Dito's Table is a home of Mexican cooking far from Mexico: taco craft, salsa logic, proper tortillas and my restaurant-tested Mexican recipes.

Hello. I’m Dito. Welcome to my space, where I cook Mexican food far from Mexico with my taco craft system, salsa logic, proper tortillas and masa, plus my restaurant-tested recipes.

Dito, a middle-aged Caucasian man with a Ukrainian tattoo and t-shirt holding a glass of white wine.

If you’re someone who feels that food is more than fuel, and wine is more than a cheap plonk, you’re in the right place. If you believe meals can tell stories, that ingredients can carry emotion, and that living consciously also means living deliciously, you belong here.

Let me tell you a bit more about who I am, what this space is about, and what you can expect here.

WSET Awards, Dmytro Safanov, having qualified in all papers of the written and practical examinations is hereby awarded this diploma in wine and spirits, pass, sealed under the authority of the trustees 8 September 2016, signature of Dr. JP Wilkinson, director, WSET Awards.
My WSET Diploma

Who Am I?

I’m originally from Ukraine, and I’ve lived across Europe: in Gibraltar, Malta, the UK, and for the last 6 years, in Georgia. Food and wine have always been at the centre of my life.

My professional journey began in wine back in 2012, and in 2016, I earned my WSET Level 4 Diploma, one of the most respected wine certifications in the world. That same year, I became an accredited Wine Educator, teaching others about wines with an emphasis on approachability, transparency, and joy.

Over time, my palate (and values) led me down a more specific path, toward natural wine. I became obsessed with wines made honestly: minimal intervention, wild fermentation, no added sulphites. Wines that tell you where they’re from. Wines that feel alive.

That passion led to the launch of an online organic wine business, with a special focus on sulphite-free and boutique producers. It was a niche that resonated deeply with me, not just because of flavour, but because of philosophy. Clean farming. Independent winemakers. Wines with imperfections, texture, and truth.

But wine is never just about wine. It’s always about context: what you’re eating, who you’re with, what you’re feeling.

So the next chapter in my journey took me beyond the bottle and into the kitchen.

Street view of Living Vino restaurant with vine-covered outdoor seating area.
Various delicious flexitarian dishes laid out on table.

From Wine to the Table

In 2020, I opened my dream project in Tbilisi: a plant-based restaurant and natural wine bar. It was a bold move in a place where veganism was far from mainstream. But the idea wasn’t to preach, it was to host.

We served soulful, globally inspired vegan dishes, paired with expressive, natural wines. We welcomed curious locals, expats, nomads, and wine lovers into our world. And in the process, we created a community of people who shared values around quality, sustainability, and connection.

We even launched our own house label of natural wine, crafted in collaboration with small Georgian winemakers. Wine that carried both tradition and innovation. Wine that honoured nature and people.

But like many independent ventures, we were vulnerable to external shocks. The war between Ukraine and Russia disrupted tourism, shifted demographics, and made running a niche, values-driven space much harder. In 2024, we closed the doors.

I wouldn’t deny it; for me it was heartbreaking. But it was also clarifying.

Because what remained, after the wine was poured, the dishes served, the tables cleaned, was a truth I couldn’t ignore:

I still believe in the power of food and wine to connect people. I just needed a new table.

Full disclosure: Back in 2023, I also co-founded another bar & restaurant, Fiesta, focusing on Mexican food, which is still in operation. We offer an inclusive menu consisting of over 35% plant-based options.

Yet my heart is with this combination of natural wine and flexitarian (mostly plant-based) food. This website is also a search for the future physical home – a new spot with a delicious flexitarian menu and natural wines that are worth enjoying- so I can shape up the menu now and select some appropriate wine pairings for it.

Help me to create the best possible new venue, please!

Taco platter, salsa, margarita, and other vibrant Mexican foods.
Taco platter, burritos, nachos, protein bowl, margarita, and other Mexican foods laid out attractively.

What is Dito’s Table?

Dito’s Table is my new digital home and a platform for Mexican cooking far away from Mexico: my taco craft system, some magic with salsa logic, proper tortillas and masa, and my restaurant-tested Mexican recipes.

It’s for:

  • Tacos lovers and taco-addicts like me
  • Mexican food enthusiasts and cooks who want to cook proper Mexican food but far away from Mexico
  • Foodies, intrigued by my Mexi-terranean concept
  • Wine lovers who want to explore natural, low-intervention bottles
  • Flexitarians, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans and followers plant-based diets
  • Curious home cooks and casual sommeliers
  • People searching for connection and identity through taste
  • Anyone craving a more joyful relationship with what’s on their plate and in their glass

What You’ll Find Here

I’m not here to be just another food and wine blogger. I’m here to share from the heart and to help you taste life more joyfully, wherever you are.

On Dito’s Table, the home of tacos, tortillas, salsas, and Mexican cooking far from Mexico, led by a chef-restaurateur, you’ll find:

  • My Restaurant-Tested Recipes

    Rooted in flexitarian and mostly plant-based Mexican cooking with Eastern European and Mediterranean influences. I’ll show you how to make Mexi-terranean food with big flavour and practical ingredients, with a lot of tacos, proper tortillas and delicious salsas. 

    Read my Restaurant-tested Recipes

  • My Wine Guides

    Being a WSET Diploma holder, I am passionate about natural wines. Check out my simple, accessible explorations of natural wine, like “Which wines actually pair with tacos?” with no snobbery, just clarity, like my Myths of Natural Wines piece.

    Read Wine Guides

  • Mexican Cooking Far from Mexico

    I respect the tradition, learn to understand why it works and adapt intelligently when necessary. Here I am documenting how to cook Mexican food properly when you don’t live in Mexico.

    Read about Cooking Mexican Food far away from Mexico

  • Collaborations

    I believe that the hospitality world and food & wine businesses are better together. Let’s create unique collaborations between Mexican restaurants, taquerias, natural wine bars, fresh masa and masa harina producers, and Mexican brands globally.

    Read about Collaborations

    Coming soon!

What’s Coming Next

Here’s what you can expect a bit later on:

  • My cookbook on cooking Mexican food far from Mexico with Mexi-terranean ideas and natural wine pairings. I’d include frameworks on taco architecture, salsa matrix, tortilla craft, pantry items and more.
  • My future venues, as I’m currently developing a few concepts, menus and unique value propositions. Follow to be the first to know!

Want to Join the Journey?

If you’ve read this far, thank you. Truly. You’re the reason I’m doing this.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to stay connected.

Follow me on Instagram

I post Mexican food inspiration and my restaurant-tested recipes (tacos, Mexican food and Mexi-terranean fusion), quick pairings, stories, and sneak peeks into what’s next.

Reach out anytime. DM me on Instagram and tell me what you’re drinking, cooking, or craving.