Saffron Food Mart

One of the only authentic places in the area to get great Persian cuisine, grocery and specialty items. They recently remodeled and reconfigured the store. The food here is very delicious, authentic flavors, and prepared fresh to order. The grocery section has hard to find items that are a great compliment to the restaurant. The staff is always helpful and polite providing efficient service. Takeout orders have always been accurate and packed with care. This is one of the only options left in the South Bay for true Persian food and we eat here all the time and truly enjoy it.

Finding quality Persian food in the South Bay is difficult. Fortunately Saffron has that angle covered. Amir has helped me order the right items for catering events so ask for him if you need some advice.

Saffron is fantastic! Today was my first time in. They have a beautiful spice selection, hard to find condiments, and fresh produce and lawash bread. I picked up beautiful black figs, fish seasoning, garlic paste and bread. In addition to that I tried the Chicken Soltani and Beef Koobideh. I highly recommend both. Both were perfectly seasoned, tender and grilled to perfection. They came with roasted tomatoes , rice and bread. The servings are generous and could easily accommodate 3 people each. The people working there are very kind, welcoming and helpful. Customer for life!

New place for 35 years of Persian food experience Chef. Very good tasty food at very reasonable prices . Eat in or take out. Catering is available . Grocery ,meat shop ,bakery, and restaurant all in one place . Abo Ali is the owner chef that greets you a big smile Knowing that after tasting his authentic recipes you will return as I did for more.

I been to many Persian Restaurant, And market this place is very small Unfortunately. They don't have much, grocery, food was okay, not the greatest. Not a place for me to go Agian 😕

This mart has a great catering food quality!! Even I was surprised with their hospitality. Because I ordered a couple of family packs, I expected 3 packages for each type of food. However, they put all 3 packages in a pretty big package!! The quality of their food is fabulous. They don’t disappoint you at all. Also, the pricing is fair, not expensive not low. Their foods became our habit every week. Totally recommended.

Saffron is a supermarket/restaurant with a great and very nice people. I have not tried their food yet, but I do all the Persian groceries here. Highly recommended. I have also had a tale out beef koobideh kabab which was great.

🇮🇷 IRAN Excerpt from Eat the World Los Angeles: If you are in the mood for a meal and head to the back of the well-stocked market, you will find a menu that reads the length of that of a restaurant. A peek over the counters reveals a large grill cooking kabobs of all sorts, big pots full of unknown wonders, and constant cooking even if the store is not full of customers.

Market is super clean, stocked with fresh produce and staffed with kind people. I once left my groceries by accident while eating lunch on the outside porch and that night they refunded me! So thoughtful. The hot food bar inside is delicious, I especially love the chicken koobideh and the gheymeh! I even find the prices are cheaper here than many specialty markets! Every time I am in town, I will stop by!

Service has gone downhill here and we are their regulars. Found a brown black hair in my food that definitely wasn't mine (I got gold hair to my head) or my family's grey short hair last time recently. Don't know how they got that in there. I have a photo of that. But I was disgusted. Had to throw my food away which was such a waste of food and money and gas to get here. Wanted a refund or compensation but they decided to make another food for my family the next time he came which was supposed to be dealing with me directly but that wasn't the case. You would think that being their regular clients from here they would treat us better but they don't. From the moment we walk in, no greetings. Rude. People who work here don't know how to smile especially the latina one who never smiles no matter how nice you are to her, always carrying her unpleasant and unwelcoming attitude/demeanor every time, always definitely bias greeting and hugging their favorite people. So Barf. My Royal family and I always buy much food from here and shop at the market area too for many years now and their customer service is lousy. I used to give 5 stars here every time I came here but their customer service has gone downhill that I decided to remove all my 5 stars they no longer deserve. The unsanitary of their food is definitely frightening. I super highly recommend people go to way better service and very clean authentic Persian food at KUKU cafe in Inglewood so much better. More consistent with hospitality and clean everything. Huge difference from here.

Honestly? Wow I'm too stunned to speak! We ordered the chicken and beef koobideh and it was a 10/10! The chicken was flavorful, juicy, and not dry whatsoever! The beef was also amazing and the portion was 100% worth it. The salmon?! Speechless 100/10! I've been to other places before but this place is definitely my go to from now on. The service was quick and the workers were super nice! There's definitely indoor and outdoor seating if you want to eat there as well! Overall, I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area!

Quaint Persian market. Friendly service. Quality breads, cookies and sweets. Fresh fruit and vegetables. They also have dishes to go or they have small tables outside if you want to eat there. I tried the beef koobideh. It was very good. I want to get the salmon kabab next and also get their fesenjan.

Update. Purchased their $430 meal for a party of 30 people, that could have fed 40. The chicken kebabs were a little dry and would have subbed for koobideh instead. Unfortunately my party are on reduced carbs so more than enough rice and we didn't know how to mix in the fixings , grilled tomatoes, sumac, butter ( saw on YouTube). But their food is delicious and would recommend anyone wanting Middle Eastern food. The dinner serving provides this naan like bread which they seem to have forgotten in my order.

I am Japanese and new to cooking Persian food. The staff has been so kind in helping me find the right ingredients. Compared to other markets, Saffron Food Mart has very high-quality fresh herbs for incredibly affordable prices. This is a gem in the community; it has been a joy to support this local business.

Saffron is a gem through and through, from their unique and delicious grocery goods, to their cooked food that you can order fresh and dine in or takeout. They have a pretty wild deal here with their beef kabob wrap and canned soda for a total of $3. It's pure value and was delicious and filling enough. I'd also ordered a larger chicken kabob wrap to go. Like the previous wrap, it was juicy and delicious, with a mash of flavors that worked really well together. While waiting on my food, I'd picked up some amazing lavash bread, fresh hummus, a small tub of saffron & rose ice cream, and a saffron ice cream sandwich. The saffron and rose ice creams were a top 5 for me. They were super rich, sweet, and the pistachios had a nice savory balance to it all. Service is very friendly here which is a big bonus. Loved my experience, can't wait to come back and try some other menu options while grabbing some more goods to go from their mart.

The good: I saw the sign outside for their bakery so I decided to stop by here with my husband. It's a small market with a food stand at the end and a restaurant attached. I got some Greek frozen pastry here and a delicious bar of German wafer chocolate (called Hanuta) for under $2. I'd like to come back and try their hot foods or order for catering. They sell other things like tea, jam, dried fruit, honey, canned foods, pickled foods, tea pots, and phyllo dough. The bad: The layout is strange because it's a restaurant, takeout food stand, small market and bakery all at once. I didn't see them sell any whole cakes (only some slices). Prices and signs or descriptors for the baked products were missing. We got a box of $15 hazelnut rice crisp chocolates that were probably the worst chocolates I've ever tasted. It tasted like old oil and was very low quality. They came in many different wrappings so we asked the cashier what the difference in flavors were and she said they're all the same. My husband and I each ate one chocolate and can't stomach eating a second. The expiration date said 1/10/23 and we assumed that meant October 1 but perhaps it meant January. All of the boxes had this date on it. The interesting: The bathroom said out of order but it isn't out of order. I was able to use the restroom after asking the cashier.

I decided to check out this Iranian market. The shop selection itself isn't bad but nothing too impressive either. I did try the tongue sandwich for lunch and that was very good!

Love me a good middle eastern market!! Fresh produce and meats cheaper than a typical grocery store. Nice helpful staff to assist in finding items. They also have a hot food bar for fresh Persian cuisine.

Got the TKF Koobideh Wrap. Thoroughly enjoyable. The combination of the meat and the other ingredients (red onion, tomato, something green (pickle or pepper) and parsley) works. The chef was very nice on answering my questions about their menu.

Amazing place has lots of different things that you can't get anywhere else lots of fresh stuff as well

I'm Persia ln and I cook Persian food all the time. The quality of the food here is amazing, it's fresh and smells delicious. The staff are all super nice and the chef is by far super friendly and does an awesome job. I recommend this place who wants to try real delicious Persian food.

I ordered Saffron catering for an event I was hosting, and they truly went above and beyond! Everyone loved the food. Highly recommend!

The need to be more friendly but they are clean and I like them and it's nice we have a Iranian restaurant and store

Food made me and my guest sick. We used to go there all the time and has got food to go multiple times. Something has changed recently. Their food quality has gone so bad. Not sure if the rice and the sauces are kept outside for long but it made me extremely sick.

The owner was changed. They add cartilage to kobideh. Chicken is not cooked fully. Small salad Shiraz'y cost you $9.99. Kashkeh bademjan is oily and runny . All grocery are high price. The order taker Amer is rude. Bad service .

Incredible Persian food in south Torrance!! You gotta check it!! We also got the Barg, which of course was also excellent!

Yay koobideh ( Persian cuisine ground meat) So far , I get my lamb koobideh fix at Shamshiri in Westwood. I headed to Saffron when I saw they had it on the menu , not lamb but beef and chicken with favorable reviews on Yelp . Parking lot is shared with other businesses and it was easy to find a spot. Facade was nice and walked into the grocery section with a good size dining area to the right. The aisles were neatly lined with a very cool selection of sweets . I picked up 2 hexagonal mini boxes of turkish delights , perfect for gifts & personal sampling . I was excited with the assortment of spices , tea, mini rosebuds & a variety of the Sadaf brand. I have to come back to pick up a 20 lb bag of basmati rice , a staple in our household. Past the aisles is an open kitchen in the back where you order food. The ambiance is very casual. The staff is friendly . I ordered the beef & chicken koobideh , it came with a generous portion of basmati rice with a packet of sumac and pita . The meat was very tender and delicious. Had a cardamom tea too. The nice lady at the counter said that I can call ahead to request for cherry or lentil rice next time . My best friend had the lamb kabobs (1 skewer) & she devoured them ! We were presented with baklava since we were celebrating her birthday & it was delicious. Our meal costs under $50, which is a bit steep but it saved me a drive to Westwood !

Their food was so delicious! We catered for 30 people beef koobideh and chicken kabobs with their green rice. All my guests said amazing things! Delivery was on time and the service by Ahmed was amazing! You guys are on top of my list for good Persian food! Wow THANK YOU

We came here for dinner! Omg! So delicious! Service was fast and the food was amazing!!! Made fresh when you order - we will definitely be back for more! Everyone was so friendly!

Torrance Food Crawl #382 Saffron Food Mart is a small market specializing in Persian foods and treats with a food counter in the back where you can order 'take out' or 'eat-in' Persian foods. An International market used to be at this location but was broken into several separate businesses. Saffron has a much smaller footprint than the older market and the selections are fewer, but the food business on the side is more active. Ghormah Sabzi (http://bit.ly/2Zz70ax), the number one item listed on the menu (which is usually a good clue what is considered the most popular item). This dish was mainly green herbs and vegetables with chunks of cooked beef. There also were chunks of Persian Lime (limoo amani) which were added for flavor but which tasted horrible when I accidentally bit into one. A large portion of basmati rice was served on the side. The Chicken Kebab (http://bit.ly/2GLA8Eg) had very dry chicken. Even though the taste of the chicken was fine, when it's too dry a liberal application of the cucumber sauce becomes necessary. The vegetables were slightly on the blackened side. The white and saffron flavored basmati rice was excellent. The Zaban (Tongue) sandwich (http://bit.ly/2ZyZhcB) was the highlight of all the foods I've tried here. The meat was fresh, tender, and great tasting. I'm sorry too many people avoid something like tongue because it's something they didn't grow up with because they are really missing out on something good. Everything else on the sandwich was fresh, but the taste of the meat is what I remember best. The Kotlet sandwich (http://bit.ly/2YMOZ7A) was made of a meat cutlet with vegetables and pickles, with more pickles on the side. The sandwich was average. I asked what is in the Kotlet and I was told 'meat'. In looking up this sandwich, I found that it often contains a mix of lamb and beef, which seems right. Probably would not try this again. The food ordering counter is in the back. There is now a counter across the back which makes reading the menu choices on the wall in the back. There are some paper menus that can also be used. The photos I've included of the menu items were taken back in September 2018, and I think the menu is largely the same (though some prices may have changed).

When it comes to authentic Persian food for pick up , Saffron Food Mart is the best in South Bay . It always tasty & quality & presentation is good too Really recommended

Used to go to this place and the food (Kabob) was descent but with the management change and the weird machine that now makes the kabob the food is not eatable, I do mean: NOT EATABLE we were hungry so we just are a little of tomato and sangak (bread) and rice... the meat (all beef, lamb and chicken) we got were disgusting and so dry.... The picture you see on Yelp or elsewhere belong to the previous owner/business. Please don't waist your money and time here

I used to love coming to this market to get some essentials and food. The service is never great but today I couldn't believe the terrible service. I grabbed a few items and waited by the register where two women were working (one on the phone). Not one of them acknowledged me even after the one woman finished her phone order. I just stood there waiting. Another customer came in to pick up their food order, and the woman started checking them out before me. Luckily the customer realized what was going on and told her to check me out. Not once did the woman look at me. It was so wild. I think I will take my business to the Persian market across the street.

The very best! (coming from someone who was raised on koobideh) Moving to Palos Verdes a little over a year ago, we were entirely new to the area and didn't have any go-to places. I was so thrilled to learn we were just up the street from a Persian market that also had a kitchen. Excitedly I ordered koobideh with little to no expectations, as I was just happy to be so close to Persian food. Not only was I warmly welcomed as though I had been going there for years, but the koobideh was phenomenal. So fresh and juicy and served with the softest, tastiest rice. On top of their koobideh, their barg is out of this world (WAY better than Raffi's) and their joojeh kabob (aka boneless chicken) is actually the best we've ever had. Seriously. When it came time for our wedding, we wanted Persian food represented and there was only one place we would entrust. Working with Fardad and his team was a dream -- he was kind, joyful, thorough, and most of all executed with absolute precision, serving over 300 people with food as high quality as when you order just for yourself. We had other food options in an effort to appeal to everyone, and yet still the only food that was eaten entirely was Saffron Food Mart's catering. People were talking about it all night. It was the first time having Persian food for many people there and it filled me with pride to see not only the first timers enjoy it so much, but also to see how much all of my Iranian friends and family loved it as well. THANK YOU FARDAD, AKHTAR, AND THE ENTIRE SAFFRON FOOD MART TEAM. we love you forever

Love their salmon tray. Staff are friendly! Order in the phone most of the time. Comes with a lot of basmati rice!

I was blessed to have their food at a friend's event, fully catered and the whole gamut of dishes. -Salmon: this is the best or as someone else uttered, "A+"--I wouldn't normally go dine Persian for salmon but this fish was moist and flavorful, and def not too much spices, just the perf amount. -Filet mignon: tender but I wouldn't order again -Beef minced like kebab: so flavorful -Green rice: delish -White rice: with spice packets atop so good -Hummus: average, a lil too buttery -Raw onions and tomato are served with your order. Next time I need to order a salad, as this does not come with the combos. The food is a bit on the pricier side for a market but I thoroughly enjoyed the food!

I've been here before but didnt recognize the place since it's undergone a very cute and tasteful makeover. It was once a typical, non-descript market with interesting produce and products, but it's now a bright place with outdoor dining on the patio and a butcher counter in the back where you can order take out Persian meals as well. Tip: Order, shop around and then pick up your take-out meal at the front cashier or call ahead for pick up. I noticed a great spice selection similar to the Mexican ones I see at the grocery store but the brand is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern spices and different brands of feta cheese in the refrigerated section. The baked goodies looked tempting as well. Now about the take out dinner. I was in the midst of running errands so I had to try the Koobideh and it's a generous portion, so delicious!!! The saffron rice was also very tasty. I'll definitely be back. Plenty of parking.

We were excited to try their food, but when we waited at the back counter to order, there were many many workers there who saw us, even walked around us like we were in their way, but after waiting and waiting for 5-10 minutes, nobody acknowledged us to take our order so we just left. Pretty disappointed. Don't know if it's because we're Asian or what, but we felt completely ignored.

Food here is great! Beef koobideh was very tasty and juicy! Chicken kabab was also very tender and juicy. Big portions, and everyone there is super friendly. Definitely recommend!

The people at this restaurant/market are rude and racist. We came here for lunch and stood in line at the back counter to order food. There were other customers waiting behind us, and they o told us to leave the line and wait at a different line at the front. The customers behind of us got service, but we were told to wait. And when it was our turn at the second line, they told us to stand aside because the people behind us were there first. They were all Persians and we are not. We walked out of there, and will not spend our money in this place

THE BEST HIDDEN MEDITERRANEAN GEM IN THE SOUTH BAY, BUT NOT FOR LONG! Located along busy PCH, Saffron Food Mart packs a punch with their little restaurant located inside. When you walk in, you see a grocery store, but in the back that's where the real magic happens haha. They have a busy mini restaurant going on lol. I want to say that their busy with orders through apps, but I've seen people dine-in as well. The koobideh is AMAZING. My favorite is the chicken koobideh because it is so flavorful. The beef is just as good, but the chicken is my fave! I always end up ordering the family combo! It's a great value that feeds 4-5 people. It comes with a huge tray of rice and 7-8 pieces of beef/chicken koobideh. I actually like to substitute the chicken kabob for the chicken koobideh. It also includes onions and tomatoes that are so yummy. You also get sumac packs and sauce along with pita bread. Such a good value for the food!! I call it in and they always are friendly! Parking isn't bad and they have their own lot, BUT the exiting driveway is a little steep. If your car is lowered be careful! There are seats inside to dine-in, BUT in about 2 weeks or so the next door location opens up for their restaurant. Pretty excited to come and check it out when it opened. Great food and great service!!

Hands down number 1 best Persian food in South Bay Area & definitely top 5 in all of SoCal! Mind blowing delicious authentic Persian cuisine! My Persian fam & I agree, Saffron market is the real deal! Ghormehsabzi to salmon kabob to abgoosht (authentic lamb/meat chickpea pot of heaven. My 2 year old niece loves Persian maast o khiar aka cucumber dried mint yogurt w Persian bread (like sangak or barbari) My fave is definitely Ghormehsabzi w Shirazi salad & salmon kabob w grilled tomatoes Definitely give saffron market a try if craving quality middle eastern cuisine! They also have burgers for that one picky eater in the group haha

The food is always perfect. Our favorites are the Ghorme Sabzi- The meat is so tender and the stew is so flavorful (could be a bit salty sometimes) but most of the time it's perfect. My husband likes the Beef Koobideh plate, it comes with tons of the BEST basmati rice you'll EVER have. The Koobideh is juicy, tender, and broiled to perfection. The fresh onion and stewed tomatoes served are so FRESH and tasty. Their zereshk polo (barberry rice) is so tang and their rice again is so tasty and pillowy soft! YOU NEED TO TRY THEIR TAHCHIN, it is the best most crispiest, savory, flavorful, and yummiest thing you'll ever eat! The bread and dill sauce they give on the side is so yummy as well. Please try their food! The owner is a sweet man who always greets you and makes small talk with you as you wait for your food and is always so helpful, along with the man who works in the kitchen who is very attentive and helpful as well. The lady who is usually in the front is such a sweet woman. If they are busy, please flag them down kindly and proceed to ask questions they are very kind and helpful but get busy like all thriving businesses. They have many ingredients in their store that aren't carried in many other chain stores-- so if you are wanting to embrace Persian culture by making Persian dishes you'll find everything you need for it here. Happy eating

Some of the best Mediterranean food I've had. Everything is high quality and delicious. You get what you pay for. I'll continue to come back

Best place to get Persian take outs when we have a party. Food is awesome, reasonable cost and they give you lots of food. Highly recommend this place!

Food reminds me of back home. Healthy and delicious. Friendly services while they have best chicken salad olivieh

My daughter was there today to pick up a order via door dash. She stated lady in picture was very rude to her. My daughter did call door dash to report the rude treatment. To add to bad customer, the lady ignore my daughter as she stood in line to purchase a drink while waiting on order. I'm glad my daughter reported her and did not react to her stupidity. When they go low,, you go high.. This type of behavior does not deserve one star.

This market/restaurant is family run as far as I can see. The staff is always friendly and happy. My husband and I have ordered out from them time to time during the pandemic. This time we decided to use them to feed a group. We got the party platter for 10 plus a lamb kabob. Our group was well feed with all the rice and meat. We just added a Chinese chicken salad from a different vendor. Food was ready for pick up at the time requested and everyone loved the flavors of the koobideh as much as we did. If you need to feed a crowd, Saffron Food Mart is a place you can count on.

اگر هوس چلوكباب كرديد، They have the best cholokabab in south bay اگر هوس چلوكباب كرديد، They have the best cholokabab in south bay

The quality of the food and service changes on each experience, never know what I'll get, will the meat be over cooked or will the chicken not be cooked enough or is the food ready or will I be told we have no idea where you're order is !! That's, regardless of me showing the confirmation I just got in my email ! However in all fairness; I would like to say when the food is done correctly, it's good . As such considering it's under a new ownership and management, I'd like to give them the benefit of having some time to get more organized, and if they do I'd update my review to reflect those changes . Thank you

Wow! So beyond satisfied! I ordered the chicken shish plate with baghali polo. Flavors unmatched! I personally like it better Zayna flaming grill. Which was my go to before finding this precious gem! The chicken was perfectly charred, juicy, and flavorful. The food came out fast the service was excellent and the prices were righteous im a happy camper! Will be returning!!!

The food is some of the best in the south bay. Truly delicious and just awesome. However, it's wildly overpriced for what the place is and for not even getting a cup of water to help you eat your delicious meal. The food is so so good though, but my critique to the owners would be to at least give diners some water, some more hospitality and some bread or sides for the price.

I needed frozen Gormeh Sabzi, saffron and fruit for an impromptu dinner. I'm new to the area and was thrilled to have found Saffron Market. They had what I needed, it's very clean and you can buy prepared food. It'll be my go to for Persian groceries!

10/10 the Persian food here reminds me of my mothers cooking. Have been back multiple times and does not disappoint!

Ordered: KOOBIDEH COMBO- this was tasty. I liked the ground chicken better than the beef... but they were both tasty. It came with a lot of rice ... but no salad? Maybe have to state. Also ordered a side of the mint yogurt and the pickled veggies. Thought it was gonna be in a bigger container but came in a those small containers. Maybe they made a mistake? Regardless it was good. Will just double check in the details next time.

I noticed a severe decline in good customer service after COVID. However you'd think that you'd do your best to bring in and keep as many customers possible. That wasn't the case with this place. We are standing at the area where you order food. I see a man pass us by and I begin to ask a question but he smiles and keeps walking. Ok maybe he can't help us. Then there's an older lady running back and forth. I try to ask should we sit out wait to be seated, she doesn't answer. I see she's busy so I wait, and wait and wait. All along standing there like a couple of smucks. I again try to ask something, she doesn't answer. So I told my husband let's just leave. We get to the car, turn on the car and he she comes shocked that we left. Lady please, a simple " I'll be right with you give me a few minutes" would have been sufficient. If you have cameras check the footage. There is no exaggeration in this story. By the way, there was only 3 people sitting in the restaurant area. So it wasn't busy nor crowded. Do better!!!!!

The cafe portion of Saffron Food Mart was a little disappointing for me considering all of the glowing reviews. First, while the staff is friendly, they have no concept of how long an order will take. I hate being told 15 minutes when my order ends up taking 28 minutes - I would have gone some place else were it going take that long. Second, I am always disappointed when a restaurant (1) does not have menu items and (2) does not prepare items as requested. So, I begin with the bad. They did not have trout, so I went with the grilled tilapia with salad. Alas, they fried the tilapia, and the tilapia was super fishy. It was also a teeny-tiny piece of fish. I would definitely NOT order the fish here. It's ridiculously overpriced and tastes awful. It's a shame, because the chicken kebab was off the charts - well seasoned, moist and perfectly cooked. It was lovely that you get salad instead of rice, which is a classic crunchy Romaine salad with tomatoes and cucumbers and a yogurt-dill dressing that was also delicious. Similarly, the gormeh sabzi was up there with the best that I have had. They had onion, lime and sumac to-go, and each were great quality. The verdant stew had quite a bit of meat and kidney beans, and it tasted fresh. The herbed rice is worth the one dollar up charge IMHO because it has so much flavor. I just wish that also came with some tahdig... I have to give them 4 stars because their kebab and stew were so delicious and perfectly prepared. However, you should be prepared to wait and AVOID THE FISH!!!