SAFFRON KITCHEN

4.8

92 Reviews

$31 to $50

Afghan

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

Neighborhood gem
Vegetarian-friendly
Great for outdoor dining

From Kabul to the mediteranean, at Saffron Kitchen we provide Afghan cuisine with a unique mediteranean flavors using herbs and spices along the silk-road region. Our recipes have stood the test of time for generations of home cooking. Our dumplings like Mantu and Ashak will remind of the ear east feasts while the various Kabobs of chicken, lamb, beef, and seafood are driven from the central asian recipes and spices. We offer an excellent vegetarian selection on our menu as well. To complement the food menu, we offer an excellent selection of premium wines, spirits, and many kinds of beer on tab.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Afghan, Mediterranean, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Hours of operation
Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(510) 735-9220
Website
http://www.saffronk.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Abdul YAwary, Chef/Owner
Catering
We specialize in catering of all sizes and for all events. The whole restaurant can be booked with sufficient notice. For catering, we can deliver food to your venue as well. Please send an email to hello@saffronk.com to get in touch with our management to discuss this further.
Private party facilities
Our private room at Saffron Kitchen can accomodate up to 30 people nicely. This venue is great for all types of events, corporate events/meetings and parties. The room opens up to our beautiful patio to accommodate more people. The room also has a TV and projector. Restaurant's sound system plays music and can be muted.

Location
5940 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Neighborhood
Berkeley
Cross street
Harwood
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

SAMOSA$9.00
Chick-peas filled fried pastries
MANTU APP$10.00
MANTU Steamed dumpling ﬁlled with ground lamb, onions, topped yogurt-mixed vegetables sauce & mint
AUSHAK$10.00
Dumpling ﬁlled with leek, spring onions, topped with house-made yogurt, meat sauce and mint
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- VEGETARIAN$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
POTATO BOLANI$9.00
Mashed potatoes and herbs stuﬀed turnover
EGGPLANTS PAKORA$10.00
Crispy eggplant, topped with house-made yogurt, and meat sauce
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- VEGETARIAN$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
- NAKED (Nothing on it)$0.00
POTATO PAKORA$10.00
Crisp potatoes, topped with house-made yogurt, and meat sauce
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- VEGETARIAN$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
(Soup) Aush$10.00
Noodle and vegetable soup topped with yogurt, meat sauce, and dill
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- NO MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
MASHAWA (SOUP)$10.00
Lentil soup, topped with yogurt, meat sauce, and dill
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- NO MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
SIDE OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH$10.00
With spiced topped with house-made yogurt, garlic and meat sauce
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- NO MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00

SALADS

GREEK SALAD$18.00
Romaine, feta cheese, green olives, tomato, cucumber, onion, Greek dressing
CILANTRO CAESER SALAD$16.00
hearts of romaine, cilantro, mint, parmesan
WATERMELON, ARIGULA, FETA SALAD$18.00
Side Salad (Greek)$7.00

ENTREES

BEEF KABOB$24.00
Charbroiled Beef skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
CHICKEN KABOB$24.00
Charbroiled chicken skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
COMBINATION KABOBS$25.00
Chicken and Beef
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
RACK OF LAMB$38.00
Grilled rack of lamb skewers (4 pcs), with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
LAMB KABOB$30.00
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
LAMB CHOP$36.00
Lamb loin chops, charbroiled on skewer, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
KING SALMON KABOB$26.00
Charbroiled ﬁllet of salmon skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
SHRIMP KABOB$26.00
Charbroiled jumbo prawn skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
SEAFOOD COMBO$27.00
Grilled Salmon, shrimp skewers, served with seasoned basmati rice
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
QABULI PALLAW$26.00
baked Lamb, caramelized carrot & raisins, seasoned basmati rice
- WITH LAMB$0.00
- WITH CHICKEN$0.00
LAWANG$24.00
Chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and sour cream served with saffron basmati rice
SHISH LEEK$24.00
Chicken or beef, sautéed with onions, tomatoes, green peppers, carrots, with seasoned basmati rice
- WITH CHICKEN$0.00
- WITH BEEF$0.00
MANTU ENTREE$24.00
Steamed dumpling ﬁlled with ground lamb and onions, topped with yogurt, mint, and mixed vegetables
AUSHAK ENTREE$23.00
Dumpling ﬁlled with leek and spring onions, topped with yogurt, meat sauce and mint
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- VEGETARIAN$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
BEEF QURMA$24.00
Cooked with green peppers, onion, fresh garlic, tomatoes and spices
SPINACH QURMA$24.00
Baked lamb or Chicken, spinach Qurma, fresh garlic, cilantro, and spices
- WITH LAMB$0.00
- WITH CHICKEN$0.00
BEEF CAULIFLOWER QURMA$24.00
Braised Beef, or baked chicken & cauliflower stew, tomatoes, fresh garlic, gingers, and herbs
BEEF EGGPLANT QURMA$24.00
Braised Beef or baked chicken & eggplants, tomatoes, fresh garlic, and spices
BEEF POTATO QURMA$24.00
Hearty chucks of potatoes baked and then sauteed with peppers, onions and carrots and finished with a tomato sauce.
SALMON KARA'E$24.00
- Rare$0.00
- well done$0.00
- Medium Rare$0.00
- Medium Well$0.00
KOBIDEH KABOBS$24.00
SHOLA$24.00
(Afghan Savory Sticky Rice with Beef) 🌶️

VEGETARIAN ENTREES

VEGETARIAN SPINACH QURMA$18.00
Cooked with scallions, fresh cilantro and fresh garlic, saﬀron basmati rice
VEGETARIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH$20.00
With spiced topped with house-made yogurt, garlic, saffron basmati rice
VEGETARIAN EGGPLANTS$20.00
Eggplant, onions, fresh garlic, tomatoes, topped with house-made yogurt sauce, saﬀron basmati rice
VEGETARIAN CAULIFLOWER$18.00
Cauliﬂower, tomatoes, onions, fresh ginger and herbs, saﬀron basmati rice
VEGETARIAN COMBO$22.00
with Spinach, Butternut Squash, and Eggplants, saﬀron basmati rice
VEGGIE POTATO QURMA$18.00
Hearty chucks of potatoes baked and then sauteed with peppers, onions, carrots, chickpeas and finished with a tomato sauce.

SIDE DISHES

SIDE OF SPINACH$10.00
Cooked with scallions, cilantro, and fresh garlic and spices
SIDE OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH$10.00
With spiced topped with house-made yogurt, garlic and meat sauce
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- NO MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
SIDE OF EGGPLANTS$10.00
Eggplant, onions, tomatoes, topped with house-made yogurt, and meat sauce
- WITH MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- NO MEAT SAUCE$0.00
- MEAT ON SIDE$0.00
SIDE OF CAULIFLOWER$10.00
Cauliﬂower, tomatoes, fresh garlic, onions, fresh ginger, and herbs
SIDE OF GRILLED VEGGIE$10.00
Two skewers (tomatoes, Onion, Bellpeppers
Side of Seasoned Basmati Rice$5.00
Side of White Basmati Rice$5.00
SIDE OF BREAD$3.00
SIDE OF POTATO QURMA$10.00

DESSERTS

CHOCLATE CAKE$9.00
BAGHLAVA & ICE CREAM$14.00
ICE CREAM$9.00
Ice cream with rosewater cardamom, and pistachios
FERNI$9.00
Milk pudding, topped with chopped roasted pistachios
BAKLAVA$9.00
Sweet, flaky pastry made of layers of phyllo dough, chopped nuts, and syrup
SAFFRON PISTACHIO ICE CREAM$9.00
POMEGRANATE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM$10.00
Cake cutting service fee$2.50

KIDS MENU

KIDS CHICKEN KABOB$13.00
KIDS BEEF KABOB$13.00
KIDS SHRIMP KABOB$14.00
KIDS KOHBIDEH KABOB$13.00
KIDS SALMON KABOB$14.00

What 92 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.9Service
4.5Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

East Bay
Best Overall
East Bay
Best Service
East Bay
Best Value

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Saffron Kitchen offers "wonderful traditional Afghan food" in a "beautiful setting" with "splendid service." The Mantu and Aushak appetizers are "delicious and generous," while the lamb kabobs are "tender and flavorful." The restaurant's "friendly staff" and "lovely ambiance" complement its "creative, beautifully presented food," making it "highly recommended."

92 Reviews

J
Jon VIP
San Francisco23 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, service, and cocktails. We look forward to each visit to Saffron Kitchen.
Is this helpful?
J
Joseph VIP
San Francisco4 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Afghans are notoriously hard to please when it comes to eating at Afghan restaurants and I can say without hesitation that Saffron is exceptional. The menu, which includes some really creative spins on traditional Afghan dishes, still carries some of the best examples of traditional Afghan cuisine served up in great portions and with balanced flavors. Standouts were the aushak and mantu -- absolutely order both, not just what you consider your favorite -- and the Shola, which is about as close as you can get to quintessential home-cooked Afghan comfort food at a restaurant. The staff was wonderful, the owner and chef are both present and engaged in sharing their great creations, and it was so great to see such a diverse and rich mix of folks eating around us. Hands down one of the best Afghan restaurants I've been to in terms of balancing authenticity, creativity, and Afghan hospitality.
Is this helpful?
P
Peter
San Francisco3 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
If we really like a new (to us) restaurant, we keep going back. Saffron Kitchen is one of those places that we tried and we keep coming back to. Every dish we've had so far has been really good.
Is this helpful?
M
Michelle
San Francisco4 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Yum! We enjoyed a wonderful evening here. We hope to return!
Is this helpful?
M
MADELINE
San Francisco6 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Six neighbor ladies and my daughter and I had a lovely quiet lunch and Cody was a fabulous and attentive server and we appreciate his humor and his ready wit and attention to detail yes eggplant pecora is still my favorite and the watermelon salad was as always wonderful but the butternut squash dish was a standout
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D
David
San Francisco8 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food and service but don’t park on College avenue outside the restaurant. Our rental car was broken into.
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H
Helen VIP
San Francisco23 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food - went with a friend. the bartender made us awesome drinks - Martini for me and he Royal Bermuda Yacht Club for my very eclectic Australian friend - both drinks were superb. we ordered the mantu, eggplant and lamb kabob - lots of delicious flavorful food- and the service was excellent by Abdul and rest - icing on the cake as I am a frequent diner there Akbar stopped by to say Hello - was so glad to seedt he place was busy - will be returning soon
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G
Ginger VIP
San Francisco10 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 18, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What a nice place to have lunch. Food is fantastic! The friendly waiter suggested a pot of black tea infused with cardamom and saffron that was perfect for a cold day. The eggplant pakora was piping hot and crunchy outside, tender and smooth on the inside. My lamb kabob was cooked perfectly and juicy from a tangy marinade. Th flatbread served alongside was almost like focaccia with a nice crunch and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. I'm looking forward to our next visit!
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C
Carrie VIP
Las Vegas1 review
4.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We really enjoyed our valentine's day dinner at Saffron. We had two large dogs with us, and they were very accommodating on the heated patio, and were extra nice to my very pregnant self. They gave all the women there a rose, which was a nice touch! The food was great. We shared the squash appetizer, enjoyed the soft bread/dips, and I got the lamb mantu. We would absolutely go here again. Service was great. The ONE thing I think they could work on is the bottleneck at the host stand. There was constantly a bunch of people standing there, which may have just been a Valentine's Day problem.
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J
Jon VIP
San Francisco23 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Saffron Kitchen is a warm, friendly environment with excellent food, cocktails, and service. We look forward to returning soon.
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FAQs

SAFFRON KITCHEN offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (510) 735-9220.

SAFFRON KITCHEN is rated 4.8 stars by 92 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:30 PM

Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

5940 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Harwood
Neighborhood
Berkeley
Hours of operation
Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Afghan, Mediterranean, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Abdul YAwary, Chef/Owner
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.saffronk.com/
Phone number
(510) 735-9220
Catering
We specialize in catering of all sizes and for all events. The whole restaurant can be booked with sufficient notice. For catering, we can deliver food to your venue as well. Please send an email to hello@saffronk.com to get in touch with our management to discuss this further.
Private party facilities
Our private room at Saffron Kitchen can accomodate up to 30 people nicely. This venue is great for all types of events, corporate events/meetings and parties. The room opens up to our beautiful patio to accommodate more people. The room also has a TV and projector. Restaurant's sound system plays music and can be muted.

SAFFRON KITCHEN

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

APPETIZERS/STARTERS

SAMOSA$9.00

MANTU APP$10.00

AUSHAK$10.00

POTATO BOLANI$9.00

EGGPLANTS PAKORA$10.00

POTATO PAKORA$10.00

(Soup) Aush$10.00

MASHAWA (SOUP)$10.00

SIDE OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH$10.00

SALADS

GREEK SALAD$18.00

CILANTRO CAESER SALAD$16.00

WATERMELON, ARIGULA, FETA SALAD$18.00

Side Salad (Greek)$7.00

ENTREES

BEEF KABOB$24.00

CHICKEN KABOB$24.00

COMBINATION KABOBS$25.00

RACK OF LAMB$38.00

LAMB KABOB$30.00

LAMB CHOP$36.00

KING SALMON KABOB$26.00

SHRIMP KABOB$26.00

SEAFOOD COMBO$27.00

QABULI PALLAW$26.00

LAWANG$24.00

SHISH LEEK$24.00

MANTU ENTREE$24.00

AUSHAK ENTREE$23.00

BEEF QURMA$24.00

SPINACH QURMA$24.00

BEEF CAULIFLOWER QURMA$24.00

BEEF EGGPLANT QURMA$24.00

BEEF POTATO QURMA$24.00

SALMON KARA'E$24.00

KOBIDEH KABOBS$24.00

SHOLA$24.00

VEGETARIAN ENTREES

VEGETARIAN SPINACH QURMA$18.00

VEGETARIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH$20.00

VEGETARIAN EGGPLANTS$20.00

VEGETARIAN CAULIFLOWER$18.00

VEGETARIAN COMBO$22.00

VEGGIE POTATO QURMA$18.00

SIDE DISHES

SIDE OF SPINACH$10.00

SIDE OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH$10.00

SIDE OF EGGPLANTS$10.00

SIDE OF CAULIFLOWER$10.00

SIDE OF GRILLED VEGGIE$10.00

Side of Seasoned Basmati Rice$5.00

Side of White Basmati Rice$5.00

SIDE OF BREAD$3.00

SIDE OF POTATO QURMA$10.00

DESSERTS

CHOCLATE CAKE$9.00

BAGHLAVA & ICE CREAM$14.00

ICE CREAM$9.00

FERNI$9.00

BAKLAVA$9.00

SAFFRON PISTACHIO ICE CREAM$9.00

POMEGRANATE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM$10.00

Cake cutting service fee$2.50

KIDS MENU

KIDS CHICKEN KABOB$13.00

KIDS BEEF KABOB$13.00

KIDS SHRIMP KABOB$14.00

KIDS KOHBIDEH KABOB$13.00

KIDS SALMON KABOB$14.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does SAFFRON KITCHEN offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?