About
Khyber Pass Cafe closed in November 2022 after 37 years as one of the most beloved Afghan restaurants in Saint Paul. Emel and Masooda Sherzad opened the restaurant in 1986 and it became a destination for Afghan cuisine and vegetarian-friendly dining on Grand Avenue. The kaddo bowrani, vegetable mantu, and leek aushak were local favorites. The space transitioned to other tenants after the closure.
What to Order
Real customer favorites from 221+ reviews
Hummus
Hands-down the best in town, goes with every meal.
Chutney (Cilantro Walnut)
Magical piece of art, a country to start with bread.
Chutney (Red Pepper Chili)
Magical piece of art, a country to start with bread.
Chutney (Ginger Jalapeno)
Magical piece of art, a country to start with bread.
Chutney (Apricot)
Picked up to go with the lamb.
Chutney (Cherry)
Picked up to go with the lamb.
Daal
A comfort dish.
Bread / Pita
Served with three country's / hummus and chutney.
Quick Info
Customer Reviews
221+ verified Google reviews
Great food, ready quickly for pickup. They were very accommodating for a vegan in our party, helping her identify vegan-friendly options.
Do not miss a chance to return to the Khyber Pass CafΓ©. Having held out through the pandemic serving takeout, Emel and Masooda have reopened the dining room for dinner and it is, as always, like being welcomed into their home. The beautiful, decor and inviting atmosphere at the Khyber Pass reflects the fact that it is a family-run restaurant serving delicious, soulful Afghani food developed from generations-old family recipes. There are too many truly special dishes on the menu to list - the Chopan Kebab (lamb chops) are an unbelievable treat, the Daal a comfort, and the Murgh Kebab (chicken) I wish I could eat every day forever - multiple visits are required to try everything. But the Hummus - hands-down the best in town - and the chutneys go with every meal. The chutneys are magical pieces of art. The Khyber Pass has been an important part of the Mac-Groveland neighborhood for nearly 30 years now, and with good reason. There is no warmer, more welcoming place around.
We did take out from Khyber Pass tonight for a family celebration. How fortuitous that it was also Persian New Year! We ordered the New Year's dish (the nat'l dish of Afghanistan) called Kabuli Pulao which was so special. Our 2yo loved it, too. We also ordered the lamb Choban Kebab which was totally tender and so good. We picked up some apricot and cherry chutneys to go with the lamb. Everything was delicious and the staff at the restaurant could not have been kinder or more lovely. We can't wait to come back!
Has Covid destroyed your dining life? We've tried take-out from at least a dozen restaurants over the past 7 months - even the great ones. Kyber Pass is easily the best. The food is fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced. We pick-up so that Kyber Pass gets all of our payment instead of having to pay the huge fees charged by the delivery services Thank you Kyber Pass for the delicious food.
I love the food here - everything I have tried had been fresh and wonderful. Their decor is nice, even if the tables are all small and a little crowded for even four people. However, their rating as a one $ restaurant should genuinely be reviewed! Maybe it was based on an old menu, but we brought five people, and shared one $10 appetizer, with no drinks at all, the teen with us was still quite hungry when we were done, and it cost almost $100. That's not one $, at $20 per person with no drinks.
Iβve been thinking visit this restaurant for a year, but the pandemic impede the dine in option. We choose to takeout! It was fabulous! The chopan kbab was flavorful,and the murgh kbab was tender. The curry sauce are not spicy which is what I want. I definitely will order again! We were too hungry to take a picture before we finished themπ€ͺ
It's been a while, just getting around to write a review on our incredible experience here. Staff were extremely helpful & friendly. Authentic menu and everything we had was delicious. I'd recommend Khyber Pass Cafe for any occasion but it'll be a fun date night out.
This service at this restaurant was amazing. The owner was there and helped us choose excellent plates and accompanying chutneys. I had the goat curry with spinach. It was tasty and the lamb was not at all greasy. Great appetizers. Would have loved things to be a bit spicier.
One of my favorite places to eat in the Twin Cities! Always delicious healthy food and great service.
Incredibly sweet staff even though we ordered takeout in the last hour they were open. Meatballs and lamb kebab were incredible, as was the hummus and pita. But the chutney is really where itβs at. Mainline that into my soul.