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What is 'following'?Restaurant: Afghan
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Time Out says 8 Users say Rate it
Few restaurants stick to their guns with the grim conviction of Afghan Kitchen, which has refused to begin pampering its legion of devotees (including Guardian-reading ethnographer-types) despite years of effusive praise from high places. The two floors boast nothing in the way of decoration save a green paint job and the occasional expansive pot plant. At peak times, customers are forced to dine elbow-to-elbow with complete strangers at a handful of shared tables after extensive waits. The menu continues to list four meat and four vegetarian dishes, offering an insight into homely Afghan dining, if little variation. We've noticed a slipping of standards lately. On a recent visit, the famous community-sized loaf of bread (sprinkled with poppy-seeds) was substituted by something resembling a nan from the local supermarket, while ghorm-e sabzi (lamb and spinach curry) was oily and contained excessively fatty meat. Lavand-e murgh (chicken in yoghurt) offered a glimpse of former glories, the meat luxuriating in the minty freshness of its sauce. But with so few dishes on the menu, it seems fair to expect a degree of reliability that has been sadly lacking of late.
Afghan Kitchen details
Follow Afghan Kitchen to receive updates on special offers here.
What is 'following'?020 7359 8019
Lunch served noon-3.30pm, dinner served 5.30-11pm Tue-Sat.
Main courses £5-£6.50.
Facilities
Babies and children welcome ( high chairs ), Booking advisable ( Fri, Sat ), Takeaway serviceAfghan Kitchen map
Restaurants & cafés near Afghan Kitchen
See all restaurants near Afghan KitchenBars & pubs near Afghan Kitchen
See all bars & pubs near Afghan KitchenComments & ratings 3/5 (Average of 8 ratings)
I used to love this place so was really disappointed on a recent visit. We arrived on time for our reservation only to be told - without apology - that it would be another 15 minutes - when we finally got our table we waited another 15 minutes without service - at which point we walked out. They've always been a bit chaotic - but the haughty attitude of the staff and the stressful atmosphere simply isnt acceptable.
It's cramped. The food is very simple and very nice. Booking beforehand is a must. Make sure you try the pumpkin, truly exquisite
I think that the main goal of Afghan Kitchen is good food and that's what they serve you. It is not a pretentious place and the service is laid-back, which is why is cheap. I personally much prefer an independent small place with homemade food than all the chains of London with perfect robot service and frozen/plastic expensive food!
Been going here for 13 years now and watched it get slowly worse as the years went on... the attitude of some of the staff is beyond awful. So unhelpful, totally unbothered about the job in hand. It's not as if it's a particularly hard restaurant to serve - 10 things on the menu and 20 seats...
The chicken with yogurth and the vegetarian options are really good and unique. The service is ok, and the prices are reasonable.
We will definitely come back again.
I think the food is wonderful and you get get anything like it elsewhere in London. However its way too crowded in there, so so noisy and i find the cutlery a little "spooney" for my taste - takes me back to neanderthal man!
Afghan Kitchen is a hidden treasure in Islington, bit pricey but you're paying for something a bit different..
Incredible yogurt chicken dish and good options for vegetarians. Good prices and service is ok. They do take out as well if you find the communal tables a little croweded. No sign outside so easy to walk past!
The food is simple but delicious. However the service is absoloutley awful. It got to the point where I could not bear to deal with the waitresses there (who seem to think that they work for the queen), so I stopped eating in and only got takeaway. But even then they still give you 10 minutes of bad attitude. The portions are getting much smaller.
If the aubergines and chicken werent so good I would never go there again. But while while I am attempting to try and cook the dishes myslef, (they dont quite taste the same just yet) I shall send my husband there to pick up the take away.
Serious attitude problems.
We get take away from here quite alot, but starting to get a bit disillusioned by the diminishing size of the serve portions, they will lose people to the competition, I too am getting a bit fed up
They don't do any lunch time deals which seems crazy given the ecconomy and competition in the area - will cost you about £10 for the basics here. I used to go but last time I went the portions were smaller and I just got a bit fed up. They only make a few dishes, the would do a better turn over being more flexible at lunch time.
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