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    The Helmand Restaurant

    4.2 (1k reviews)
    PriceyAfghan, Halal, Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Order The Helmand Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    The Helmand Restaurant Photos

    THE HELMAND RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Helmand Restaurant

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    Lydia C.

    This was the first Afghani meal I've had, and it was fantastic. Upon walking into the restaurant, you are met with aspects of the culture across the room, from clothing hung on the wall to the smell of spices in the air. We came on a weekday evening and it was understandably quiet. The dining area is set with white tablecloths and white-and-blue-striped cloth napkins, which lend an elegant look to the dinner. After ordering, we first received the complimentary naan and flight of sauces. The naan was fresh and warm, and I especially loved the yogurt-based dip. The server happily refilled the naan because we were so ravenous, and then the food came out. We shared the aushak appetizer, which included 3 Afghan dumplings/ravioli with yogurt and yellow split peas. It was incredibly delicious and my favorite part of the meal - I wish I had gotten the entrée-sized version of this for my main! We also got the vegetarian special and the mourgh (chicken) kabab. For the meat-eater, the chicken topped the charts as "best meal in Boston"! The vegetarian special was also quite good (though less so than the aushak). I thoroughly enjoyed the pumpkin, while the pallow rice was relatively standard. I was stuffed by the time I got to this part of the meal, but it was all good enough that I happily polished off my plate. I would absolutely come back, and will probably order the aushak!

    Lamb Lawande
    Peter W.

    The Helmand is an absolute gem! The restaurant has a warm and inviting atmosphere. For starters, I highly recommend the Aush soup. It's a flavorful noodle soup with beef sauce and yogurt. It's a great way to stimulate your appetite. For my entree, I ordered the Lamb Lawand, which was tender pieces of lamb and mushrooms in a savory yogurt sauce with a side of sauteed spinach. It was very delicious. A minor nit is that I wish it had a few more pieces of lamb instead of mushrooms (and this is coming from someone who loves mushrooms!) I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu!

    Colleen E.

    This was one of the best meals I had in awhile. The meat was so tender and savory, thinking about it still makes my mouth water. There are multiple vegetarian options if you don't eat meat that the vegetarians in my party gave their full approval of. Service was friendly and attentive, they did a really good job with our party of 16. Dessert was absolutely delicious and the perfect way to end an incredible meal. Would absolutely recommend this place to anyone.

    Lamb is kid-approved!
    Bonnie D.

    This was a top tier meal for sure. The food is so flavorful, service was helpful and efficient, and the restaurant itself is really nicely decorated so we enjoyed the overall ambiance as well. There wasn't one thing I wouldn't order again. Bread with dips: 9/10 the bread was crisp and fresh and the yogurt mint and cilantro sauces were delish. Bowlani: 8/10- two doughs with veggies inside. The spicy leek gets a 7, the potato a 10 - just my preference on flavor profile. Well-cooked, flavor veggies and a buttery crisp but soft pastry crust. Would def order again. Chowpan: 10/10 - this lamb was incredible. Fall off the bone tender, flavorful, not at all gamey which I worry about with lamb. 4 big lamb chops with rice and eggplant. Eggplant was also favorable and similar to an Indian eggplant dish. But the lamb was the star. This is also big enough for 2 people. Koufta challow: 9/10 - this is like a meatball stew with rice. We initially ordered the koufta kebab but they were out so we went for this. It's very flavorful in a spiced tomato sauce. Says spicy on the menu but we didn't find it hot at all. Feereney: 10/10 - custard pudding with fresh food. The texture and flavor was perfect. Super creamy and delicious. We were stuffed but ate all of it. Cake: 7/10 - pineapple cake and ice cream. This was a solid cake with whipped cream frosting and ice cream. The whole thing was elevated with fruit, pistachio, and a pomegranate sauce. You could really taste the cardamom which made it unique. But we preferred the pudding. We also got cocktails and the whole meal came out to $175 with tip which give the quality of the food and ambiance, is very worth it.

    Kourma Challow
    Rebecca D.

    I came here for dinner last night and I already can't wait to come back! Ambiance: heavily decorated in a middle eastern style. Cozy and inviting. Service: attentive and prompt without being overbearing. Food: delicious! We split 2 apps, a main, and a side between the two of us and were very satisfied after! We ordered the vegetarian kaddo (roasted pumpkin with yogurt sauce - perfect blend of sweet and tangy), bowlawni (2 filled flatbread-type things, one with leeks and scallions and the other with spiced potatoes - SO flavorful! The leek and scallion one was my favorite), the kourma shallow (kind of like a vegetable curry, served with rice and sauteed spinach - not as well spiced as I would have liked but still yummy), and a side of lentils (not the most flavorful but definitely tasty). The free flatbread that you start out with is decent too, but what really makes it tasty is the various sauces it comes with. The standouts for me were the kaddo and the bowlawni, but honestly there wasn't a single bad dish. Oh, and the wine portions were generous, which is always welcome! We will definitely be back to try new things and revisit old favorites.

    Bendi, Lentil, Mourgh Salata
    Vicki M.

    Helmand is the best!! You can't go wrong here!! Great authentic food, very satisfying. We ordered delivery - Aush soup, mourgh salata, lamb dwopiaza, sabzi challow (came with spinach mushrooms and okra) and a side of okra and a side of lentils. Lots of yummy food, savory flavors - chicken was great and so were the veggies and sauces. I really like the soup and the fresh bread is amazing! Food delivery was a bit delayed but that's ok, the food made up for it! Lots of leftovers for a few additional yummy meals to come!!

    Ayatt A.

    The atmosphere of Helmand is what makes it special! It feels like enjoying a home-cooked meal at your aunt or grandmother's house! The decor is cozy and fun and overall very authentic. They start you with fresh baked bread which is delicious. The pumpkin appetizer is so unique and a must try! We both ordered lamb dishes, and for the price, there was tons of food! We both got two meals out of it. The food was excellent. My only critique is that I think the yogurt drink was expired because it gave me fiance and upset stomach. Overall, the experience was great!

    Our Cake Sheerehk - Front  Sheerberaing - Back
    Zach M.

    Wow wow wow. This place was insane. Go here. Have incredible food, and a beautiful dinner Food - Truly some of the best food I've had in Boston (well the Boston area) yet. I'd consider Afganhi food as a more rounded less "spicy" indian food? Buy unique all its own. We tried a ton of things and each one was simply better than the one before. Ambiance - Such fun decor makes the restaurant feel like you're in a loved ones home. Cozy without feeling claustrophobic. Service - Nearly pretty but I'm not going to harp on a small detail. Servers were efficient and friendly. Knowledgeable and attentive. Quickly resolved any question or request. We did run out of water a few times but it was promptly refillled upon request. This was not a problem whatsoever. They also do tableside Turkish coffee (we were very tempted but did not order it this time atound) All in all an amazing experience that definitely loves up to the many awards they've received. We will be back.

    Bread
    Monica L.

    Nice inside ambiance, on the slightly fancier side Service was pretty quick and to the point Dishes: Free bread and sauces - rly good flavor and nice chew, sauces were fun too! Can't complain Mantwo - rly liked this! Good flavors and each ingredient complemented the others well Dwopiaza - lamb w pillow rice, the lamb was chewy and was one of the gamier ones I've had. But the rice was so well flavored and so hard to stop eating!! Qoremay ma he - fish! Pretty good fish, portion on the small side though, again the rice was rly good! And all the vegetables and beans on each plate were also great!

    Sultani
    Scott C.

    I couldn't be happier with my dining experience at The Helmand Restaurant. The restaurant was packed on Christmas Eve and for good reason. The ambiance is complete with excellent cultural decorations and traditional music. The service was very fast and friendly. We opted to order the sultani kabob and Banjan for an appetizer. The food came out very quickly and was absolutely delicious. The owner even came out and asked how our dessert was! "Our cake" was very delicious and highly recommend.

    Chowpan - lamb chops
    Huma H.

    Such a good restaurant!! I love their lamb chops, so flavorful, well seasoned, and tender. The rest of their dishes are really good too - the aush, veg special, and other entrees were so yummy! Cute ambiance, really friendly staff. Really recommend!

    Mourgh Challow
    Raisa S.

    My friend brought me here for dinner my first night visiting Boston. The food was absolutely amazing! The oven-fresh bread served with butter and three types of dip was delicious. We ordered: - Vegetarian Aushak: ravioli filled with leeks and scallions. Very flavorful and a unique filling! - Vegetarian Special: everything on this dish was delicious, but I will be dreaming about the baked pumpkin! I've never had anything like it and will be searching for it at home on the west coast! - Mourgh Challow: a very tasty chicken curry dish served with rice. Were we stuffed after all of that food? Yes. Did that stop us from ordering dessert? Never! Save room for the baklava served with ice cream, you won't regret it!

    Beef Koufta
    Sabrina K.

    Really tasty food! Everything is so well prepared and presented, every dish with a unique blend/burst of flavors. And they're halal! The ambiance is lovely, as are the hosts/staff. Not pictured: amazing saffron ice cream--must try!

    Seekh kabab

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    Page 1 of 26

    Ask the Community - The Helmand Restaurant

    Are they halal?

    Yes

    Is the meat served here halal?

    Yes, it is Halal?

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    Jahunger

    Jahunger

    4.2
    (119 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    I'm so glad Uyghur cuisine has made its way to Boston…read more I was first introduced to it years ago at Silk Road in Cambridge, and I've been hoping more Uyghur restaurants would open ever since. Jahunger truly delivers. The restaurant immediately sets the mood. Candlelight, the scent of incense, traditional instruments on the walls, and pothos plants growing from mounted glass jars all make the space feel warm and inviting. One warning: unless you arrive around 6 p.m. or earlier, expect a wait. (It's popular.) Oh, and the food is worth it. The leek and egg dumplings tasted homemade in the best way: slightly rustic, fresh, and delicious. The hand-pulled noodles are the stars. Every noodle dish we ordered had the perfect chewy texture. My favorite was the Laghman noodles, though the Jahunger noodles were a close second with their rich spices and satisfying heat. The mee fen and stir-fried green beans both packed a respectable kick and leaned a little salty, but not enough to keep me from happily polishing them off. Don't forget the tea! It's beautiful to look at, filled with all sorts of ingredients (Chinese jujubes!), and only lightly sweet, which I appreciated. Then came the showstopping honey cake. The cake itself was fluffy, while the filling had a firmer, almost sticky texture with deep caramelized flavors that reminded me of burnt caramel in the best possible way. Paired with what tasted like coffee ice cream, it was the perfect ending to the meal. Jahunger is one of those restaurants that makes you want to come back before you've even paid the bill. I'm so glad Jahunger made it to Cambridge; the Boston food scene is richer because it's here.

    My family really wanted to check out this new place nearby. I was not familiar with Uyghur food so…read moreI decided to join along. We came in and the restaurant was filled with younger people who were hanging out. To start off we ordered lamb dumplings and scallion pancakes. I was familiar with both of these appetizers and they were the same as anywhere else. To eat, we ordered chicken stew. The waitress told us that one stew was spicy and the other was non spicy. We decided to order the non-spicy one since others were not big fans of spice. When we received the food it was very spicy. It was hard to eat and we did not enjoy it. The waitress came back and thought we wanted the spicy chicken stew which was incorrect. She apologized and wanted to switch it. At this point we were running late so it didn't matter. We just packed it and gave it to our family member who likes spice. This place was okay. I will have to come back here and give it another chance.

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    Nice vibes
    Nice vibes
    Handmade Lamb Dumpling
    Handmade Lamb Dumpling
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    Seoul Topokki

    Seoul Topokki

    4.0
    (180 reviews)
    2.9 mi
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    This was our second time ordering delivery from Seoul Topokki. We remembered it being really good…read morethe first time, so we went for round two. We ordered the cheese topokki (soft rice cake, fish cake, vegetable, & mozzarella in Korean spicy sauce) & the beef bulgogi bowl (fried marinated beef, vegetables, steamed rice & side of soup). The cheese topokki was just as good as we remembered - chewy, flavorful, comforting, & a little bit weird. The cheese was poorly distributed, but it was still very tasty. The beef bulgogi bowl was really underwhelming. Firstly, it was very little food. We were promised vegetables, but there were only a few scarce onions & zucchini pieces mixed in. It was also dry. It was devoid of moisture & sauce, so we added some from the fridge at home. The side of soup was a joke. It filled only about 2/3 of the container & looked so sad, we wondered if it was the sauce that we we so desperately needed. Nope, just a meager amount of watered down miso soup. So the conclusion - great topokki, sub-par bulgogi, non-existent soup.

    We came here on a Saturday evening without a reservation and were seated with no wait. The service…read morewas great and our orders both were taken and came out pretty quickly. For the food, we got the tuna kimbap, Seoul toppoki, and bulgogi hot pot for two. Everything was SO good. The ingredients were fresh and the food was flavorful (sweet from the bulgogi, savory from the mushrooms, spicy from the toppoki sauce, salty from the tuna, and sour from the pickled vegetables). The price for the portion size was a great value and we ended the night feeling very full and even had to pack up an entire container of the hotpot for two that we didn't finish. Overall, we had a great time and I can't wait to come back again. This might be my new favorite Korean food spot in the Boston area.

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    Inside
    Inside
    Seoul Topokki
    Seoul Topokki

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    Cafe Bonjour

    Cafe Bonjour

    4.6
    (1.2k reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    We were in Boston for the weekend, and my wife had done a bunch of research to find a good…read moregluten-free breakfast spot. She was so excited when she found Cafe Bonjour because they had several gluten-free options on the menu. We took an Uber there right after we landed and were able to walk right in and get a table when they opened, which worked out perfectly because the place started to fill up! It's a cute little spot with plenty of seating inside, and they also had a nice outdoor parklet that would be great in good weather. We asked to sit at the bar so we could watch the cooks in action, which was really fun. The menu had all the classic breakfast favorites like eggs and French toast, along with some lunch options like hamburgers and chicken wraps. The staff was very friendly and attentive. My wife ordered the gluten-free eggs benedict and absolutely loved it. I had the Bonjour omelet, and it was delicious. Overall, this is a fantastic breakfast spot with great food, a fun atmosphere, and solid gluten-free options.

    Food was good, pretty standard brunch fare. Servings are not super large nor overly small. Their…read morepastries are not very fresh and a little too sweet/mushy. Service was lacking. Waiter didn't bring out water, didn't offer any cream or sugar for coffees, and was difficult to flag down to ask for extra plates/utensils. The inside is quite cramped and we were shoved into a tiny little corner. Overall a meh place for brunch. The appeal is the convenience of the location. Other than that I'd stop somewhere else for a brunch.

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    Inside
    Bonjour Omelet
    Bonjour Omelet
    Bonjour omelet

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    The Helmand Restaurant - afghani - Updated July 2026

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