Restaurants and Evening Entertainment
A new phenomenon in Kabul has been the opening of many small restaurants and clubs which offer music and dancing. It seems as though a new one opens almost every week. This list cannot,
therefore, be complete, but it presents the scene as of January, 1971.
25 Hour Club, west side of Shahr-i-Nau Park (Map III) - Chinese cuisine a specialty, bar, dancing,
occasional live bands.
Bost, Chahrahi Taurabaz Khan (Map III) - European dishes, bar, dancing, garden.
Columbus, one block west of Sherpur (Blue) Mosque (Map III) - chicken-in-the-basket a specialty,
Afghan dishes, bar, garden.
Gulzar, side street on north side of Shahr-i-Nau Park (Map III) - German cuisine a specialty, bar.
Khyber Restaurant, Pushtunistan Square
(Map I) - cafeteria-style, European dishes mainly.
M+M Discotheque, one block north of Chahrahi Ansari (Map III) - snacks, bar, dancing, open only after 8 p.m.
Marco Polo, side street on south side of Shahr-i-Nau Park (Map III) - Afghan cuisine and
chicken-in-the-basket, bar, dancing, nomad tent in garden, Afghan chaikana (teahouse) upstairs for typical atmosphere. Additional premises open on Chahraji Taurabaz Khan
((Map III).
Pamir Room, Intercontinental Hotel (Map III) - European cuisine, bar, dancing, frequent cabarets.
Share Gholghola, across from Sherpur Mosque (Map III), European and Afghan cuisine, Afghan music.
Spinzar Hotel Afghan Room, Spinzar Hotel (Map I) - Afghan decor, seating on mattresses on the
floor, European and Afghan dishes, Afghan wine, excellent Afghan singer and instrumentalist, opens after 8 p.m. only.
Tritone, Karte Seh, 2nd block northwest of Parliament sign on Jadi Darulaman (Map I) - Italian
cuisine, garden, music.
Wakhan, side street on north side of Shahr-i-Nau Park (Map III) - European and Afghan dishes, bar,
garden.
For those who would care to try typical Afghan restaurants, we recommend the following. Since only Dari Persian is spoken in these restaurants, it would be well to visit them in the company of
an Afghan friend.
Kababi Shops - opposite Park Cinema, Shahr-i-Nau.
Haft Rang Kabab - at Koti Sang. Here you may try:
- Nai kabab - chunks of lamb baked on a bamboo stick.
- Seekh kabab - chunks of lamb broiled on a skewer over charcoal.
- Lola kabab - ground lamb broiled on a skewer over charcoal.
- Karoyi kabab - kabab with eggs, tomato and onion fried in lots of oil in an iron pan (karoyi), in which it is served.
- Pushti kabab - baked rib of lamb which is toasted over charcoal and sprinkled with grape seeds before serving.
- Tanduri kabab - baked lamb slices.
- Dashi kabab - pan-browned lamb on bone.
Uzbak Restaurants on Nadir Pushtun Wat, half way between Pushtunistan Square, and Pul-i-Khishti Bridge. These restaurants
preserve much of the bustling atmosphere of the restaurants of the north. Here you may try:
Tanduri: baked lamb served with a small slice of fat from the fat-tail of the sheep, a delicious delicacy.
Mantu: a steamed dumpling stuffed with spiced minced-meat, covered with chaka, a sour cream preparation, and sometimes with carrots. May be ordered without the chaka.
Kabab, pilau and korma are also available; see section on Afghan Dishes which follows.
July 6, 2006
Just slightly over 35 years later after the 2nd Edition of Nancy Hatch Dupree's "An Historical Guide To Kabul" was published, the number and variety of restaurants in Kabul have not greatly
increased.
Here's an updated list of Kabul restaurants from the "What's On In Kabul" newsletter, issue 17 dated July 6, 2006.
If you have a craving for Afghan food and you're not in Kabul, I recommend searching for and eating at an Afghan restaurant in your area. Here are a few I have tried and recommend:
