David G.
Yelp
This is going to be a long one. Forgive me, but I have to be liberal in my praise tonight.
The food here is classic Italian with plenty of choices. These are dishes you would expect to find on a menu back East in New York or Chicago, and everything is prepared and presented with care and a true passion for the cuisine.
Certainly the best Italian food we've had in the West, and we've been out here for decades! Everything was flavourful and authentic.
Back to the food in a minute. Here's what truly made our night:
We had not planned on dining out, as we were down from Denver to see our family members who live in the Springs. It was Saturday night, the night before Mother's Day. This is a big weekend, perhaps the biggest in the hospitality industry. We have plans in Denver tomorrow, so we were not planning on celebrating tonight; we weren't dressed-up, and were just out for something simple and quick, as the kids wanted to get to the music festival.
We had gone to several restaurants, including Paravincini's downstairs, and were not having any luck getting a table without an hour's wait. Our bad, we just had not planned.
Phoenix, the Host, greeted us warmly and professionally, and as kindly as he could, let us know that there were no tables available. We were disappointed but knew a table for five without a reservation on a busy night was a long shot. As a consolation, Phoenix gave us a coupon for a future visit, which was very kind.
We checked our phones for other options as we headed back downstairs to our car. Just as we were about to pull away, Phoenix came to tell us that a table was opening up, if we were willing to wait a few minutes.
Of course we were!
So. That was the start of our experience: A host who could have easily let us go and seated another party, ran after us to invite us back inside. "Above and beyond" almost seems inadequate.
The staff is remarkably attentive: As we walked in, we were either verbally greeted or acknowledged with a smile or nod by each staff member we passed -- bartenders, bussers, waitstaff. Our servers, Natalia and Ryan greeted us once we were seated, and introduced themselves. It was clear from the outset that Natalia was experienced, knowledgeable, and on top of her game, and I knew we were in good hands.
I will stop here for a moment to mention the atmosphere -- lively but not overwhelmingly loud. The restaurant was at capacity but you could hear your own table's conversation. The music was appropriate for an Italian restaurant -- Pavoratti and Bocelli but played at a mild volume. We were seated on the patio and the view was stunning!
We had already decided what we were having, and Natalia praised our choices. However, she quickly let us know about the octopus special, and we added that to our antipasti order. It turned out to be the table's favourite.
Everything was on point, from the fresh-baked rustic bread and focaccia with pesto and tapenade, to the three antipasti (the artichoke was also delicious!), the mains, and desserts. Everything was fresh, and full of exciting flavours. We were driving back on a rainy night so decided not to have wine, but one of our party had a cocktail and loved it. The support staff were on top of water refills, silverware, etc. Perfectly seamless service.
For an unplanned, last-minute dinner, it turned out to be a treat, and one of the best dining experiences we've ever had, which is saying something.
Now, a word to the wise, make reservations. ALWAYS. Don't be like us. But these things happen, and this staff accommodated us with warmth and a professional attitude that is all too rare these days.
The food was exquisite, and the overall experience a delight. The high level of management and staff's pride in their work was apparent in every aspect of service.
We will certainly be back (with reservations, and dressed more appropriately), and highly recommend this gem of a restaurant.
Thank you, again, for making our visit to Sopra a truly memorable experience!