Helmand Palace

Afghan restaurant · Polk Gulch

Helmand Palace

Afghan restaurant · Polk Gulch

2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

Highlights

Comfortable neighborhood restaurant serving classic Afghan fare ranging from pumpkin dishes to lamb.

2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109 Get directions

helmandsf.com

@helmandpalace

@eater

"It’s easy to miss this Afghani spot nestled on Van Ness, but it remains a staple for tasty halal Afghani cuisine and unique menu items such as kaddo, or baked pumpkin, and aushak, a delicious leek-filled dumpling (there’s also a vegetarian version available)." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

The 13 Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in San Francisco

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@eater

"There aren't many Afghan restaurants in SF, making Helmand Palace a true gem. Lamb is the specialty here, so choose from any of the many lamb-focused dishes, such as chowpan, or a half rack of lamb marinated, grilled, and served with Afghan bread, sauteed eggplant, and pallow rice. The interior here is a little staid, but taking it to go is also an excellent option." - Eater Staff

The Best Eating and Drinking in Russian Hill - Eater SF

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benabou khalil

Google

Exceptional Egyptian cuisine paired with outstanding service. We were thoroughly impressed and are eagerly looking forward to our next visit. This place has truly won us over

Tooba Patoli

Google

Delicious food and even better customer service. I had the chicken with rice and spinach, and it was a well nutritious meal. Very highly recommend.

Yossra Mokhtar

Google

We got for different plates. Theeka Kebab, Chowpan, Qabelee (lamb shank), and Mix grill. The chef (Hassan) was very friendly and gave us different appetizers on the house! All were amazing! One with pumpkin and minced meat and the other with eggplants. The pumpkin one had a sweet flavor which was so on point. The bread was soft and the dips had different flavors. I got the Theeka kebab and the seasoning of the kebab was the best I had since I came to the US! I We ate a lot and were so full, and we still had leftovers to take home. I definitely recommend the place.

Phil S.

Google

This little Afghan restaurant is a treat. The dishes were very nice & tasty, although mine could have been hotter. Also we've had some language barriers, but that didn't hinder our overall good experience & food. Also the patron is very polite & nice to chat to. We would visit again & recommend it. Thumbs up!

Siddharth Vats

Google

I had Dal and Afghani roti (bread) along chutneys that came on the side. The food tasted really good and similar to Indian food in terms of taste and texture. I also tried the yogurt drink (Dough) - Afghani version of Lassi. It was rich in taste. Overall, good experience, wish I could meet the owner in person and thank him personally.

Kit W

Google

Our very first time to try Afghanistan cuisine and we totally enjoyed it. There’s not a single miss in the dishes we tried tonight. Highly recommend “BANJAN” - pan-fried eggplant dish, super juicy and savoury, i don’t even like eggplant but this dish is an exception. I also loved their Baba Ganoush, must order! We finished the meal with a cream pudding (god it was GOOOD) ! We are only in the city for less than 10 hours and the owner (Hassan) of this great Afghanistan restaurant made this trip 10/10 memorable. He’s super welcoming and passionate with what he’s doing. we will definitely come back for more!

Diana Grossmann

Google

We had a delicious meal and a great time chatting with the owner who gave us great recommendations. The place has also been recently renovated and looks very nice. We can't wait to come back to try other dishes.

Loreley Smith

Google

Delicious dinner in SF. Our server was kind and very helpful in picking out dishes. The Aushak was a tasty starter, and the lamb shank and rack of lamb entrees were both so tender and delicious. Big portions for the price. Will definitely be back!

@eater

The 13 Best Middle Eastern Restaurants in San Francisco

View Postcard for Helmand Palace

@eater

The Best Eating and Drinking in Russian Hill - Eater SF

View Postcard for Helmand Palace

benabou khalil

Google

Exceptional Egyptian cuisine paired with outstanding service. We were thoroughly impressed and are eagerly looking forward to our next visit. This place has truly won us over

Tooba Patoli

Google

Delicious food and even better customer service. I had the chicken with rice and spinach, and it was a well nutritious meal. Very highly recommend.

Yossra Mokhtar

Google

Phil S.

Google

Siddharth Vats

Google

Kit W

Google

Diana Grossmann

Google

Loreley Smith

Google

Helmand Palace

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