NEW ORLEANS – Pomegranate Hospitality, led by restaurateur Emily Shaya and James Beard Foundation Award-winning Chef-Partner Alon Shaya, announces further expansion in New Orleans and Denver, with two new vibrant food and beverage projects, set to debut by the end of 2025.
In New Orleans, the group will add Safta’s Table–a neighborhood all-day Mediterranean cafe–to its robust roster that includes Saba and Saba’s Lounge as well as Miss River and Chandelier Bar, which are both located within the beautiful Four Seasons New Orleans. In Denver, Chef Alon Shaya showcases Ceci! Italian Lounge, a new bar and lounge at The Source Hotel–along with the launch of Events by Pomegranate Hospitality, presenting on-property catering and event offerings.
This year’s expansion builds upon the group’s 2024 standout culinary residency, Safta 1964 at Wynn Las Vegas, along with awards and recognition for the accoladed duo. Most recently, Chef Alon and Emily Shaya were honored with the 2025 Tulane Distinguished Entrepreneurs of the Year Award by Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business. The prestigious recognition celebrates entrepreneurs who have demonstrated extraordinary vision and made a lasting impact through their philanthropic efforts.
Safta’s Table, Coming to New Orleans in Late 2025
The Pomegranate Hospitality team expands upon its legacy brands Saba and Safta with Safta’s Table, slated to open in New Orleans’ Lakeview neighborhood in late 2025. Located at 129 Allen Touissant Boulevard, the Mediterranean cafe will offer welcoming counter service for breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner–alongside a beverage program featuring coffee, cocktails, and wine. Grab-and-go offerings, meals for the whole family to-go, and catering packages will expand upon the ways in which guests can enjoy Safta’s Table. Focused on fresh and sustainable ingredients, Safta’s Table will feature a variety of healthful dining options, made for a quick stop-in or a more leisurely dining experience with family and friends. Safta’s Table will incorporate the familiar flavors and beloved dishes from Saba and Safta while marking Pomegranate Hospitality’s first, but certainly not last, foray into all-day service.
“Safta’s Table is designed to capture the warmth and comfort of dining at your grandmother’s house, a place where comforting, healthful food keeps you coming back for more,” says Alon Shaya. “With an emphasis on everyday meals that are both approachable and delicious, it felt only natural to bring this counter-service, all-day cafe to Lakeview, a neighborhood brimming with families of all ages.”
Ceci! Italian Lounge, Coming to Denver in Mid-2025
Pomegranate Hospitality’s new Italian-inspired lounge and bar, Ceci! Italian Lounge (pronounced “cheh-chee”), is set to open in mid-2025 in the soon-to-be second-floor lobby of The Source Hotel, home to the group’s Michelin-recognized restaurant Safta. Named after Emily and Alon’s beloved long-haired dachshund, Ceci! Italian Lounge will offer a warm, welcoming, and relaxed atmosphere inspired by the energy of Ceci, who is named for the versatile garbanzo bean.
A return to Chef Alon’s Italian culinary roots, Ceci! Italian Lounge will celebrate the essence of hospitality through artisanal ingredients, attentive service, and a backstory that honors Chef Alon’s ongoing culinary journey. The menu will feature small bites, wine, and a wide array of cocktails rooted in Italian flavors and tradition with an emphasis on Italian liqueurs, amaro, and spirits, and creative takes on the classic Spritz, Negroni, and Martini. The vibrant new gathering spot will complement the dynamic energy of Denver’s RiNo neighborhood and offer the perfect destination to meet friends, get work done, or simply unwind with a Negroni in hand.
About Pomegranate Hospitality
Pomegranate Hospitality was founded by restaurateur Emily Shaya and her husband, chef and restaurateur Alon Shaya, in 2017. The group owns and operates renowned Israeli restaurants and bars Saba and Saba’s Lounge in New Orleans and Michelin Guide-recognized Safta in Denver. In 2021, Pomegranate Hospitality partnered with Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans to introduce Chandelier Bar and Miss River. Miss River, Alon’s love letter to Louisiana, was named one of Esquire’s Best Restaurants in America the same year. In 2023, the group debuted its first international restaurant with Silan at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. In 2024 the group featured a prequel to Safta with Safta 1964, a year-long culinary residency at Wynn Las Vegas. Alon Shaya is a two-time James Beard Foundation Award winner, including “Best Chef: South” and “Best New Restaurant.” In 2018, he published his debut cookbook, Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel (Knopf).
###