help make these during Hanukkah,” says Shaya. “I have vivid memories of the hard decisions around whether to put sour cream or apple sauce — and in which order and in what quantities. Today, I have no boundaries on toppings and do everything from caviar to whitefish salad to shaved truffles.”" - Jillian Dara

"The shining star of the Source Hotel in RiNo is a showcase for chef Alon Shaya’s robust brand of modern Israeli cuisine. No meal here would be complete without an order of the wood-fired pita with hummus and an array of salatim, or small plates, such as labneh with pink peppercorns and whipped feta with fig vinegar; from there, go for the duck matzo ball soup, the crispy eggplant layered with tomato and herbed goat cheese, and the pomegranate-braised lamb shank — signature dishes all." - Eater Staff

"Hotel restaurants typically make us want to check out, but not The Source Hotel’s Safta, with all its creamy hummuses, honey cheese borekas, and harissa-spiked chicken. Not to mention the pitas, which are so big and pillowy they could pass as some sort of bread-based balloon. While the Israeli restaurant serves one of the best dinners in town, don’t overlook their weekend brunch. The all-you-can-eat spread of bagels, lamb, pastrami hash, smoked fish, and pastries is worth making a return trip in the morning." - allyson reedy

"Hotel restaurants typically make us want to check out, but not The Source Hotel’s Safta with all its creamy hummuses, honey cheese borekas, and harissa-spiked chicken. Not to mention the pitas, which are so big and pillowy they could pass as some sort of bread-based balloon. While the Israeli restaurant serves one of the best dinners in town, don’t overlook their weekend brunch. The all-you-can-eat spread of bagels, lamb, pastrami hash, smoked fish, and pastries is worth making a return trip in the morning." - Allyson Reedy