Khyber Pass Café is a warm Afghani joint in St. Paul, serving up vibrant, spice-laden dishes from kebabs to creamy hummus, all rich in authentic flavors.
"After a 37-year tenure in St. Paul, Afghan restaurant Khyber Pass Café — known as much for its tart chutneys and lamb kebabs as its live music nights and celebration of Afghan culture — announced it had closed in a Facebook post on Saturday, November 5, the Pioneer Press first reported. Owners Emel and Masooda Sherzad didn’t give a reason for the closing but thanked their customers for almost four decades of support. It’s hard to understate the vital presence Khyber Pass Café has had in St. Paul’s Mac Groveland neighborhood since 1984. Hosts and chefs of one of the few Afghan restaurants in the Twin Cities metro, the Sherzads were known for their kind hospitality. They also made a point of incorporating Afghan culture and history throughout the restaurant, from the intricate tapestries hung on the walls to the menu, which was based on old family recipes. Hand-ground spices, organic ingredients, and an array of house-made chutneys, from sour cherry to savory cilantro walnut, took the murgh kebabs and sabzi korma to the next level. The Afghan sheer chai, boiled twice with fresh whole milk and cardamom, was something special." - Justine Jones
"38 years into its tenure at Grand Avenue and Snelling Avenue, Khyber Pass Cafe remains the place to go for comfort food in Mac-Groveland. At this Afghan restaurant, you’ll find impossibly creamy hummus, tender kabobs, and spiced curries served with fragrant basmati rice. Regulars know that no order is complete without one — or many — of the rainbow of chutneys on offer, from tart cherry to cilantro and walnut." - Julie Zhou
"Khyber Pass Café serves a menu of Afghan specialties in cozy dining room decorated with colorful textiles. Many of the dishes are best when paired with one of the several homemade chutneys, which can also be ordered as a sampler with a basket of bread. Chutneys vary in spice level, and include cherry, ginger and jalapeno, and a classic Afghani blend of cilantro and walnut. Be sure to try the kofta and aloo, lean beef meatballs served atop curry-seasoned potatoes with cilantro-walnut chutney." - Stacy Brooks
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