Saffy's

Incredible Chai house made. Sparkling water on tap. Yummy food. Sadly not many gluten free options but I still love them!

It’s worth braving driving to the Hollywood/Los Feliz section of LA for dinner at the Middle Eastern restaurant Saffy’s on Fountain Ave. Make sure to plan accordingly, expect traffic, and read the street signs closely before parking - we found a meter a few blocks up after driving around for a bit. SERVICE:
We had top-tier service, and as someone who knows how important this is to Angelinos, you won’t be disappointed. Our server Julia was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and when I had a question related to dietary restrictions, she got me the answer right away. When our food was delivered to the wrong table, she did a great job at communicating why the wait would be a little longer. Julia also did the perfect amount of circling back to check in on us. DRINKS: If you’re new to Greek wines, not to fear. When I let our server know that I was debating between the different red wines by the glass, she related them to more commonly known varietals that they’re most similar to. I ended up going with the Kotsifali 2021 Domaine Paterianakis 3.14 from Crete for $21/glass and it was absolutely marvelous. I loved the wine, and I can’t wait to come back during the day to try the coffee. ATMOSPHERE:
They have both indoor and outdoor dining, and both are extremely charming. I even look the vibe of the bar inside. I’ll have to come back soon to try out all of the different dining ambiances + visit the coffee shop next door. FOOD: They recommend ordering a few things for the table to share, and I completely agree. Here are a few of the things we loved, and it was the perfect amount for a party of two: Hummus Ful ($15) with slow cooked fava beans, cumin, lemon, pickled serrano, soft egg, & challah. The egg wil make you do a happy dance, and if you’re gluten free you can add a side of Crudité for $6. Tomatoes ($19) with smoked eggplant purée, goat feta, cinnamon, sesame dukkah, savory, & cilantro. The vibrant tomatoes are an absolute must-order for anyone who even mildly likes tomatoes. The feta cheese is made with goat’s milk (yay for all of those lactose intolerant folks!) Green Falafel ($16) with tahini, preserved lemon, ajika, fresh parsley, & fresh dill. I love it when appetizers come with even quantities. The falafel is easy to share, as it comes with 6 bite-sized pieces. The ajika is a red Georgian chili sauce under the falafel and it definitely packs a kick! Skewers ($39 for 2) accompanied with laffa, tahini chopped salad, chili crunch, & amba. I recommend getting two different kebabs so you can try a variety, as they’re pretty large. We went with a comparison of their lambs, the Spicy Lamb Kebab (habanero, shallots, ginger, garam masala, cilantro) and the second Lamb Kebab (sweet & spicy peppers, onions, parsley, dry mint & marjoram).