If you show up at a popular Italian restaurant Saturday night without a reservation, it's likely you won't get in, especially during Restaurant Week. We didn't. So we drove to Saffron Kitchen, thinking our chances were better. I like the ambience of Saffron. While my favorite Indian restaurant is a hole-in-the wall a few miles away, I was happy to be here. A waiter handed us menus that didn't include the prix-fixe dinner we came in for. "We have October specials. That's it," he said. "Nope, please check with the manager," I responded. And I was right. (Anyone coming in through October 25th might request the Restaurant Week menu, which may -- or may not -- be of interest.) The prix-fixe is $30 per person. Dinner was great, with leftovers enough for another meal. The appetizer was my favorite part. We each got a plate with a succulent chicken kabob and what's called 'aloo tikki.' (Was it potato? It was delicious.) There's a choice of four entrees, two being vegetarian. I chose chicken bhuna cooked with onions, green peppers, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic in a light curry. My husband ordered chicken tikka masala in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce. I thought his was better than mine. The plates came with basmati rice and a choice of either butter or garlic naan. You're given badami kheer, an Indian spin on rice pudding, for dessert. It's very good. I noticed there's a small lot to the side of the building, but nonetheless street parking is readily available. Saturday night Saffron had a steady stream of customers, many bringing their own wine. I'm happy to see they remain a byob sans corkage fee. read more

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I've eaten at Saffron before (not at this location) but I think this was the best its ever tasted. We started with the Vegetable Samosas and for entrees we had the Butter Chicken and the Gobhi Aloo. I love a good samosa and these didn't disappoint. I typically keep my foods from mixing but the gentle sweetness from the butter chicken with the spice from the gobhi aloo was so good together. I found the other location I ate at before had toned down the spice too much but the flavors here were spot on. I appreciate the large portion of rice that came with the dishes so we didn't have to pay attention to portions and didn't have to ask for more. Service was a bit slow bit our server was really nice. It was late when we got to the restaurant and he told us no need to rush, to take our time. A huge plus is that it is a BYOB. For sure I'll go back. read more

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Santish, Clifford and Aaron were great hosts. The private event was well managed inspite of the crowd at the restaurant. They went around asking if the guests needed anything . All good items were well made. read more

Saffron in Bala Cynwyd is one of my go to Indian places, along with Srinigar in Narberth. There are pros and cons to each - and my selection of location has more to do with ambiance (Saffron has tablecloths and is fancier, Srinigar is more like a diner atmosphere, more basic). Both definitely better than Tiffin. At Saffron, there are certain items they have that Srinigar does not: dosa - 5/5 - light, crispy rice/lentil flour (no salt) crepe-like pastry that comes with a delicious spicy lentil concoction to dip it in and a coconut/cilantro sauce (I don't like cilantro so I skip the sauce) chicken kathi roll - 5/5 think like Indian burrito but with better, flakier pastry with chicken tikka inside, yum! dip into the dosa side or any other lentil dish panchvati daal - 5/5 - this is actually a side dish that is served with most meals, I order it as a main because it is so delicious (and goes will with the chicken kathi roll The other items that are also available at Srinigar are all solid, but Srinigar wins out on the saag (fresher spinach), mango lassi (not as sweet as Saffron), and all pastry (samosas, naan, paratha) - Srinigar has the superior delivery on anything involving dough. They're good at Saffron but at Srinigar they're nothing short of amazing. Give it a try and see the difference! read more

Takeout order included a variety of dishes for five diners. All were good except for lamb roganjosh. The lamb lacked flavor, was tough, string, and hard to chew. The amount of rice was skimpy for five main dishe. read more

An amazing hole in the wall Indian restaurant. They definitely do not disappoint with their flavors. We got a lamb vindaloo as the main curry/entree; it tends to be a bit on the spicier side for those we enjoy the heat. The lamb does not taste gamey to me; but I typically do enjoy lamb in general. Samosas, garlic naan, and potato dosas were all great. Definitely carb overload, but the vegetable samosas are packed with potato, can't taste too many other veges in there but the dipping sauces do help with that. The potato dosa felt light yet crispy but had the potato flavor like the samosas. Would recommend to try that if you like sasmosas. Overall, will come back and try other entrees such as the tandori chicken/saag paneer. read more

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Saffron Bala Cynwyd has gone down hill. This place needs more employees to properly function. There aren't enough employees to both handle the dining room and handle take out service. There should be a dedicated person at the front door dealing with take out and reservations etc. Not to mention the major communication gap. This made for an online order experience the worst ever. I had a pick up time. 30 minutes later I was still waiting, they bring out food, but not all of your order. If you want the missing items you have to wait even longer. I had enough and left. I don't plan on returning anytime soon. read more

To start, the service was great. Our host was friendly and had all the qualities of good service. Atmosphere inside was welcoming and the background music was not overbearing. I ordered saag paneer and garlic naan, but the table ordered papri chaat, lamb kebab, and dosa masala. I tried all, and especially enjoyed the papri chaat. The lamb was a little dry, but still had good flavor, along with the provided chutneys- there was a coconut one that was particularly good which came with the dosas. I ordered medium heat palak paneer. Overall, it was tasty, but not the best I've had. There was a nice, creamy texture to it with a good mix of spices. However, there was a burnt tasting undertone, a sort of bitterness, which I personally didn't like that much. I also had to pick out a few stems, which isn't out of the ordinary for saag but can be a bit jarring. However, I still enjoyed it, and the paneer was good as well. The garlic naan was the highlight for me, as it was buttery and dense (although I'm always a fan of more garlic). Price wise, I felt that the cost was fair for the amount of food and quality. Overall an enjoyable experience! I would come back again to try more dishes as I'm sure they'd be tasty. read more

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Definitely try the onion bhajia (fried onion mix). It's so good, especially with the chutney. The bhel poori was also really good. I would come back just to try the appetizers again. The fish curry was ok. Nothing special. The fish was kind of dry even with the curry. I would definitely recommend trying something different for your main. The staff was super nice and explained dishes on the menu and offered suggestions. They came by multiple times to check on us and refill our water. Tip: If you are dining in, they offer a discount on your bill if you pay with cash. read more

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The food was so delicious. we started we the cauliflower and the taste was so explosive. The masla chicken was delicious and the portion size was plenty. Henry our server was very attentive and personable. It was my first time but I will definitely be back! read more

From the outside this looks like your standard Indian restaurant (ambiance is fine). The food is great though... I've lived in NYC, SF and spent a month in India. I'd take saffron over most restaurants in any of those cities. It's really delicious and consistent. I've had the malai kofta, the matter paneer, most of the apps and breads, all great. read more

Let me say this is the best Indian Resturant I have ever been to! I was introduced to Saffron from the family I babysit because they ordered from Saffron once a week at least! The eleven year old I babysit has a favorite dish which soon became mine as well. He always orders the tandoori shrimp masala and let me tell you, it is flavorful and delicious. After you try it once, you will always crave it! My boyfriend has always been skeptical of Indian food so I wanted to take him to Saffron to try it out for the first time. He is now just as obsessed as me and always asks if we can go here on our date nights. Some other dishes that were recommended to us by our waiter were the Dosa's (we got the chicken dosa) which are also delicious served with two sauce options. We also tried the Murg Sagg with Basamati rice and regular nann. They were delicious! I highly recommend Saffron to anyone, Indian food lovers, non-Indian food lovers and first time Indian food tryers! Amazing! read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Just had the most delish meal here. Tandoori chicken was tender and perfectly cooked. My friend got Tandoori lamb chops that he loved. The mango ice cream to finish it off was perfect. This place does it right. read more

Unfortunately for the rest of the Indian establishments around, I've been to Ekta. So on it's own Saffron is pretty good but when compared against the gold standard that is Ekta it pales in comparison. I ordered my old stand by, chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. I will say the naan was fabulous and possibly the best I've ever had. The chicken however fell a little flat. It just wasn't nearly as flavorful as Ekta. I'm used to the sauce being a little creamier whereas this wasn't exactly watery, but just wasn't as thick and delicious. If I ever ordered here again I would order it medium spicy since mild was just not flavorful. Saffron is better than no Indian food I guess. But nowhere near as good as Ekta. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

As you can tell from my photo, the food was too good to snap a picture of before everyone dug in. A small place in Bala Cynwyd that serves an Indian Cuisine that is anything but small. A crowd pleaser is the ability to decide your heat level (mild, medium, hot) per dish so that your spice tolerance never limits your ordering capability. Their dishes are packed with flavor and are perfect for sharing. We always recommend 2 meats and 1 biryani per 2-3 people. Naan is a must order. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - a variety of ingredients - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Best authentic Indian food I had in a long time. Our service was great, restaurant was clean and Covid conscience. Our waiter was in patient, professional and very informative when we asked questions about items Please STOP IN and enjoy the food experience and FLAVORS! read more

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I loved the ease of ordering online. I love that this place is in my neighborhood. I like to switch it up from Tiffin. I felt like the potato naan was really good. Like really solid. The raita was also very good. Not too wet. Really good rice! The paneer kofta was great! Creamy and smooth, so delicious. The only thing I would change is that I wish the vindaloo was a little bit spicier. I did as I always do ask to "taste the sun". Sometimes it works and I get the spice level I want and other times it doesn't work. There's no good way to ask. It works less in person. Picking up dinner was super easy. I walked in the door and the gentleman inside was very kind and welcoming. He found my order right away and I was off with it. I will add this place to my normal rotation. Thanks for the really solid well priced meal! read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Absolutely amazing Indian food. I had the saag paneer and it was nice and creamy and savory, and I also tried the lamb korma which was SO good! I didn't think I was a fan of lamb but after that dish I am! Genuinely hadn't had lamb cooked perfectly like that before, so tender. Service was good, I was happy they were able to make our mango lassis to go as we couldn't finish them at the table since we were so full! I'd totally return. I'm so happy there's great Indian in the area :) read more

Never had a bad dish here; be it takeout or sit down. Servers are friendly and knowledgeable. Decor is classy and eclectic, and the music is subtle yet catchy, never too loud and accompanies the level of business in the restaurant. TIP: if you love and can take the heat, ask them to make your dish spicy. You will not be disappointed. Malbec compliments the menu impeccably. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Mutter Paneer; Garlic Naan; Chicken Tikka Masala; Malbec - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Hands down the best Indian food I've ever had- and I've tried a lot. The quality and consistency of their dishes is impeccable.

Fly by this place, you won't regret it. It's small but I've never seen a line or saw it crowded so I was leery but totally unwarranted. It's on a busy street with limited parking but the drawbacks stop there. Inside is warm, clean and welcoming with Indian highlights throughout for decor. The server was patient and knowledgeable about the menu which was a good size and not at all overwhelming. We ordered the Indian equivalent of chicken tacos for appetizers that came with several sauces and 2 lunch specials w/ garlic naan bread on the side. I got lamb Marsala that came w/ rice and some extra chickpea stuff on the side...I didn't do well taking notes this go round. The food came out in good time and smelled so great I didn't take an initial pic. The bill total was $43 and I left a hefty tip because I enjoyed the attentive but not overbearing service. My dentist's office is next doo so I'll definitely be back! read more

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Rated 2 stars for the abominable service & rude and surly 'manager' We arrived on time for a 7:30 reservation, ordered (Goan Shrimp Curry, Lamb Vindaloo, and salmon Tikka along with raita, naan, and samosas.), and enjoyed our meal until the 'manager' unceremoniously advised of the 9 pm closing time @8:45. We were still eating. At 8:52 pm my companion finished eating, the 'manager began to clear the table of every item except my plate (I was still eating) and reminded us the restaurant closes @ 9 pm. He then placed the check on the table. I finished eat @ 9:02 pm. I found this TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE and voice my opinion to the 'manager' who offered a nonchalant half hearted apology. While the food is delightful the service is poor at best. For a better experience go elsewhere. read more

I love indian food. I loved Sitar Restaurant in west philly, Karma in old city, Mood Indian in north philly. So ever since moving back to bala area, i needed a solid Indian place. This exceeded my expectations. Saffron gets my business multiple times a week. I just don't order from any other place in the area. I will go for them when I crave Indian. My causal order is always just chicken tikka masala and samosas. Check out their saag chaat. It is to die for. Great food. Great service. read more

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I decided to give Saffron a second chance. I order for pickup and I requested mild spice level. The dish was spicy hot- exactly the opposite , I called and requested to have the dish made again, they kindly made it. Dinner was finally ready to eat after 7:30 pm, the initial call and order was made at 5:30 pm. Sadly the experience at Saffron has been not very positive. read more

The buffet is only on Friday so I'm extremely glad that was the day I decided to come out to this area. From the palak paneer to the gulab jamon, I enjoyed every piece of the lunch that I had! They cook all of the main favorites, as well as my personal top, navratan korma. The vegetables here also had a bunch of diversity, some of which I hadn't tried before. The pakora was great dipped into all of the sauces and curries and the fresh naan was fluffy and perfectly buttered, and they even offered more once we finished the bowl. Clean interior, nice bathroom, and the crowd on a Friday at lunch was definitely a lot of people taking a break from work to dive into that buffet and live it up. If I'm ever in the area again on a Friday, will most definitely be back. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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This place is amazing! I recently moved to the area from Maryland and had to find a new spot to get Indian food. I'm glad I found this place. It can get pretty pricey so I suggest going for their weekday lunch specials. I ordered takeout a few times, and the service was quick and friendly. My personal favorites are the lamb tikka masala, lamb korma and garlic naan. The meat is so tender and the sauces are so flavorful. Definitely a must try! read more

Wanted to try some Indian food while on my visit to my dad & saw this place under the Delta Airlines rewards app. It had high ratings & was close. I had the chicken tiki masala which was awesome along with the garlic Naan bread. My pops had the lamb & he loved. Scooped up a menu & he will be definitely trying it again. Thanks!!! read more

Went here on a Friday for the lunch buffet. The price point and variety is unbelievable. Also a BYO. They had so many good things such as lamb, and chicken tiki! read more

I will first say this may have been 2.5 stars if that was allowed. I opted to round up because it did still enjoy some things about this meal. My biggest issue is spice level, the biggest reason I love Indian food is the spice & heat. THERE'S NO HEAT not even a little. I drowned my food with sriracha & salt to really enjoy it. The samosas may be the most disappointing of the order I had a very genuine craving & these were just not good, period. Tikki masala was yum just missing heat . The side salad was sad & the green were not all that fresh. onion biryani (sp) not good super greasy & no flavor. Overall this place should specify that it caters to ppl who don't like or can't handle spice. It's the mildest Indian food I've ever had. Portions are good, I had enough for 2 meals. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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I really liked the buffet with different dishes and desserts. I loved the golab janbon dessert! High quality food and good service with reasonable proce. I'll definitely go back and I recommend this place. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Food is Outstanding. Service is phenomenal and overall the Saffron Indian Kitchen is the best. Highly recommend

Really delicious Indian food, prepared well for the takeout during the pandemic. I had a ton of food and it was all delicious and my brother ordered for all of us and we all enjoyed it very much read more

The atmosphere is romantic or family oriented it depends on seating location and how loud you speak. The host, staff and owner/manager are professional. He even comes around to make sure your meal is excellent. The ambiance is subdued and not over the top. The most important is the quality of the meat and ingredients. Exceptional if I must say. I haven't been in Philly long so I'm appreciate that my numom Katherine exposed me to this wonderful restaurant. Thank goodness I won't have to experience other Indian restaurants as I'm a loyal patron unless duly disappointed which I highly doubt. This is my second visit and because I'm a creature of habit I'm ordering the exact meal. Saag Lamb was amazing my first visit and I expect nothing less than quality. The garlic naan bread is a favorite of mines. Dessert rice pudding with green raisins and slivers of almonds. I'm going to eat good before NYE beverage consumptions and they give plenty of food so I'm sure I'll have a nice snack for later tonight or lunch for tomorrow. Come and see for yourself I'm certain you won't be disappointed either. read more

I ordered take out from UberEats. I had credit and thought what better way to try something new when you're lowkey not wasting your money right? I mean is it's nasty who cares because it's not your money you spent? Well baby! I'm glad I used UberEats credit because this food wasn't worth it. I got the chicken tikka masala and it was $17. A whole $17 and it was nasty. But hey at least it wasn't my actual money that was wasted. :( read more

Stop! Don't do it. This is not the same Saffron we have known and loved. Food is lackluster at best. No depth of flavor, no caramelization. Giant pieces of undercooked okra instead of small and deeply charred. Bread is dry un flaky or mushy and underdone. And all for higher prices than ever. And to top it all off, the bottom of the flimsy bag broke and cauliflower went all over my floor. Never again. read more

Since Amma opened in Center City and I happily discovered Thanal Tavern, these two tend to be my 'go to' places for Indian food. Before they opened, I went to Saffron more often. While the first two are more convenient for me geographically, Saffron is still worth the trip to Bala Cynwyd. Saffron is an attractive space. I always feel welcomed sincerely when I come here. When my good friend who was vegetarian was alive, we'd come here on a regular basis and never had a disappointing meal. The dishes are mainly North Indian and extremely well prepared. One thing I love about this place is that they feature monthly specials-both appetizers and mains, so there is always a reason to go back to taste what's new. If you're a carb lover like me, they have a fairly extensive selection of naans and parathas. There are a lot of $10 and $11 lunch specials, vegetarian and non-vegetarian and I have never left hungry. Their chicken tikka masala lunch is one of my favorites and while I have never had anything frighteningly spicy here, the food is far from bland. They don't do buffet lunches (which I hate-other than Thanal's). This is really a white table cloth sort of place in the best possible, unstuffy and unpretentious way. If I know someone conservative who wants a lunch that's just a little different but not too 'weird,' I'll suggest Saffron. No one has ever complained. The fried items, like the samosas and pakoras, are always light and crisp, never soggy or grease soaked. I like the samosas here so much that invariably I order some to go and heat them up in the toaster oven the next day for breakfast. They're filling and substantial, but not nap inducing. : ) Nothing here is ground breaking but everything is prepared with great care and served in a hospitable and courteous manner. My water glass never gets empty or even half full, I am always treated like an honored guest, and closet glutton that I am, I can eat a LOT at Saffron without hearing my wallet scream for help. For those who tend to prefer having their food delivered, I've used Uber Eats (not a plug, just my preference) when ordering from Saffron and every time I have, it's been seamless and almost as good as eating in, so either way, don't hesitate if you want some of your standard North Indian favorites elevated from 'eh-okay' to 'Damn! This is GOOD!' read more

The Ambler Saffron location is great! The restaurant is clean and the staff is extremely friendly and attentive! Also we have never had a bad meal. Every meal has a great amount of flavor and is filling. we have been coming here for the past 8 years and will continue to do so! Highly recommend!!!! read more

I ordered through Uber eats and got Chicken Tikka Masala, garlic naan and vegetable samosa. The samosa was the only good part. The chicken tikka is bright red and tasted sweet with absolutely no hint of salt or spice. The chicken was undercooked. The garlic naan was both raw AND burnt. The 2 starts is for the samosa. If not I'd give 1 star. read more

Saffron Indian Kitchen - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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Quite possibly some of the best Indian food on the main line. The garlic naan is to die for, the samosas are a delicious start, Chicken Tikka, and Malai Kafta we're next level delicious. The price may be a bit high, BUT no charge for BYOB makes up for that! read more

I ordered takeout here for their chicken Kathi rolls. They give you two generously sized paratha (they look like the kaawan frozen ones). The chicken was seasoned alright but I don't know if some of it was over cooked or not but there were some really chewy pieces. It comes with the green chutney and brown (sweet amli) chutney. read more