Saffron has incredible food! Everything was prepared perfectly, tasted fresh, flavors were balanced and the staff was kind and attentive. A perfect meal! read more

Saffron Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Superfriendly service, somewhat bland but good food, good portions, cute & airy space even on a gloomy day.

We decided to stop by for dinner tonight and we were impressed with how amazing the food was! Everything was perfectly seasoned. The mango lassi was the best I've ever had. We'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Everything!!! I had two dishes that were to die for. The food is incredibly tasty and the owner always made sure I was taken care of. This is truly a gem of a finding. Everyone was so nice and attentive. read more

The moment we walked in we felt welcomed. The wait staff was sooo nice and the food really good. I got the lamb and spinach qurma, delish! My husband got the salmon kebabs, my son the mantu entree. For apps we got samosas and mantus. Bday dessert was chocolate cheesecake. Our drinks were awesome as well. The whole experience was fabulous. We will be back for sure! read more

See all

The food was delicious! Open, friendly ambiance with full bar and excellent service! Looking forward to our next visit!

Great food, service, atmosphere . We had Rack of lamb, chicken with vegetables and rice and an appetizer whose name I forgot. Also hearty red sangria. Wonderful friendly service. Beautiful table settings with white tablecloths. Highly recommended. read more

I brought a group of 14 people to Saffron Kitchen for a work event. We used a room that could be enclosed with glass doors, and so it was semi-private for the event. The food was great, Akbar was beyond hospitable and attentive, and it was a an excellent experience in every way. read more

I appreciate that this restaurant is offering something that adds to the current restaurants in Rockridge--Central Asian food, with an environment and price point that's a lot more casual than a lot of places in Rockridge. It's nice to have a place like it, as many of the places around Rockridge are not the kind of place you'd just go to on the spur of the moment for dinner, and I would imagine it could become a go-to place for locals. On my first visit, I thought the service was very friendly and the food was very high quality. All of the wait staff was great, and I thought the food was a good value considering the prices. Me and the person I came with were able to get dinner for under $40 (sans tip)--pretty good. I would say that this location is still working out their process a bit. There were some hiccups in the service that I would imagine they'll probably iron out over time--one suggestion, just leave the bottle of water at the table instead of having someone walking around replenishing the (small) cups. Also, I think the ambiance is still figuring itself out. When I arrived around 6:30 pm on a Saturday night, the lights were very bright and overall the space felt a little lacking in character. But then they lowered the lights a bit around 7:15 pm and it was a big improvement. I think with a few more tweaks it will feel like a really inviting environment. read more

Went here yesterday and was very pleasantly surprised! The food was delicious, the service was first rate and the interior was clean and the ambience was classy but not overdone. Ordered the Aushak which very tasty as was the butternut squash and eggplant dish. And the staff were super friendly, attentive and efficient. Will definitely return and try some other dishes! read more

Delicious food and great cocktails! I especially loved the Rumi's Love. Wonderful vibe. The owner Akbar is my new best friend.

Came for Happy Hour and feasted on fabulous small plates and great cocktails. Will return for dinner with a group of friends. Lovely decor. Pretty outdoor patio. Excellent service. Highly recommend! read more

Nice restaurant as restaurants go in this area of College Ave. Unfortunately it's usually empty of people. The previous tenants were beer and wine type Pubs that were a better fit for the neighborhood as a hangout spot. The "white table cloth " decor just seems out of place. I'm hoping the owner relocates - as the food is nice - to a spot that better suits their aims for a formal dining restaurant and that a new tenant brings back a local Pub style for hanging out, socializing, and watching sports while having some nice food and drinks. read more

Saffron Kitchen is a wonderful new addition to the Rockridge neighborhood. The food is delicious and the service extraordinary. Nice ambience, lots of light. A full bar. My lamb qurma was excellent and my friend was very happy with her lamb skewer. Our waiter was attentive and topped off our drinks frequently. The owner, whose name I've forgotten, came to our table and asked if everything was ok. We went because I'd seen an interview with him in the Rockridge News. Very nice man. I hope this place thrives! read more

Great service, food and ambiance. Very clean and friendly staff. Definitely would recommend!

We were here for dinner last week and the food was really oily and one note on the flavor. It was empty and while there was a tv they didn't have the game we wanted on and it was just on a recap show. If you are thinking you can watch a game, in a fun environment with a good drink like the last place you should go somewhere else. read more

We were excited to try this place, but unfortunately were seated for 20 minutes without a single word from wait staff and watched tables that arrived after us get served. I'm generally happy to wait and don't think the arrival order has to match who gets served first, but this was a bit much. read more

My family and I just had dinner here and we were very pleased with the delicious food and excellent service. I had the kebabs, which were juicy and flavorful, and I particularly enjoyed the samosas which we shared as an appetizer. All of us left satisfied and intending to come back. read more

Really good food. A lot of stuff I had never had before. I had a lamb Qurma and it was fire af . Nice spot all things considered. Will definitely go back at some point. Quality all around. You may even see a celebrity here... I mean anything is possible read more

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 server. The owner, Akbar, is very friendly and aims to please. It goes without saying, I and my guests will be returning. read more

It was the best mantu I've ever tasted. We ordered it as an appetizer but we saw it comes as an entree too. We had beef kebabs and lamb quabili, which we also loved. Lightly done, great flavors. Nice location, good atmosphere, friendly people. We'll be back soon. read more

Delicious food. Generous portions and good service. Nice table settings and owner and his brother, the chef, very friendly!

The food was delicious and the servers were very gracious. We ate in the patio with our small dog. We'll definitely return.

Great food, felt like homemade, come here no doubt, would post pictures but we ate everything

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 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 read more

We had a coaching lunch and celebration yesterday and the food and service were awesome!! Pakora, Mantu, and the lamb were delicious as well as the fresh baked flat bread. Friendly staff! Impressive wine list. Can't wait to return!! read more

I'm really excited about Saffron Kitchen opening up in this area! I'll be ordering regularly to fill my tummy with flavor rich and soulful dishes!! read more

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 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! read more

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 sweet, two spicy). Will return. Recommended. read more

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 is a welcome addition to this stretch of College Ave. I'll return to try other items on the menu! read more

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

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 butternut squash. I'm excited to come back in the summer, since there is tons of outdoor seating. read more

I I went there for the first time on Sunday with a friend the food was really good fresh ingredients service was really good too the waiter knew everything about what we must ask for I would definitely recommend this restaurant and will be going back read more

I had the rack of lamb on the opening night. It was fabulous one of the best rack of lambs I've ever had. So glad to have a restaurant I really like in walking distance from my home we will return often. read more

I went to Saffron with 5 friends to celebrate 2 birthdays. It is a stunning, large space and the food was delicious. I can see this as a perfect venue for a small reception or party. Cal Graduation????? Our cocktails-- Aperol Spritz, Manhattan, Virgin Bloody Mary, and Gin & Tonic--were beautifully presented and excellent. We started with the Mantu Dumplings and Potato Pakora. Both were very good, although I would have preferred slightly less sauce on the top of each. (They were quickly devoured!) We ordered the beef and seafood combo (shrimp and salmon) kabobs which were cooked perfectly and so good! It was easy to share, as the kabobs were removed from the skewers and presented with a large helping of saffron rice and scrumptious bread. We also shared the beef qurma--spices and sauce were amazing. We had brought birthday dessert so didn't have the opportunity to taste the baklava which looked amazing. The service couldn't have been better; our waitress was friendly and attentive without being 'in-your-face'. The bar area was very cool and inviting-- I'll be back soon for happy hour! read more