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Best Food in Mazar-e Sharif (2026)
Begin your food journey at the bustling Chawk-e Gulha (Flower Square), where street vendors sell fresh samosas and bolani from early morning until dusk. A plate of three samosasβ¦ π½οΈ Where to Start
Begin your food journey at the bustling Chawk-e Gulha (Flower Square), where street vendors sell fresh samosas and bolani from early morning until dusk. A plate of three samosas costs around 30 AFN, and bolani with yogurt dip is about 50 AFN. For a sit-down introduction, head to the Kefayat Restaurant on Darwaza-ye Balkh Street, known for its qabuli pulao and lamb kebabs, with mains priced between 250 and 400 AFN.
π’ Street Food Stalls
The area around the Blue Mosque (Rawza) comes alive in the evening with carts selling grilled corn, roasted liver, and shami kebabs. Try the shami kebab stall near the mosque's main entrance, where a sandwich costs 40 AFN and is served with fresh naan and chutney. Another favorite is the fried fish stall on the banks of the Balkh River, open from 4 PM to 9 PM, offering crispy fried fish with lemon for 150 AFN per plate.
π Traditional Afghan Dishes
No visit is complete without trying qabuli pulao, the national dish of rice with lamb, carrots, and raisins. The Bala Hesar Restaurant, located on the road to Balkh, serves a generous portion for 350 AFN, and their mantu (steamed dumplings) are a must for 200 AFN. For ashak, head to the small family-run eatery in the Karte-ye Sulh neighborhood, where a plate costs 180 AFN and is topped with garlic yogurt and tomato sauce.
π₯© Best Kebab Spots
Mazar-e Sharif is famous for its lamb kebabs, and the Shewaki Kebab House on Majid-e Rawza Street grills some of the best in town. A skewer of lamb kebab with naan and salad is 250 AFN, and they are open from 11 AM to 10 PM. For chicken kebabs, try the Murgh Kebab stall near the central bazaar, where a full plate is 200 AFN and includes grilled tomatoes and fresh bread.
π΅ Teahouses and Desserts
After a hearty meal, relax at the Chai Khana in the old city near the shrine of Ali, where you can sip green tea (20 AFN) and nibble on traditional sweets like halwa and goosh-e fil. The teahouse opens at 7 AM and closes at 10 PM, and it's a great spot to people-watch. For something sweeter, the Bakery on Darwaza-ye Herat Street sells fresh cream rolls and pastries for 30 AFN each, baked daily from 8 AM.
π Near the Blue Mosque
The area around the Rawza (Blue Mosque) is packed with food options, from high-end restaurants to humble stalls. The Rawza Restaurant, just opposite the mosque's main gate, offers a lunch buffet for 500 AFN featuring over a dozen dishes, including kebabs, rice, and stews. For a quick bite, the falafel stand on the corner of Rawza Street sells wraps for 50 AFN, and it's popular with locals after Friday prayers.
π° Budget and Mid-Range Eats
Travelers on a budget can eat well for under 150 AFN per meal at the many small eateries in the Karte-ye Sulh and Karte-ye Mamurin neighborhoods. The Kabul Restaurant on Karte-ye Sulh Street serves a filling plate of daal and naan for 80 AFN, and their chicken karahi for two is 400 AFN. Mid-range options like the Silk Road Restaurant on Majid-e Rawza Street offer a three-course meal for around 600 AFN per person, with a pleasant garden setting.
π Evening Food Scene
As the sun sets, the area around the Blue Mosque transforms into a lively food market with vendors selling everything from grilled meats to fresh fruit. The Shab-e Mazar night market on Rawza Street runs from 6 PM to 11 PM and is the best place to sample local specialties like kebab-e murg (chicken kebab) and borani banjan (eggplant with yogurt). For a sit-down dinner, the Pamir Restaurant on Darwaza-ye Balkh Street offers a cozy atmosphere and a mixed grill platter for 450 AFN, open until 10 PM.
Good list, though I'd push back slightly on Shewaki as the top kebab stop. When I visited last spring, the lamb at the small place just off Chawk-e Gulha, no sign, blue door, was better seasoned and cheaper at 200 AFN. One tip the guide misses: most sit-down places around Rawza fill up right after Friday prayers, so go before noon or after 2 PM. Also worth asking for 'qabuli' with extra carrots and raisins, they usually don't charge more.
Silk Road garden, book ahead for weekends.
appreciate u writing this up, saved me a lot of guessing when i was there. one thing missing: the little place near Bala Hesar doing qurut and fresh naan on Fridays, cheap and filling. also ask for dogh with any kebab plate, most spots have it but don't list it.
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Nightlife in Kabul, what should I expect?
honestly evenings here are mostly indoors and early. guesthouse dinners are your best bet, lots of them in Wazir Akbar Khan serve a decent set meal around 7 and then everyone kind of disappears. if you want tea out, the chaikhana side of things near Chicken Street shuts pretty early, like before dark in winter, so plan for late afternoon instead of night.
one thing people dont mention is the curfew factor. most guesthouses lock the gate by 9 or 10 and you dont really want to be the person arguing with the guard. so build your evenings around that, a slow dinner, some tea, maybe cards with other guests. its not boring exactly, just quiet and you get used to it fast tbh.
The thing that surprised me most is how much of the evening social life happens inside the guesthouse compound rather than out in the city. Many places in Shar-e-Naw have a courtyard or rooftop where guests end up sitting around after dinner, and that's where you actually meet people, NGO staff, journalists, Afghans back for a visit. If you're choosing where to stay, ask whether they have that kind of common space, it matters more than the room.
For an actual outing, the Kabul City Center area has a couple of restaurants that stay open a bit later than the guesthouse kitchens, mostly places serving Afghan or Turkish food, and they're used to foreigners. I'd go with someone local or someone from your guesthouse the first few times rather than solo, not because anything specific happens but because you don't know the streets yet and it's just easier. Fridays are quieter than you'd expect, the weekend rhythm here is different.
Bring a book and don't count on much wifi after 8.