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    Saffron Kitchen

    4.6 (180 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order Saffron Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    SAFFRON KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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    TRADITIONAL QURMA
    Aashrith B.

    Ambience of the place is really nice! In a nice area near rockridge, and service is really sweet. The food wasn't the most spicy, and I found that out of the 3 chicken dishes we ordered, all of them felt the same (just a curry mush). The kebabs were pretty good tho, and I would go just for them!

    Arthur G.

    We first visited Saffron Kitchen, shortly after they open their restaurant, about two years ago. We were walking on College Avenue and the aromas from their kitchen was so tantalizing that we walked in and had a fabulous lunch. As we were leaving , we met Akbar, the owner and told him that as residents of New York City we were really impressed by his fabulous menu. We returned a few more times and had many fantastic dinners but had not returned until this evening ( two years later). When we walked into Saffron kitchen with a 7pm reservation, Akbar greeted us by our names with big hugs! I was astonished that he not only remembered us but was very touched that he recalled our names! He even remembered some of our children as well as our grandson. However, most importantly, his appetizers and entrees were even more delicious than we imagined possible. Over the last two years Saffron kitchen has expanded and now has a designated party room, which was booked with very large gathering. We chatted with one of the bartenders, Cody, who was very knowledgeable and made great drinks! And while we had spent over two weeks traveling in Southern California, none of the meals we had at any restaurants, compared to our absolutely wonderful dining experience we had here this evening! Please make a reservation to guarantee that you won't have to wait to be seated and I promise you, you'll be delighted with your dining experience at the fabulous Saffron Kitchen!

    Brandon L.

    We originally planned on takeout from Saffron, but the aroma when we walked in to pick up our food convinced us to eat there instead. The staff was accommodating, setting us up with a table and water service despite our last-minute switch. I eat a lot of Middle Eastern food and their lamb shank ranks among the best I've had. The sauce had incredible depth and whatever they cooked the lamb in penetrated the meat perfectly. Unlike other places that overcook lamb shank until it's dry and stringy, this was succulent - clearly they know how to properly cook it rather than just boiling it to submission. The rice was well-seasoned, and the lamb kabob was juicy, tender, and perfectly spiced. The firnee dessert was far too sweet for our liking. The service was excellent - even though we'd originally ordered takeout, they treated us like regular dine-in customers and kept our waters full. This was meant to be just one stop on our East Bay food crawl I took my cousin on and we intended to taste a few bites and take the rest home, but the food was so good we couldn't help finishing everything there. Will definitely return!

    Kobideh kebab
    Linda M.

    I don't have Afghan food very often, it's not super common to find. Love that Oakland has this spot! Parking was pretty difficult to find so we parked a few blocks away. We came here for my brother's birthday, from what we saw, there was a main restaurant and then a separate smaller room next door with additional seating. We were seated in the smaller room, which was nice and more intimate. We order the mantu, eggplant pakora, and aushak for appetizers. Everything was so well seasoned and delicious. The eggplant pakora was my personal favorite. My dad ordered the salmon kara'e. We all split the kobideh kebab and shola. Servings were incredibly generous. Atmosphere was nice, service was good. They seemed pretty busy on this day so it was a little slow but didn't make the experience any less pleasant. Absolutely lovely meal and I would come back! Thank you for the hospitality and delicious food!

    LAMB SHANK
    Jazzi E.

    Went for an early birthday dinner on a weekday and we were sat right away. Service was quick and they had great recommendations. Drinks (both amazing flavors, comes in a full tea pot so can share with the table) 10/10 Turkish black tea 10/10 saffron cardamom green tea Appetizer 8/10 Potato bolani - great flavor, sauces tasted very good with it 9/10 Mantu - perfectly seasoned and cooked! Loved the sauce on the dumplings Main -9/10 Lamb Kabob- flavor of the char was very nice, vegetables were cooked perfectly, rice paired well. The sauces in the table also complemented the meal well -8/10 Lamb Shank - full of delicious flavors, rice was amazing

    Leslie G.

    Such an amazing meal with amazing company. Starting off with Mantu app: steamed dumplings. They were so delicious we ordered another plate! A few other entrees and finished with baklava of course. Service was great and the outside seating was lovely on a warm evening

    Trio of Sauces (complimentary)
    David Y.

    Cool spot that is kind of hidden one floor below street level. Friendly staff will find you a table (they have both inside and outside seating). We tried the chickpea samosas, the chicken kabob, and the vegetarian eggplant qurma. We also added some cardamom green tea. I really enjoyed the samosas, each of the four fritters had a thick and crunchy coating, with chickpea goodness within. They offer three different sauces for dipping. The chicken kabob is well-marinated and very juicy. It comes with some grilled onions and tomato, bread, plus a side of brown rice. The eggplant qurma is doused in a thick white sauce, and comes with its own side of bread and rice. There's definitely a lot of rice involved. But the dishes are flavorful and you can use the rice to soak it all up. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to dessert, but it looked promising! I recommend making the stop the next time you are in the Rockridge area.

    FILLET MIGNON BEEF KABOB
    Vuyelwa W.

    Middle Eastern Food - Saffron Kitchen is a hidden gem in rockridge with amazing happy hour and main meal options ! I came here with my sister and we ordered the filet mignon, potato pakora, samosas, 2 sangrias and salad! Service was 5 star and Bar tender was amazing ! Highly recommended and look forward to coming back everything was chefs kiss !!

    POTATO PAKORA and SAMOSAS
    Kelsey L.

    I've always driven by this restaurant on College Ave and I can finally say that I've tried it and it's phenomenal. All the staff are super friendly and attentive. The place itself is very spacious with seating indoors and a patio outdoors. We ordered two appetizers, the samosas and the potato pakora. It was cooked perfectly and so flavorful! We then split the filet mignon beef kabob. It was the perfect amount to share. It came with a hefty portion of rice, a side of vegetables and a slice of very light and airy bread. Don't forget to try the sauces that come on the side! One of my new favorite restaurants!

    Eggplant/Potato Pakora (@8), wine (14), beef skewer (10)
    Victor G.

    Saffron Kitchen opened in The Golden Squirrel's vacated space. Setups the same. decor changed. Offerings (Afghan inspired): Happy Hour, entrees, salads, appetizers, sides, booze. Sips: Cavit Provincia Di Pavia Pinot Noir (14) -passed on Bogle, Fetzer wines. The price of a glass buys a bottle at any liquor store. -wine tastes better than any of the food. -initially inquired about beer flights. Bartender gaslighted me, saying they never had it. Pics on S.F.'s website proves him wrong. 1 year ago HH. Bites: Potato & Eggplant Pakora (8 each) -veggie inside barely noticeable. Probably melted ala veggies in pupusa. Roasted bell peppers, tomatos nice. -baked, drizzle with yogurt. Meat sauce pour covers baked pakoras. Underwhelming. No pizzaz. -Never seen in typical Afghan eatery. Beef skewer (10) -"dry, chewy" was my answer to bartender when he asked how I liked it. -very large beef chucks, unevenly cooked. Moist sections not juicy. Beef not marinated? Yogurt, cilantro chutney, tomato chutney the dips. Took leftovers home. Ate it later. Felt acidity in stomach. Was ready to barf. Didn't. Lost my appetite rest of day. *recent HH menu more expensive, not posted on website. No deals on alcohol. **doubtful repeat. Bartender disappears after bringing food. Doing something in corner, tossing & catching aluminum shakers.

    Beef Qurma.
    Denzel T.

    I recently tried Saffron Kitchen with a buddy (bring friends and try more food haha). We ended up grabbing the Salmon Kara'e and Beef Qurma as well as the spinach. My personal favorite was the salmon dish which had a rich, tomato based sauce that was well seasoned and brightened the dish. I was also surprised with how tasty the spinach was. The spinach contained garlic and a solid mix of spices to balance it out. I thought the beef was alright, although I do think it was a bit overcooked. Still, the sauce and accompanying veggies rounded it out. Our server was friendly and attentive and the restaurant atmosphere was calm and relaxed. This is a good place to bring folks if you want to catch up. Overall, I thought this was a good meal. If you want to give Afghan food a try, then maybe consider checking out Saffron Kitchen!

    POTATO BOLANI
    Madeleine Y.

    This place was actually amazing and so happy I came across it as it's so close and just a little further down College Ave. The atmosphere was warm and calming w/ great service! We came in towards the end of the night and the staff were still supper accommodating. Every dish was amazing and so flavorful. I got the Qabuli Pallaw which was so flavorful w/ the fragrant rice & perfectly cooked chicken. The dumpling appetizer was so good and the potato app was like a deconstructed samosa that was flaky & buttery. The pistachio ice cream was also super good so definitely get that if you have room for dessert! I will definitely be back

    Mixed vegetarian appetizers and lamb skewers
    Brenden H.

    Food service and ambiance are really good here. This place has seen a pub for the past few decades first Barkleys for a long time then the Golden Squirrel, it's no longer a sports bar lot pub so I wanted to check it out. I had a few lamb kabobs and a mixed appetizer plate, it was really good. Sauces were all interesting and delicious, lamb was tender and I was happy roe discover that the beer selection is still really good. They had both types of Trumet and lots of other local microbrew options. Service was excellent manager from Afghanistan Koja and local bar tender David were great.

    CHICKEN KABOB

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Good food and atmosphere - service was also very good. Prices are a little high for a couple of skewers. Convenient to BART

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    Akbar A.

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    5 months ago

    Wonderful Afghan food with excellent friendly service. Indoor and outdoor dinning available. I recommend you give it a try.

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    5 months ago

    Delicious food, ambience and service! The family has a long history in the Afghan food community. Highly recommended!

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    3 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Tasty Afghan food, comfortable dining room, and delicious non-alcoholic mocktails. I've been back a few times.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Saffron Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Saffron Kitchen

    Is Akbar still the owner?

    Dear Pamela. There are no changes in the ownership of Saffron Kitchen.

    Do you have halal meat?

    Dear Mr. Anwar. Thank you for your question. All meats/poultry at Saffron Kitchen are halal.

    Hello I want to celebrate a bday at your restaurant. Is that big enough for around 13to 15 people? The reservation would be for this coming Friday at 7pm. Please let me know ASAP. Thank you.…

    Yes. In fact, they have a private room. And, there is plenty of room in the main restaurant.

    Do you have options that are gluten free and/or vegan? I didn't see those details called out on the menu on the website.

    Dear Melissa. Thank you for reaching out. All our vegetarian dishes can be gluten free as long as you omit the yogurt sauce. For Vegan options again try our vegetarian dishes minus the yogurts. Our rice is vegan as well. We will state the above in… Read more

    Do you have a heater outdoors for your patio?

    Dear Laurie. Thank you for connecting with us. Yes, we have four heaters in our patio. Two stationary up on the wall areas and two stand up heaters. I hope this helps. Thank you!

    Are the vegetarian options dairy free? It looks like they have yogurt. Is there butter in them? Thank you

    There are also vegan options, or were as of a couple months ago. Also, they are so nice there, I'm sure they'll accommodate you any way they can.

    Are there good vegan options?

    Dear Sophie. Thank you for your question. All our vegetarian dishes (butternut squash, Eggplant, spinach, and cauliflower) are vegan. Also both type of rice are vegan. Hope this helps.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    $$

    This place is great! The drinks are delicious and very affordable. Service can be a little slow at…read moretimes but that's completely understandable since it's usually packed. Making drinks for a crowd takes time and the staff always does their best. The people who come here are super friendly which adds to the welcoming, cozy vibe of the place. It's the kind of spot where you instantly feel comfortable. If you love a good martini this is definitely a place you should check out.

    I'll give it to them, Tallboy is a solid concept with their "tinis & weenies". However, a clever…read moreconcept can carry a place so far. Customer service is a close second to concept. Tallboy's martini menu is well-executed. While I didn't personally try one of the slushies, a friend ordered the espresso martini version and gave it a solid thumbs-up. Unfortunately, the experience falls apart when it comes to food and service. Waiting 30+ minutes for two hot dogs (after paying) is hard to justify. When I checked in with a server, she was curt and dismissive. She was quick to explain there was only one person in the kitchen, with no effort to offer a solution, timeline, or even basic courtesy. I understand staffing issues happen. However, customer service is a close second to concept. How an issue is communicated and addressed is what separates good service from bad. What's more frustrating is that these aren't customer problems to absorb. If the kitchen is understaffed, if tables aren't being cleared in a timely manner at a seat-yourself spot, those are management problems. Guests should not have to choose to leave without the food we paid for. There's a lot of competition out there, and concepts alone aren't enough to bring people back. I genuinely wanted that hot dog. That's probably the most disappointing part of the whole experience. Great drinks, solid ambiance, but the service needs serious attention.

    Photos
    Tallboy - The bat and the awesome bartender!

    The bat and the awesome bartender!

    Tallboy - Lion dancing dog

    Lion dancing dog

    Tallboy - Banana hammock

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    Banana hammock

    Saffron Kitchen - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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