Safta

The gist: Known for his eponymous New Orleans restaurant, award-winning chef Alon Shaya brought his take on modern Israeli cuisine to Denver in 2018, and pita lovers all over the Mile High have rejoiced ever since.
The food: It’s nearly impossible not to fall in love with this spot after just one bite of the insanely fluffy, perfectly charred wood-fired pitas. And it only gets better from there. Pair those pitas with oh-so-smooth hummus topped with decadent lamb ragu or lutenitsa, a flavorful blend of roasted eggplant, tomato, peppers, and garlic. Then move on to harissa roasted chicken or pomegranate braised lamb shanks or charred cabbage or anything really. There are no bad moves to be made here.
How to book: See Resy for reservations

There’s something about Safta that makes every minute you spend inside feel a little like magic. It could be the setting: intimate lighting, floral motifs, and private-feeling tables lining a wall of windows where loved ones huddle, engaged in conversation. Or, it could be the stop-in-your-tracks Israeli cuisine that sends bursts of flavor and spice soaring throughout your mouth. Whichever the case, this is an especially solid anniversary pick, as the magic never dulls and the service and food quality are two things you can always count on.