Things to do in Afghanistan
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French Bakery
A tiny shop opposite the Kabul Bank, this is a great place for a mid-morning bite, with some heavenly banana cakes and brownies. They’re a little dry by the end of the day; we’re not sure if this is a product of the genuine ‘Frenchised’ baking process advertised.
reviewed
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Café Zarnegar
If you’re in need of a splurge, come here from 11am for Friday brunch. There’s a huge buffet with everything from tremendous salads and burgers through to sushi (yes, sushi), plus some Afghan dishes to remind you what country you’re in if the surrounding glitz makes you forget.
reviewed
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Grilled Chicken
A seemingly endless round of kebabs and pulao can get pretty boring at times, something this place addresses wonderfully, with great chunks of delicious barbecued chicken. Next to the Bahaar Supermarket, there’s a small off-street seating area hidden behind a wicker screen where you can tuck in.
reviewed
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C
Shamiana
The Safi Landmark’s rooftop restaurant tries its hand at a bit of everything Indian, Chinese and Afghan, plus a dash of Italian and anything else they can think of. It mostly works, and its plush surroundings means that you’ll be dining next to some extremely rich Afghans at the next table.
reviewed
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D
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.
reviewed
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E
Silk Route
Southeast Asian food mightn’t be quite what you were expecting at the Serena Hotel’s flagship restaurant, but it delivers with some aplomb, with a variety of tasty Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian dishes – however incongruous. The setting is immaculate, so dressing smartly is a good idea.
reviewed
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Tarsian & Blinkley
Afghan women’s fashion doesn’t begin and end with the burqa. Tarsian & Blinkley has chic women’s clothes immaculately cut and sewn by a team of over 50 Afghan women and run by an Afghan-American designer – a business venture that scooped it a Global Social Venture prize to boot.
reviewed
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Vila Velebita
The name of this restaurant seems to confound many Afghans, but it’s actually named for a famous Croatian nationalist song. The quality of the food is high, with wood-oven pizzas, and a mix of pasta, steak and seafood, but the price tag is equally steep, especially if you throw in a bottle of Croatian wine.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Popolano
Popolano offered Kabul’s first post-Taliban pizza, and is still going strong. The fickle expat dining scene means it hasn’t been trendy for several years and it gets a correspondingly decent Afghan crowd, but we still like its strong blend of pizza and pasta, served in something approaching a bistro.
reviewed
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Samarqand
This relaxed restaurant was one of the most popular in town when we dropped in, serving a mix of Central Asian food – beautifully flavoured rice and meat options – and international dishes. The regular theme nights liven things up, with Chinese food on Friday, and salsa dancing on Wednesday and Saturday.
reviewed
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Arghawan Restaurant
Popular with middle-class Heratis and internationals alike, the attraction here isn’t so much the formal dining room as the outside seating area, strewn with bolsters to slump against for shade from the daytime. The set meals are excellent value, comprising soup, salad, bread, rice, kebabs, tea and a soft drink.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Delhi Darbar
A popular choice for Indian food, and successful enough to create a mini-franchise, with branches in Mazar-e Sharif and even Tajikistan. The focus is on north Indian cuisine, plus some fiery curries and lots of vegetarian options. The one-dish-fits-all thalis remain a prize attraction, washed down with a cold lager.
reviewed
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Yas Restaurant
One of the few places we found in Herat serving mantu (a type of ravioli) , Yas also has a decent range of kebabs with rice, salad and yogurt. The pizzas are disappointing in comparison. The restaurant always seems to be busy – its success has allowed it to buy what could be Herat’s largest TV.
reviewed
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Carlitos
Carlitos touts itself as Kabul’s best Mexican restaurant, and not happy with that crown, it then goes on to attempt Lebanese, Indian and anything else it can think of. It’s at its best in the summer, when the Thursday and Friday buffet and barbeque comes into play. With a bar attached, it’s deservedly popular.
reviewed
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Band-e-Amir
The five lakes of Band-e-Amir (Dam of the King) are hidden in the Koh-e-Baba at an altitude of 2900m (9512ft). The deep-blue waters glitter like jewels, in stark contrast to the dusty mountains. The most accessible of the lakes is Band-e-Haibat - the suitably named Dam of Awe. The lakes' high mineral content gives them their colour.
reviewed
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Flower Street Café
The name is momentarily confusing, as this café is nowhere near Flower St. It’s worth finding though, as it does some great sandwiches and burgers served in a flowery garden, with cake for afters. Alternatively they’ll deliver your lunch to your door, but that means you’ll miss out on the great smoothies and cappuccinos.
reviewed
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Kookcha Restaurant
Here’s something blessedly different: chicken and chips. Almost finger-lickin’, but after a diet of meat and rice definitely worth the trek to Shahr-e Nau. ‘China soup’ with noodles is also on offer. Look for the green restaurant front. There are several more standard chaikhanas along the same stretch of the main road.
reviewed
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Flower Street
Where the souvenir shops of Chicken St end, the grocery stores of Flower St begin, piled high with everything you might need from cornflakes to maple syrup. Interspersed with these there are some lovely bakeries, places selling pirated DVDs, and the flower shops that give the street its name - most likely piling the petals on to highly-decorated wedding cars.
reviewed
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Anaar
Recently relocated to new premises, Anaar remains one of Kabul’s lovelier restaurants. There’s a wide selection of Thai, Indian and Chinese dishes with vegetarians particularly well-catered for. Thankfully, the new premises still feature a lantern-hung garden for al fresco dining, otherwise withdraw to the cosy interior, decorated with traditional Afghan crafts.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Kawkab Garden
Between Seraj-ul Emorat and the Kabul river is the peaceful KawkabGarden, planted with roses. A new garden, Bagh-e Abdul Haq, is also being laid out here to commemorate the mujaheddin leader Abdul Haq who was killed by the Taliban in 2001. It sits by the Pul-Behsud bridge which leads north to Kunar province. Sunset views of the river here are lovely.
reviewed
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Turkestan Restaurant
Aside from the chaikhanas in the bazaar, Turkestan Restaurant is the only sit-down option for eating. The breeze-block architecture lends the place a certain awkward ambience, and although the menu promises a choice of dishes, you’ll end up with kebabs whatever you go for. Not signed in English, look for the glass kiosk outside with the brazier, next to the UNHCR compound.
reviewed