Safi Landmark Hotel Restaurant

The Safi Landmark Hotel Restaurant sits within the Safi Landmark complex in the Shahr-e Naw district of Kabul, Afghanistan, a commercial and hotel address in the central, more modern part of the city. The restaurant serves International and Afghan food, with a daily business-lunch set meal and a selection of Afghan grills that make it a convenient stop for office workers, shoppers and visitors based in the area.

The menu is built around a few dependable dishes. Chicken tikka, marinated in yoghurt and spices and cooked over charcoal, is the house favourite and the item the restaurant is best known for. Mantu, the steamed dumplings stuffed with minced meat and onion and served with yoghurt and a tomato sauce, are a standard order, and Kabuli pulao, with its caramelised carrots, raisins and lamb, anchors the Afghan side. Set lunches typically bundle a main dish with rice or bread, salad and tea at a fixed price, which is the best-value way to eat here.

The room is bright and functional, with the character of a business hotel rather than a destination restaurant. Noise levels are moderate at lunchtime, when office diners fill the tables, and calmer in the evening. Dress is casual to smart-casual and modest. As elsewhere in Afghanistan, alcohol is not served, and the drinks list is tea, soft drinks and juices.

Prices are in the $$$ band and the restaurant is open daily from morning until the evening. Walk-in service is normal, but groups should reserve ahead. As the complex is a commercial address, entrance security checks are common. Because conditions in Kabul can change quickly, visitors should confirm access and timing and check current travel advisories before visiting.