Cafe Zaffri
Middle Eastern restaurant · Chelsea ·
Levantine fare, lamb Wellington, and inventive pastries in a serene space
Levantine fare, lamb Wellington, and inventive pastries in a serene space
"Connected to a hotel and pricier than Raf’s, Cafe Zaffri offers breakfast service that tends to be busier on weekends and generates higher check averages because guests often send food to rooms; I learned that breakfast customers frequently buy both savory items and pastries and linger longer, which has informed Camari Mick’s approach to menu development and trends around morning service." - Bettina Makalintal
"From the team behind Raf’s, Cafe Zaffri is a stunner with thick velvet curtains, mosaic marble floors, and a Tiffany glass ceiling. Cinnamon-scented lamb wellington aside, the Levantine-inspired food can be a little uneven, but there’s a decent chance you’ll see a C-list actor or celebrity stylist drinking a martini under the restaurant’s steepled atrium. If it's a scene you're after, you'll find one here." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick
"A Levantine restaurant led by chef Attea inside a luxury hotel and private members’ club, this project pairs regional culinary focus with a refined interiors approach that respects the building’s history as a former institutional home, creating an intimate, destination-driven dining room within a storied Lower Manhattan setting." - ByKate Kassin
"One of several venues showcasing a pastry chef’s rule-bending approach—turning croissant dough into savory hybrids like Jamaican beef-patty–inspired pastries and curried-goat Wellingtons." - Caroline Hatchett
"With its coffered ceilings and embroidered walls, Cafe Zaffri is the chicest room south of The Polo Bar. Though it's on the ground floor of hotel and private members club The Twenty Two, the Union Square restaurant is open to both members and the public. You might see someone famous. You will, at the very least, see someone in Miu Miu eating Syrian cheese beneath a grand steepled skylight. It’s worth a visit for fans of great spaces, but the Levantine-inspired menu, from the team behind Raf’s, struggles to keep up. photo credit: Bryan Kim photo credit: Bryan Kim photo credit: Gentl + Hyers Pause Unmute It's not that the food isn't glamorous. It is. There are even some are highlights here and there—but a few too many dishes feel purely decorative. Pairs of finger-sized skewers range in warmth and quality, and daintily portioned items, like trout crudo and shish barak, disappear before they can make an impression. Not ideal, but you’ll find consolation in the inventive lamb Wellington. Cinnamon-scented and lined with grape leaves, it easily outperforms its British inspiration. It also costs $74. If you have budgetary concerns, you’re in the wrong place. (Just ask the membership council.) If, on the other hand, you don’t read prices and can weather a few duds, stop by for a date night, order extra crudo, and watch blind item regulars being chauffeured to velvet booths in the back. Celebrity spotting aside, there are perks at Cafe Zaffri, but most of them seem to cost a little extra. Food Rundown Breads & Spreads We are, admittedly, monsters who lack restraint around bread baskets. But even with that in mind, this $21 one—with pita, talami, shortbread-like lavash, and accompanying dips—does feel skimpy. We wish there were more to mop up the silky roe-topped labne. Fried Syrian Jibneh Cheese Hard to go wrong with fried cheese, but we're marking this one as a skip. The pastry-wrapped sticks are crisp, but lifeless. Fried Eggplant Of the starters, this breaded, fried eggplant, wearing a crackly crust embedded with urfa biber, is the best. photo credit: Bryan Kim Skewer Service For $38, with no real sides other than some pickles, these skewers could at least come out warm. We can’t recommend the skewer service, but if you do go for it, choose the pork belly. Lamb Wellington This lamb Wellington justifies the existence of Cafe Zaffri all on its own. Under puff pastry lined with grape leaves, you'll find crumbly lamb sausage—mixed with tomato, allspice, and cinnamon—and lamb loin that cuts under the weight of a fork. photo credit: Bryan Kim" - Bryan Kim
