Afghani restaurants in Afghanistan
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Mirwais Shandaiz Restaurant
Not surprisingly this is the only restaurant in Kandahar to sport a spinning disco light; don’t let the waiters in matching grotty England soccer shirts put you off, as they serve great Afghan food all day. Offerings include kebab, pulao (rice dish), mutton karai (diced mutton fried with chilli, tomato and spices and served with bread), mantu (steamed meat dumplings) and beef kufta (meatballs with different sauces served with rice). The food is fresh, portions are generous and the local seasonal juices and milkshakes are delicious. To finish off, try the home-made ice cream followed by a cup of chai and a sheesha pipe on the elevated takht area.
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A
Sufi
Sufi is a little way out of town, nestled beneath the Intercontinental Hotel, but it’s worth the trip. Beautifully decorated with prints and fabrics, guests eat Afghan style, seated on cushions and carpets around low tables (though there are some tables and chairs too). There’s a wide variety of Afghan dishes, nicely served up – we particularly enjoyed the kofte chalau (minced kebabs with dried fruit and saffron).
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B
Kulba Afghan
This restaurant is almost two in one, as it sits on the third floor above the also popular Rose Restaurant. What makes this more of a draw is the live Afghan music from 6pm to 10pm, and booths with cushions to tuck yourself into. Stuff yourself with the huge Kulba special (300Afg) which has a bit of everything – pulao, kebabs, mantu, chips, qorma (stewed vegetables), plus salad, yogurt and a soft drink.
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Yasin BBQ Restaurant
By far the best Pashtun BBQ restaurant in town, the Yasin serves up tasty lamb kebab, beef shaslik and BBQ whole chicken in a twinkling, plus it will do meals on request. Cleanliness doesn’t seem to be too much of a priority, with the occasional cigarette butt kicking around on the greasy floors, but diners shouldn’t be overly concerned as the fare is fresh and comes straight off the scorching-hot charcoal grill.
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Ibn Sina Restaurant
An Afghan place worth making the effort to get to, the Ibn Sina has a well-stocked menu including mantu,ashak and a variety of soups and qorma. The white tiles give it a canteen appearance, but you can spread out on the takhts (raised seats) as well as sitting at tables. The restaurant’s sign is fairly inconspicuous, so look out for the big tree outside the entrance.
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Haji Baba
Run by a genial Afghan, the food here bridges the gap between Persian and Herati food. The surroundings are brisk and simple, not that the many locals passing through seem to mind. They’re here for bowls of thick chicken shorwa (soup) and plates of moist kebabs, king of which is maheecha, a sublime oven-baked leg of lamb. Be sure to leave room for dessert.
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C
Khosha
This place was freshly minted when we visited and looked a treat. The rooftop setting gives great views over Kabul, while the interior is decorated with Kuchi textiles. As well as Afghan favourites, there are some good vegetable dishes normally found only in the home, like banjan borani (aubergine with tomatoes and yogurt), plus a great lamb qorma with chickpeas.
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D
Sufi 2
A sister branch to the original Sufi, this was just opening during research. With the decor and service borrowed from its sibling, lunch is a big thing here, with lots of delicious dishes like pumpkin boloni (stuffed pancakes), samosas and some great sweets like gosh-e fil (elephant’s ear) pastries.
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Bahaar Restaurant
There aren’t so many surprises at this restaurant in terms of the menu, but it’s better quality than most, with several interesting pulao and qorma on offer. With the restaurant on three glitzy storeys above its own supermarket, this is about as fancy as Afghan dining gets in Mazar-e Sharif.
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E
Baku
What do you eat in an Azeri restaurant? It turns out to be a mix of Afghan and Turkish food, with hearty shashlik (kebabs) and plov (pulao) balanced out by dolma (stuffed leaves) and other treats. With regular flights from Baku to Kabul, it makes sense to give this place a try.
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Madina Restaurant
The recently opened Madina Restaurant serves the usual mix of Afghan staples and proudly displays its Western options of burgers and club sandwiches at the top of the menu. Their massive juice bar churns out concoctions of the fruit of the season.
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F
Herat
A really great Afghan place which positively bursts at lunchtimes, as half of Kabul appears to eat here. The mantu (steamed meat dumplings) will set you back 80Afg, but save some room for the sticky sweets at the end with your tea.
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Shahiste Restaurant
On the 1st floor of the Marco Polo Hotel, this restaurant offers good Iranian-style food. The menu often only has a couple of dishes, but makes up for this with generous plates of salad, pickled vegetables and yogurt.
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G
Shandiz
Opposite the domestic Ariana office, Shandiz serves Iranian food in pleasant surrounds. The c helo morgh (chicken and rice with berries) is as good as in any Persian restaurant.
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Pisarni Hamidi Restaurant
One of the better chaikhanas near the shrine, this basic place has good mantu amid the expected piles of meat and rice – a reliable standard.
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