Delicious food, wonderful friendly service, lovely and clean ambiance. The dumplings and kabobs were fantastic. Can't wait to go back!

  We had a lovely evening at Saffron Kitchen.  The service was great and the food was delicious.  We had the Aushak, Potato Bolani and Vegetarian Combo.  Everything was great.  Our... read more favorite was the butternut squash in the Veggie Combo.  It was so sweet and flavorful.  We are excited to come back again.

  My second time here and it was excellent again.  This time went for an 80th birthday lunch, and it was perfect. The food has great flavor, nice atmosphere and friendly... read more server. The owner, Akbar, is very friendly and aims to please. It goes without saying, I and my guests will be returning.

  Had a delicious dinner here the other night with the best cocktail I've ever had in my life, made with mango lassi!! It was called Sea of Bosphorus. The veggie... read more combo is fantastic and filling, the appetizers were great, and the staff here were all attentive and friendly. Such a great addition to the neighborhood!

  I was meeting my brother and two nephews at Rockridge BART, before they went off to a concert New Year's Eve Eve. I looked for nearby restaurants and found Saffron... read more Kitchen. From the call I made to make a reservation through the end of the meal, everything was five star!!! The staff were great, ambiance nice and low key, and the food delicious. All four of us loved everything we ordered. I will return and introduce others to this great restaurant.

  Wonderful tastes, fresh flavors, gracious friendly service.  Recommend the seafood kebabs, eggplant, lentil soup, vegetarian combo.  The naan bread was fresh and tasty, as was the trio of chutneys (one... read more sweet, two spicy).  Will return.  Recommended.

  This place is fantastic. I love the ambiance and delicious food. Service was awesome as well. This spot is worth the trip to Orinda.

  Dinner tonight for the first, although certainly not the last, time at this delightful upscale Afghan restaurant. Crispy bolani, tender lamb dumplings, spinach, and one of their numerous yummy looking... read more lamb dishes, and desserts! All the food was delicious, the service was excellent, and they have made the former golden squirrel into a lovely and comfortable spot. Next time I want to go with a bunch of people so that we can order and share lots of dishes.

  Tonight my husband and I tried the newly (about a month ago) opened Saffron Kitchen. We were warmly greeted as we entered, the staff is very polite and attentive We... read more order the Greek Salad - which was very fresh and the dressing was very good - Aush was also good and tasty. The Vegetarian combo was a hit with my vegetarian husband and he said he would order it again - I ordered the lamb kabob and Akbar the owner:chef brought to the table- it was perfectly spiced and cooked - it was flavorful, tender and moist - kudos to the chef - we sure will be back to try more of the menu - welcome to the neighborhood

  I visited a couple of weeks after they first opened and I was very impressed. I've had Afghan food many times before -- the various Helmand restaurants in SF, Cambridge... read more MA, Baltimore, and I thought this was at least as good.

They dramatically upgraded the space from the previous restaurant -- although it's a lower-level of space, it was bright inside and everything was refined and lovely.

  My first visit to the new restaurant! I followed the server's recommendation and ordered the lamb kabob.The lamb was tender and flavorful and our server was most attentive. Saffron Kitchen... read more is a welcome addition to this stretch of College Ave. I'll return to try other items on the menu!

  Omg. Omg. Omg. YUM.

Saffron Kitchen will be on a regular rotation for me going forward. I've only had Afghani food once or twice, but this is another level.

The menu has... read more plenty of options but they all fit onto one page; I am not a fan of menus that go on for 3-4 pages. Also, there are many beverage choices, and their cocktails are pretty good.

The steamed dumplings - the Mantu - was heavenly. I am a discerning Chinese dumpling eater, and I was over the moon with every bite of this dish. I had to refrain from licking the plate.

Of course, we had to have lamb, and we struggled to decide because there were so many options. We landed on the lamb kabob; my friend and I kept cutting the lamb into smaller and smaller pieces so we could have more and more bites to savor.

Then we had a veggie sampler because we couldn't decide which veggie we wanted. We got to taste the eggplant, the spinach, and the butternut squash.  Everything was great, but the butternut squash shined.

The restaurant has so many beautiful spaces to dine. First, there is a fancy parklet and patio area set a level below the street for those who want to dine outside in the fresh air. Inside, there is a main dining section that is cozy and comfortable, with a decent bar. There also is a pretty stunning private dining room.

The service was the highlight. Our server was extremely attentive, and other wait staff checked in on us. If you're not familiar with Afghan food, the staff will be more than delighted to explain it to you. You'll be missing out if you don't try it!

Finally, the prices are incredibly reasonable for what they offer you. What a welcome addition to the community.

  Great service, delicious food, nice ambiance. We'll definitely be returning for more. This is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

  This was my first time having Afghan food, and oh man have I been missing out! Everything was absolutely delicious. The three of us split two appetizers and each got... read more an entree and all of it was amazing. We were in heaven. The flavors are so beautiful and well balanced. I got a dough which was the only thing I didn't love love, but I was glad I tried it! I think I was just surprised it was so savory. It did pair nicely with some of the more spicy entrees.

  Great new neighborhood spot in Rockridge! Came here for a casual date night. The cocktails were tasty and creative, and we were big fans of the potato pakora and the... read more butternut squash.  I'm excited to come back in the summer, since there is tons of outdoor seating.