This is the best meal I've had in a very long time!! The hosts are incredibly personable, make great recommendations, and the chef even came out to greet us because we were absolutely floored by the food. The qabuli pallaw with chicken just melts in your mouth, the eggplants are perfectly creamy and spiced, and the bread! I could eat infinite amounts. We also tried the Aushak which is delightful! We also tried the Ferni for dessert and it was mind-boggling. Please eat here! At least once a week! read more

Saffron Kitchen - Qabuli Pallaw, Aushak, Side of Eggplants - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

So incredibly delicious!!! I thought about my meal there for weeks after and even ordered takeout. Everything is so tender and well-seasoned. I've tried the salmon, koobideh, and mantu. Bread comes with main dishes and was crispy and soft and fragrant. Literally everything was exceptional. read more

Yesterday my boyfriend and I ate here for a late lunch. We were in the mood for middle eastern food but wanted to try something new and Saffron Kitchens good reviews made us come here. I immediately loved the decor and outdoor seating because on every table was Rumi quotes. We ordered the potato pakora and chive dumplings with meat sauce. Both were 10/10 for flavor and texture! We were so impressed at the flavor and it got even better when they brought out the 3 different chutneys! For our main we ordered the chicken kabob plate and it was also tasty, but we both agreed the appetizers were our favorite. The charbroiled taste was good but was almost too much. We also ordered a mango lassi (sooo good!) and Turkish tea (very light flavor). Our server was friendly and helpful and we felt very attended too. We are already talking about when we can come again to try more of the menu! read more

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Sweet Lord this is the food here is amazing. It is great for ambiance and a date and service is amazing but.... The food is really remarkable. read more

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

Enjoyed a pleasant lunch with 6 of us at table, sharing dishes amongst ourselves. Each dish was delicious and beautifully presented. Mocktails were fun to watch being prepared and tasty too. Service professionals were helpful, kind, joyful and non-intrusive. I appreciated eating on a white tablecloth with cloth napkins. The chef or manager (?) visited our table a few times, first to make recommendations and answer questions, then to check on our reactions. Charming comfortable ambience. Prices were good value. read more

Lovely little restaurant for a warm day. Outdoor seating and very open indoor seating. Food was nice. Ordered 4 appetizers to share with a friend. They were all kinda similar, but well prepared. Service was attentive. read more

Saffron Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

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

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

Really good. I had the Salmon Kara'e. All the ingredients were very fresh, perfectly cooked, and there was just what I like, a variety of exotic mild spices. My dining companions liked their dishes a lot too. The pomegranate gelato was incredibly good--our server said they had to try 5 times with their ice cream supplier to get the recipe just right. The outdoor patio is right next to busy College Ave, but being below street level keeps the noise from being obtrusive. read more

We ate at Saffron Kitchen on Valentine's Day. Though the staff was a bit overwhelmed & tables were kind of smushed together, the food & experience were still great. The waitress didn't seem super familiar with the cuisine (didn't know ingredients or how to pronounce dishes) but was friendly, helpful & attentive. Lamb shank was served off the bone which was a first for us, but the flavors were good. We also ordered the chicken skewers. The meat was tender and moist. The staff gave my wife a rose. That was a classy, thoughtful gift. We had an enjoyable experience and look forward to returning. read more

Saffron Kitchen is conveniently located in the Rockridge neighborhood. The service is good. We were warmly greeted, immediately, and encouraged to sit wherever we wanted. The Greek salad was AWESOME. The veggies were fresh and delish. I ordered the combo kebab and it was meh. The steak was a bit overcooked and the chicken was a bit dry. The sauces helped. I was expecting saffron rice, but the rice had other distinct flavors that I wasn't fond of. The bread was fresh and tasty. Nice ambience and a great place for people watching. read more

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Great food, lovely atmosphere, solid service. The cocktails and mocktails were very interesting and unique and tasty. The pakoras were thick and fluffy with a crispy outside. The flatbread was soft and airy and buttery with the 3 super flavorful chutneys. The dumplings were similar to other cuisines but had some very unique sauce flavors and there was quite a lot of nice ground lamb inside. And the chicken and steak shish kebobs were quite good. read more

First time here but will definitely return. Lamb was delicious and the craft cocktail was perfection.

To start, my partner and I came here for a nice Valentine's day's dinner. To our surprise, they were not offering the typical menu and instead offered a limited $65 per person menu with few options. The " Valentine's Menu" included a glass of champagne, a rose, an appetizer, main course, and dessert. We were not given champagne nor a rose. Understandably, the kitchen was backed up so our appetizers took a while to come. However, a separate party that arrived after us received their food before us. Our food arrived, I ordered the dumplings that were slightly overcooked. My partner's choice was cooked well. After finishing the appetizers we decided to just ask for our champagne, not only did they not give us the champagne to begin with they took almost 15 minutes to give us our glasses ( at this point the rush was gone). We received our food and my partner ordered the lamb shank and it tasted great, I ordered the beef kebab and the beef was great but the rice was dry as heck and the veggies were bland as hell. At this point we had been there for 1.5 hours where our reservation was at 7:30. Our waitress never asked how our food was... shocker. We'd had enough and took our dessert to go. To make a long story short, definitely skip this place on your next date night there's far better places to go that cost significantly less. Will not be back!! read more

The food and service were amazing at Saffron Kitchen! My family and I ordered and shared lamb kabobs, beef, chicken and an egg plant dish. All were so tasty, full of flavor. The staff were so welcoming and warm, including the owner. It was our first time here tonight but we would love to return! The ambiance was lovely, especially the patio area where we sat. Perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. read more

We went to Saffron for the first time, and we had a great time. The service was excellent. The food was fantastic, from the appetizers to the lunch; everything was great. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for good food and a pleasant atmosphere. We had appetizers and lunch, and each one was excellent. Appetizer: 1) Eggplants Pakora 2) Potato Pakora Main Dish: 1) Lamb Chop 2) Combination Kabobs Finally, our dessert: 1) Baghlava: I believe this was homemade and fantastic. You have to try this for sure. 2) Ferni read more

Saffron Kitchen - Ferni - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

Magnificent value happy hour menu. Amazing flavors of Afghanistan in the mantu app. Friendly service by Ryan at the bar as well as other staff. read more

Saffron Kitchen - Mantu - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is our new favorite spot on the College Ave corridor. There simply aren't enough good Afghan restaurants in the Oakland/Berkeley area. PRO-TIP: On a budget? Go to the happy hour. Its Tuesday - Sunday from 3pm to 6pm. Lots of discounted food items. They stop serving this menu promptly at 6pm, so don't dawdle. For an appetizer, we tried the potato pakora. Its crisp potatoes, topped with house-made yogurt, and meat sauce. At $9, its a steal for the portion size. Then we jumped into the Lamb Kabob. Its lamb fillets, charbroiled on skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice. At $28, it isn't cheap, but its delicious. We got a side of Eggplant. Its served as a large portion of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, topped with house-made yogurt, and meat sauce. $9 makes it pretty cheap for the portion as well. Great meal! We will be back! read more

The ambience is more sports bar than you would expect for this delicious food. But that's OK!! Food is great and the service is prompt and polite. read more

Loved this restaurant! What a wonderful way to welcome my brother home and meet his new partner. Amazing food, darling staff, easily accessible, high quality food and romantic ambiance. I think it was on the higher end of a night out but I didn't even glance at the bill because the value was immediately recognized. 10/10 read more

Beautiful indoor/outdoor space. Nice staff, there were a lot of them, very accommodating. Food was good.

The food was delicious. I had lamb kabobs and dumplings to start. Both were wonderfully seasoned and prepared. I also had a couple of cocktails that were creative and very tasty. The service was excellent. I was here on a Monday so it wasn't crowded. Definitely will be back. read more

FSA - Food, Service, Ambiance The food was exceptional. The sauces were hearty but not heavy. The red chutney was packed with flavor. I had the lamb with peas, which was a bit unexpected for reasons I'll discuss later. That dish was perfect. The servers need more training because I ordered the lamb with spinach (not the lamb with peas). So I'll try that next time. The inexperienced servers made the dining experience a bit inconsistent. Noticeably long wait times between sitting, ordering and getting the check. The service issues do not discourage me from going back. The place was the Golden Squirrel before it became the Saffron Kitchen. The pendulum swung from dark sports bar to bright restaurant. The size of the bar truly dominates the decor. The restaurant is lit almost to a fault. If the lights were a little dimmer, the restaurant would feel more intimate. Overall, a great start that is worth a visit. read more

Dinner for 5 on Friday evening without reservations. Seated in side room - well appointed with white tablecloths and napkins. Service was attentive and friendly. Prices were reasonable and portions were generous. Food was outstanding- flavorful, balanced, fresh. Well worth a visit. read more

The food was delicious and the service was great! We got greeted right when we entered and were checked on throughout lunch. We ordered bolani, mantu, and beef kabob... all three tasted great. I would come again and bring friends who want to try Afghan food! read more

I really enjoyed the salmon kara'e, it wasn't quite like anything I'd had before! They have a beautiful location right on college avenue (where the golden squirrel used to be) and I'll definitely be adding this place to my local rotation. Be aware that many of the entrees feature meat -- there is a vegetarian section on the menu but probably not their main focus. read more

Delicious food, reasonable prices, great service. Saffron is an excellent place to buy appetizers for when we have guests at home--this takes care of one part of preparing a meal. It is also a great place for lunch or dinner. My husband and I have gone there for appetizers and drinks; we didn't need dinner afterwards. read more

Such lovely food!! We held a team event in their special room (with lots of light!), and they took exquisite care of us. It was a perfect location. read more

indian food was aromatic and flavorful. service was knowledgeable about menu items. place has warm inviting ambiance. good spot for authentic indian cooking. read more

Oh my god!! I'm Afghan myself and THIS is the best Afghan food I've ever had my entire life. I've ate home cooked Afghan a LOT.. so this is a huge deal. The mffff CHICKEN QUABLI palou is *chefs kiss* AMAZINNGGGGGG & mantu is sooooo good!!! Literally all you need for two people & itll fill both of you up!!! read more

Akbar and Abdul, the managers, diligently worked with our group of 20 to plan and execute a lovely and delicious holiday meal in late November 2024. Food portions were generous and very tasty, and the prices were reasonable. Our holiday dinner was in the private room with an excellent indoor/outdoor experience with the accordion-type glass wall that opened to the outdoor patio. Food, service, staff, and attention to detail were excellent. Akbar and Abdul were joys to work with! Saffron is very close to the Rockridge BART station, and nearby street parking was easily found. We look forward to visiting Saffron again! read more

amazing waiters, delicious food (sweet yams were heavenly), free dessert for my best friend's bday, and an overall beautiful place for a celebration, date or any nice dinner. amazing! read more

Good food, good service, nice restaurant, a lot of options on the menu for drinks and food. We loved the lamb dumplings -- very flavorful and the sauce was yummy. The mango Lassi cocktail was fun to try. The rice dish with baked lamb was very good and had lots of lamb in it. I would eat here again. I think two entrees and two drinks were about $70 which is a little more expensive than I'd like but it was good. read more

Saffron Kitchen - Mantu Qabuli Pallaw - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

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Had lunch in Dec 2024 with friends. Lovely setting, tasty and fresh food, patient (we took a long time to order) and helpful service! A shout out to Jesse who served us. He even took time to teach us about the drinks served there. I look forward to trying his creation. read more

The food here was very good I enjoyed the appetizers the most - the samosas and pakoras. The service was excellent the owner answered entire staff were super nice and welcoming to our party. We used the private room and the ambiance there was perfect for our party and we all had a great time. read more

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Decided to do take-out for Father's Day, and chose Saffron Kitchen. Great choice. We had the dumplings and the lamb kabobs. The dumplings were very different than what we usually expect, but great, and the lamb was cooked perfectly and was tasty and tender. Overall, the food was delicious and the portions were more than enough for the two of us. We will definitely go there again to dine in. read more

This restaurant is the definition of a "hidden gem". Extremely tasty and well made Afghan-inspired food, ambient music, cozy environment, and very respectful and friendly staff. On top of everything, the price is so very reasonable; 1000% justifies the quality. Unlike a vast majority of restaurants in California where 18% tip to start with is somehow a norm, this place prioritizes quality and customer experience. Excellent experience and local business overall! We finished everything and would for sure come back again! read more

We hosted a dinner here for seventeen guests. Lovely service, delicious food and cocktails, cozy outdoor space! Thank you Akbar for making us a memorable event. read more

I've been there twice with my family. Afghan food is excellent. Staff is attentive and restaurant has a great open ambiance.