For two millennia, Afghanistan, a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, boasts a rich and diverse culinary heritage. The country's cuisine reflects its multicultural history, with influences from Persian, Central Asian, Indian, and even Mediterranean culinary traditions. Though the food was served quickly, it wasn't made quickly. Rice, particularly long-grain varieties like basmati, is blanched for a day before it's cooked. Meats are marinated in carefully prepared concoctions for hours to ensure tenderness. Lamb shanks are stewed for hours each day. Never had Afghan food? You're not alone. There are only a handful of Afghan restaurants in NJ. Located at the Westfield Plaza off of South Avenue E, some of my colleagues decided on takeout as first-timers for lunch, which came recommended as the food tastes and feels like home from this family-owned and -run establishment. We called the order in for their family platter consisting of Ground Chicken, Lamb and Beef Kababs, Garden Salad, Brown Rice, Fresh Naan Bread, and a side of Potatoes with a red sauce and yogurt. Upon arrival at Famous Kabab Cuisine, my colleague and I were greeted by the owner, Ahmed, who has more than 25 years of experience in making fresh bread and kabob, and informed us of a 5-minute wait. The food remained hot back into the office, would feed 5, and have some for leftovers. The kebabs (ground chicken, beef, and lamb) were well seasoned, tasted delicious, and paired beautifully with the brown rice. Top that bread or kebab with the trio of sauces. A white yogurt sauce with dill is very reminiscent of tzatziki sauce, a vinegary green sauce with cilantro and pureed walnuts, and, for those who do want the heat, a red habanero sauce that should have come with a warning. Overall, one can tell the food was made fresh with quality ingredients. It is not cheap, but one gets decent portions, which we can recommend. read more

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This was my first time trying Afghan food, and it was absolutely delicious! I'm already craving the bolani again. On paper, the bolani description doesn't sound like much, but it's a flavorful, fragrant flatbread stuffed with potatoes and spices. The additional dipping sauces made it all the more tasty. We also tried the kofta korma, which was a saucy dish of spiced ground beef patties that paired perfectly with rice. Can't wait to explore more of the menu. We ordered takeout but next time we'll have to stop by and dine-in. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Bolani and Kofta Korma - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

Literally stumbled upon this place with my friend when our plans fell through. Authentic Afghan food in NJ?!? Whaaat?! Literally tastes homemade and the flavors are perfect. This place feels like home with wall decor filled with Afghani pictures. The service is a bit slow, but the food makes up for it in so many ways. We were brought salads and fresh tandoori naan to start, along with white sauce, chutney, and hot sauce. The naan is so good. We ordered the kadoo bolani because it is that time of year in which pumpkin/squash is in season. By far the best kadoo bolani that I have had in the area. The kabuli rice was authentic and the meats were also seasoned to perfection. Both my friend and I were savoring every bite and we could not believe that we hadn't heard of this place until now! So worth the visit! I cannot wait to be back! I 100% recommend! read more

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Check prices, website said one thing and they charged us more! Said would reimburse, have not seen that yet!

just discovered this authentic AFGHAN restaurant, cute narrow with lots of tables, so many delicious vegetarian options first had their thick lentil pea soup then we had a boldini flatbread, one with potatoes and one with butternut squash, they are listed as appetizers but they are 14" long and thick fried chewy and hot and we couldn't finish the host is very nice and the chef delivered our food, had a thick fresh made mango shake afghan food is very different and can't wait to try the rest of the menu read more

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Tried this place for the first time last night. Small place but nice ambience. And the food was terrific! The father and son running the place were great. We had a long conversation with them. They allow you to bring wine but as a nod to their religion they do not have wine glasses. So unless you're ok with drinking wine from water glasses, as we did, bring your own wine glasses. You must try this place read more

Where to start? This place USED to be awesome! Now it is just a place to drop $60 for dinner for three and not receive what you ordered at the time you were told and then get met with just blatant disregard for both diner and food. Was it 4 star, white tablecloth Afghan cuisine? No...but it was awesome food and reliable service. Over the course of the pandemic we ordered from them every other week - when they re-opened and were quick to forgive mixups with an order( which became the norm rather than the exception) Flash forward to last night.... Placed a pick up order at 6:23pm 2 Lamb Tikka Kabab with Zamarud Palow(spinach rice) 2 Chicken shawarma sandwiches. Was told order would be ready in 35 min...cool right? NOPE I arrived at 7:10 and rang the bell to pay and pick up my food. 7:20 still standing there 7:25 someone comes to the door and asks what my order was. ok 7:30 Now 2 other customers have shown up and we discuss how good the food is and how horrible the service is. 7:35 Got my food...it is now starting to rain heavily... I say good luck to my fellow culinary gamblers at this afghan food coin flip experience. 7:50 finally home and the family can eat right? Are you high? Of course you cant because half the order is screwed up yet again. 2 lamb dishes have different rice...the naan looks like it was soccer bicycle kicked into a bag. I call to ask to come and get the correct rice when I am told the person I am speaking to isn't at the restaurant and she will get back to me...I call back when I don't hear from her in 5 min and she flips straight to bring the food back and I will refund your money. It is now 8:20 so that's a hard NO as my family is starving. I ask for a partial credit, she tells me to dispute the charge and never order again... I ask to speak to her father as I had met him back when they first opened and we shared stories of our common experiences in the restaurant biz through the decades over a shawarma sammy lunch which was my first taste of what was this gem, me here in the states and his journey from Afghanistan to the UK to NJ. This went on for another 7 minutes when I finally had had enough. Disputing charge including the tip and I will discuss with the owner... Also the only thing right with the order was also not up to snuff...my beloved shawarma sandwich....it sucked a sloppy mess almost devoid of said chicken. It pains me to say this..... Save yourself the aggravation and go to Silk Road. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Hmmmm... No Spinach rice but I got some Naan in the shape of a softball that I got to un crumple!!! Soooooo...Lucky me? - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

Love the food, but giving a low rating because the portions are ridiculously small. Be prepared to be surprised by the amount. Not enough for the family. Not sure if they played us since we were a takeout order. read more

Not sure of it was the owner , but an older gentleman greeted us as soon as we were outside the door and asked if we needed assistance ordering. Which is great cause we were looking for vegan options . He was so happy to help us come up with a vegan platter that would make us happy. He recommended Bolani and a falafel platter that he would make with sauces that we can have . He was super reassuring and repeated to us our order to make sure he had everything right ( what we couldn't have and what we could). We came back 30 Minutes after and he had the food ready to go. At the Moment we were the only ones who were there to order and within the hour there was only we delivery order which we observed . This is honestly good food . The falafel was so tasty. And the red sauce was my favorite :) So please go out and support local business especially during these times. Prior to ordering he warned us that they had increased prices and he wanted us to be comfortable . Which we were. We will be back ! read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Vegan Falafel platter Bomb red sauce !! - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

Yay! Nice family owned restaurant that re-opened (closed for some time after the owner's father passed away). The Bolani is a must!! The ground chicken kabob was my favorite and the chicken Chapli kabob was my husband's favorite. The firni was absolutely delicious and made my taste buds dance. Look forward to coming back again! read more

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Delicious food. We take out Very reasonably priced Love the kadoo Live lamb different rice read more

Amazing food. Had lunch with my wife, great chat with the owner. Kabobs we're so tender and flavorful, bread was piping hot out of the oven. Definitely coming back!!! read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Chicken Kofta Kabab, Lamb Kofta Kabab, spinach and lentils. - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

We've been here pre pandemic and it was good. We ordered take out tonight and we will never return. Went in to place the order in person. Was told that the order would be ready in 35 minutes. Went to run an errand and returned within the time frame stated. Was told the order was being prepared. After waiting in the restaurant for an additional 45 minutes, received the order and went to pay. The bill did not match up to the prices on the menu and he said "that's the old menu". What?!?! When we placed the order, he should have said that the menu prices were not updated. Despite this complete turn off, gave a tip. Came home with our order and majority of the order was wrong. We ordered: Mixed appetizer which is supposed to be -hummus -laghatak -falafel (we did not receive the laghatak) Chicken tikka kabab with white rice (came with brown rice) Lamb tikka kabab with spinach rice (we received lamb chapli with brown rice) Beef chapli kabab with spinach rice (we received beef tikka with brown rice) Afghani chopped salad ($9 for a teeny, tiny 4"x5" container) When we discovered all of the errors, we called the restaurant and the lady we spoke to said that they had run out of the laghatak which they substituted with a dinky salad (see picture) and had also run out of the spinach rice. We had confirmed the order twice when placed and once at pick up but did not look in the bag because we trusted that it was correct. Why would they have not told us about the changes in the order while we were there? So when we were on the phone to discuss the errors, she said she would give us a $5 credit if we returned. NOT RETURNING! We rarely give negative reviews because we know how hard it is to run a business but this is not ok. Update your menu prices and get orders right. We always kick ourselves for not paying attention to the negative reviews because we try to give the benefit of the doubt and give businesses a chance... a mistake on our part. And fyi, we were not impressed with the food flavors. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Supposed to be lamb tikka with spinach rice, beef chapli with spinach rice, chicken tikka with white rice- all wrong! - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

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I think it's safe to say I've become a life-long customer of Famous Kabob Cuisine and I've referred a handful of friends who live around the area. There was a point where I was getting their chicken tikka kabob platter weekly (and still get it very frequently). The service is always timely and the quality of the meals is consistent. The ambiance is so cute, the restaurant itself is very clean and the family who run it are always so welcoming and friendly! Highly recommend, you won't be disappointed!! read more

The food was so, so tasty! Loved every bit of it. We were the only ones in the restaurant and the staff were so friendly and inviting. The restaurant was clean and spacious. Parking is plentiful. I definitely recommend the falafel, lamb kebabs, mantoo, and naan. read more

Gem of Westfield, NJ. If there's one thing that I've learned so far that I would impart, it's go to a strip mall for the best meals in NJ. In the case of Famous Kabab Cuisine, come for the inviting and homey interior, fresh and homemade meals, and welcome the respite of navigating through the side streets of Westfield, Garwood, Route 20 and Route 90. They specialize in kababs, as the name suggests, but other can't miss dishes are their aloo bolani (a thin crepe with pumpkin), their qabli pulao (a fragrant rice with raisins and carrots), or their soups. Wash it down with dough (a fresh yogurt based drink with cucumber and mint). read more

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An absolute gem in downtown Westfield. Tried some dishes on a Saturday evening via takeout and my entire family was in awe of the food. So flavorful and savory. My sister literally wanted to order it the next night because we just couldn't get enough. The pieces of naan are HUGE and loved all of the different sauces we could add to our protein/rice. Give your support to this small business here-what an awesome addition to the WF food scene! read more

Yum! This was the best takeout we've had in a while. The food was so flavorful! My whole family enjoyed it. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Family combo - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

The food and host both were great. The food is a bit pricey though. One serving of two chapali kababs for $20 is a bit over priced. We tried their mixed grill and it was good. Their naan is also very fluffy. read more

Excellent shawarma and chicken tikka kabab. Mixed appetizer and mango shake were also great choices. Have been here a few times now. Renovated decor makes for perfectly serene dining. read more

Was really disappointed in our take out order from here. The beef was so dry and tough that it literally hurt my jaw to chew it and I couldn't eat my dinner. I ate up the spinach rice, which was really good, and my husband's dish of chicken was edible at least. I called and complained and while the owner was apologetic and said they would refund us through door dash they never did. A waste of money. I called door dash multiple times and they said the owner never confirmed the refund. A run around for nothing. The manager claims their meat is not normally like that but unfortunately that was the only experience we had there. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Spinach rice was good - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

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This tiny little spot has followed in the path of several others that could not figure out the success metrics for that location but for all of us I hope this one does! If dining in the atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired but that is more a function of the location, however, if you are ordering out like so many of us do this is a gem of a find. The food is tasty without being over seasoned and the menu while staple for Kabab joints is a refreshing change for a town that boasts more pizzerias/Italian restaurants per capital one barn probably any other location in he would (even Italy) Try the kebabs. Yes I left the need to tell you in spite of the fact that it is the name of the restaurant. The meats are cooked to perfection with the kind of juiciness you can only rarely replicate at home. The Naan is as comforting as a warm blanket on a frosted fall evening and as soft and fluffy. Lastly the staff and ownership are the kind of people that leave you with the strong desire to help ensure this great little spot will be around for a long time. read more

Always on the hunt for new Afghani food experiences, me and my sister made it to Famous Kabab Cuisine. It's a small, clean, and unpretentiously decorated restaurant. We started lunch with two vegetarian appetizers in the Laghatak and Kadoo Bolani. - Laghatak was so similar to Baba Ganoush with its quintessential eggplant smokiness and slightly chunky texture. It was good, not great, but made a nice dip for our Afghan Naan bread. - Kadoo Bolani was such a simple appetizer with seasoned butternut squash stuffed inside a layered pan seared dough, but was delicious. Its flavors were clean, pure, and healthy tasting. My entree was the Lamb Chapli Kabab with Kabuli Palow (a.k.a. Afghani rice). - Served first, the complimentary salad was solid, everything was fresh, but it was rather small and needed a bit more variety in ingredients IMO. - The lamb Chapli patties were a bit bland in seasoning, but they had a nice sear and a hint of needed lamb gaminess. - Kabuli Palow was delicious and close to some of the better versions I've eaten. Seasoning of the Palow imparted such an enticing aroma and that also translated to the flavor which had a good cinnamon, clove, and cumin flavor. The carrots and raisins were perfectly cooked and added a nice accompanying sweetness. In a similar vein, my sister's entree was the Chicken Chapli Kabab with Kabuli Palow and it was a very interesting dish. - The chicken Chapli was very different to versions we've eaten at other restaurants, as the patty was super moist and soft to the point of barely holding shape. Mind you neither of us found it a negative aspect, just very different. Flavor wise the Chapli was awesomely seasoned with spices too numerous for me to list. The supplied trio of sauces can be summarized as follows: - The white sauce was excellent, and I found myself scooping quite a bit of it to drizzle over my rice. I noticed an addicting tang/tartness to it. - Red sauce had a nice heat level, but tasted like a pretty normal hot sauce. - The green cilantro sauce was more watery than other versions I've eaten, but its flavor was very robust. The Afghan naan bread was very good, and just shy of being one of our favorite versions. It was freshly warm, slightly toasted, and had a nice chew. Finally, service was friendly and timely, with us being the only customers at the time. Everything was smooth. Famous Kabab was really good and most worthy of another visit. read more

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From the outside, Famous Kabab Cuisine is pretty deceptive... A small storefront in a strip mall doesn't exactly scream "AMAZING FOOD!" Well... at least it doesn't scream that to me. After reading through the Yelp reviews, I decided to give this place a go and went for a weekday dine-in dinner. The restaurant seems to be family-owned with one woman waiting tables. As the restaurant became busier the service wasn't as fast, but I don't think this is the type of place you necessarily come for incredible service. Ya come for the food! ...which is ah-mazing! We really enjoyed the lamb kebab plate, spinach rice, eggplant appetizer, and chickpea side dishes. All were fantastic! With that being said, if you're the type who is dissecting every aspect of a restaurant, you may need to put some blinders on if you want to eat here. What do I mean? Well, the place is in serious need of a good paint job, and there are massive stains on the ceiling (possible from water leakage). All-in-all, I'd highly recommend this place for a great, casual and extremely delicious food option if you're in the area! read more

OK, fellow WFAs (Westfield food aficionados). I know you're out there. I've seen you lurking on Yelp and the Westfield, NJ Facebook page, and even on the counterpoint page, Cranford Cooks (for those times that you want good food made at home). But how famous can Famous Kabob Cuisine be if I've lived and eaten in the area for quite some time now but had never tried it until last night? First time eating Afghani food and will not be my last. Similar in concept to other Middle Eastern food I've had, but with unique spicing and flair, and Central Asian influences. I'm still dreaming about the pillowy softness and yeasty goodness of the flatbread - kind of a cross between Indian naan and a giant pillow. I'm not even a fan of bread (prefer rice :-)) and I couldn't stop pulling it and eating it along with the garlicky white sauce, green sauce (mint and cilantro?), and hot sauce. We ordered dumplings that resembled wontons but were topped with a lentil curry (all vegetarian dumplings). Next, we had the chicken kofta kabob, which came with rice and salad. For extra veggies, we also ordered the chopped salad - which was a perfect melange of cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes with herbs, diced so finely and intricately that they blended together like a dream. Just the right foil to the sauces and the meat dish. My husband, 5 year old daughter (who loved everything and could not stop eating the salad mixed with some white sauce, rice, and bread ;)), and I left completely sated but feeling like we had eaten pretty healthfully, too. Famous? It's now famous in my book. Notch another one in the book for the unassuming little gems found in Jersey strip malls. Westfield does have awesome ethnic eats - just need to look in the hidden corners and beyond the usual suspects to find it! read more

It's a whole in a wall kind of restaurant. Little gem tucked away inside a plaza. Been here maybe 4 times already and the food is never disappointing. The kebabs are flavorful, tender and juicy. I wish there was more meat since they give you a lot of rice. You can choose your rice which is the spinach, plain or the one with raisins and carrots. The spinach bolani was also good. It's like a pancake. There are 3 kinds of sauce on the table to use with your meal. The desserts was delicious such as the rose icecream and halwa. read more

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i got lamb kabab,beef kabab and also the ashak it was outstanding . we need more variety in town and we got it .

Food is great. I like the lamb tikka kebab. Started working close by. Excited to have found genuine afghani food. Quality of meat is good. No fat! But more expensive but worth the money. I rather pay a couple bucks extra for the better quality meat with no fat. You get what you pay for and the kebab here is great. Plus it's nice to support small family run business. read more

Chicken chapli kebab was phenomenal albeit on the smaller side for the price. But the rice and naan were plentiful. Awesome yogurt sauce.

I was excited to try this place as it is so close to my home and always busy. I saw all the amazing reviews and sadly was disappointed with the service at Famous Kabab. My boyfriend and I ordered two kabobs and one chicken platter. The woman on the phone confirmed all our items before hanging up. After we paid for the order and took our food home, we realized they never gave us our chicken platter. I called back to let them know we were missing an item and the woman who answered apologized and let me know it would be ready ASAP and she would come out to the parking lot once we got there to give us the food. At this point I was really pleased with their service and the food looked good! My boyfriend went to grab the missing item and was told he owed $10.00 for the chicken platter, which didn't make sense since the amount he paid for initially added up for all three items. The man who gave him the misplaced item told my boyfriend that we were the ones who forgot the item and that they never charged us for the platter. My boyfriend kindly asked him to check the original receipt and the man at Famous Kabob really didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered with it and kept making up pricing excuses and miscommunications as to why we had to pay the additional $10.00. Overall, the food was just okay and honestly the service really turned us off from this place, which is really disappointing because we wanted to love it so much! Maybe they were having an off night, but we were not pleased and probably won't go back. read more

Operating in a more affluent area, I expected better. After ordering a shawarma wrap and eating it, I had an upset stomach for the rest of the afternoon. It did not help that while I was waiting for my meal to be made, I heard the opening and closing of what sounded like a microwave in the back. Did they use a microwave to heat up my shawarma meat? Most likely; the meat tasted luke warm and it was doused in too much sauce. I should've read reviews of previous take out experiences, not good. Too pricey for the effort and small portion size they give you. read more

Loooove this place! Definitely my favorite Afghani spot in Central Jersey. I usually start with the potato bolani. It is kind of like a "aloo paratha". Delish with all their little sauces! My go to entree is the chicken kofta with spinach rice. We recently tried the beef chapli but it tasted a little gamey. We were explained they add a little bit of lamb meat to make the meat more moist. It wasn't bad once we knew why it tasted the way it did. I have taken out as well as dined in and was not disappointed by the freshness or the portions size each time! read more

Wow! Amazingly surprised with how good everything was! First impressions: clean, friendly. Service wss also very good. We had: Chicken Tikka Kabab: boneless chunks of chicken marinated in fresh herbs and spices w/ spinach white rice. The chicken tasted like it was mixed with egg also, which I really enjoyed. Beef Tikka Kabab: chunks of beef marinated in fresh herbs & spices. Shawarma: marinated boneless chicken wrapped in pita bread, served with lettuce, white & red sauce. Zamarud palow: rice cooked with spinach. They also have something called Kabuli palow, which I would like to try next time. It is rice topped with cooked carrots and raisins. They also gave us fresh tandoori bread, or Naan. This was also really good. Firnee- afghan custard - milky dessert topped with pistachios. Reminds me of a Filipino dessert called Maja Blanca. It was very tasty. Pumpkin kadoo: Pumpkin cooked with herbs and topped with yogurt and mint. They have only been open for about 5 months. They're great and add wonderful diversity in cuisine to this area. We will definitely return! read more

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Nice addition to Westfield which has a surplus of pizzerias and Italian restaurants. Pros: 1. Food is tasty. Chicken kebabs, lentil soup and naan are my favorites. Cons: 1. Pricey for what you get. They give a lot of rice and naan but are stingy with the meat. 2. Side salad is pathetic. 3. They dont always deliver. I'll often call and get the Heisman. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

Went here a week and some ago and had a really great meal. The good: Overall, the food was fantastic. The two best things of the night were my brother's chicken chapli kebab (heavily curried, incredibly flavorful, juicy ground chicken kebab) and the naan that comes with the meal. This. Bread. Is. Amazing. And it's free, and you get so much of it. Plenty to take home. I actually found I didn't seal one of the bags I put bread in and had some stale naan the next day and it was still great. I don't know how. Also great was the kabuli palow, an option for the rice that comes with each meal. It was sweeter with raisins and carrots in it and was buttery and delicious. I regretted having gotten the zamarud palow (spinach rice), which was really quite good. It just wasn't the kabuli. The not as great: My father got tilapia, which was way too salty. I really, really love salt and often season my own food right to the edge, but this fish went a little too far. The flavor aside from that was really nice. But salt was just too much and is the primary reason I'm giving 4 stars, considering it was his main dish and would have been too salty for many to eat. The only other issue I had was that they were super understaffed, and the lady, who I think usually runs the register, was also our waiter. She was the most gracious person (really, the nicest), but she was a bit out of her element, and there was a 20ish minute period after we had long finished eating in which nobody was even in the restaurant to ask for a check. It pains me to not give this 5 stars because most of the food was out of this world. Since it was clearly an anomaly that they were down at least one person, I'd have still given it 5 if it weren't for the one fish dish. Everything else, though, was near perfect. Definitely coming back! read more

I don't care what anyone says I will fight to the death on this: THIS IS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN WESTFIELD!!! The quality is high. The menu is perfectly balanced. It's consistent. Good location for most people. The wait is long so be ready for it but it should be if you want the quality they're putting out. Nothing else to say. Just order here and do it often and don't get the same thing every time. You will not be disappointed. read more

Still closed. Not sure when they will open. Should have returned from vacation by now. Hopefully soon.

Had a craving for Afghani food and found my new take out spot! Didn't realize there was one in Westfield. MashAllah the kafta korma and bolani are very yummy! read more

Ordered takeout tonight as my wife was craving pizza from our usual spot in the same strip mall. Had the lentil soup, kofta kebab with spinach rice. Everything was done very nicely including the delightful little side sauces that came with everything. Really nice addition to the takout rotation and glad that it's there. read more

Delicious homemade Afghani food. Small family owned restaurant, with a very homey atmosphere . All food is fresh and the Mantoo dumplings are a must try, feather light with a nice yoghurt sauce. The lamb kofta kebabs are some the best we've had ! The Naan comes baked hot and fresh with every dinner. The Afghan Chai tea is a real treat. read more

Famous Kabab Cuisine - Beef Kofta and carrot and raisin rice. - Afghan Near Me - Westfield, New Jersey

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