Helmand Palace

2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco
(415) 345-0072

Recent Reviews Order Online

Customers' Favorites

Chowpan Rack of Lamb w Pallow \u0026 Sauteed Okra
Chowpan Rack of Lamb w Pallow & Sauteed Okra
Chicken Breast Sauteed
Afghani Bread Basket
Half a Rack of Lamb
Vegetarian Aushak
Mourgh Challow
Fresh Tomatoes
Cilantro Sauce
Koufta Challow

Menu

Featured items
Kofta Kabab
Ground beef mixed with green onions, fresh cilantro, garlic, hot peppers and okra. Served with challow rice.
Qabelee
Pallow rice baked with lamb shanks, raisins, and glazed julienne carrots.
Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions and beef, served with mint yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split-peas, and beef sauce.
Kadoo
Baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and topped with ground beef sauce.
Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions, served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Mourgh Kabab
Char-broiled chicken breast, served with sautéed spinach and pallow rice.
Aush
Homemade noodle soup served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Seek Kabab
Charbroiled leg-of-lamb marinated in a puree of garlic, onions and sumac. Served with okra and pallow rice.
Mourgh Challow
Chicken breast sautéed with spices and yellow split-peas. Served with yogurt and challow rice.
Vegetarian Aushak
Afghan ravioli, filled with leeks and scallions. Served with a yellow split-pea and carrot sauce and mint yogurt.
Lawand
Choice of Leg-of-lamb or shrimp sautéed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, and hot peppers. Served with challow rice and spinach.
Vegetarian Sabzi Challow
Spinach sautéed with afghan seasoning. Served with okra and challow rice.
Vegetarian Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions topped with carrots yellow split-peas, served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Shorwa
Fresh vegetable soup.
Baba Ganoush
Roasted eggplant, garlic, lemon, roasted sesame paste, olive oil.

Appetizers
Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions and beef, served with mint yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas and beef sauce.
Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions, served with mini yogurt and beef sauce or carrots and yellow split - peas.
Kadoo
Baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and topped with ground beef sauce.
Banjan
Pan - fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with fresh tomatoes, served with mint yogurt.
Gulpea
Fresh cauliflower sautéed with tomatoes, hot peppers, fried onion and turmeric.
Samosa
Pan fried twin pastry shells, one filled with leeks and scallions, the other with spiced potatoes.

Salads
Afghani Salata
Diced tomatoes and onions cilantro, mint, cucumbers.
Salata
Mixed green salad served with balsamic vinaigrette or pomegranate dressing.
Yogurt Salad
Cilantro, cucumbers, mint green onions with yogurt sauce.
House Salad
Mix green, tomatoes, kalamata olive, herbs, feta cheese, cucumbers, olive oil.

Beverage
Pomegranate Juice
Soda
Dough Salty Yogurt
Lemonade Juice
Cranberry Juice
Orange Juice
Sparkling Water
Milk

Side Dishes
Challow
Baked rice seasoned with curtum seed.
Dall
Lentils sautéed with onions and afghan spices.
Sabzi
Spinach sautéed onions and afghan spices.
Bendi
Okra sautéed with onions, fresh tomaloes, black peppers and garlic.
Tabouleh
Bulgur wheat, lemon tomatoes, lots of chopped parsley onion, olive oil.
Hummus
A delightful dip of chickpeas mixed with garlic, lemon juice, roasted sesame paste, olive oil.
Baba Ganoush
Roasted eggplant, garlic, lemon, roasted sesame paste, olive oil.
Falafel
Chickpeas blend mixed with garlic, parsley, chives, sesame, spices.

Entrees
Kofta Kabab
Ground beef mixed with green onions, fresh cilantro, garlic, hot peppers and okra. Served with challow rice.
Qabelee
Pallow rice baked with lamb shanks, raisins, and glazed julienne carrots.
Mourgh Challow
Chicken breast sautéed with spices and yellow split-peas. Served with yogurt and challow rice.
Mourgh Kabab
Char-broiled chicken breast, served with sautéed spinach and pallow rice.
Salmon Kabab
Fresh grilled salmon served with sauteed spinach and challow rice.
Seek Kabab
Charbroiled leg-of-lamb marinated in a puree of garlic, onions and sumac. Served with okra and pallow rice.
Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions and beef, served with mint yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split-peas, and beef sauce.
Mixed Grill
Lamb Kabob, Beef Kabob, Koufta Kabob, and Chicken Kabob served with grilled vegetables, okra, and your choice of salad or Rice.
Mourgh Salata
Grilled chicken breast served on a mixed green salad with grilled vegetables and a vinaigrette dressing.
Chowpan
Half rack of grilled lamb served on a bed of afghan bread with okra and pallow rice.
Koufta Challow
Beef meatballs with afghan seasoning sautéed with sun-dried tomatoes, hot peppers, and green peas in a fresh tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Lawand
Choice of Leg-of-lamb or shrimp sautéed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, and hot peppers. Served with challow rice and spinach.
Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions, served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Sabzi Chalow
Lamb sautéed with afghan seasonings and a variety of vegetables. Served with challow rice.
QOURMAY MA-HE
Fresh fish of the day, briefly pan-fried, then sautéed with fresh ginger, garlic, red potatoes, sun-dried and whole tomatoes. Served with challow rice.
Theeka Kabab
Prime rib marinated in a puree of onion, sumac, and garlic, then grilled and served with sautéed lentils and pallow rice.
Chapendaz
Beef tenderloin served with lentils and spinach rice.

Vegetarian Entrees
Vegetarian Aushak
Afghan ravioli, filled with leeks and scallions. Served with a yellow split-pea and carrot sauce and mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions topped with carrots yellow split-peas, served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Sabzi Challow
Spinach sautéed with afghan seasoning. Served with okra and challow rice.
Kaddo and Banjan Challow
Baked baby pumpkin and eggplant with mint yogurt, and fresh tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Vegetarian Kourma Challow
Sautéed green beans, carrots, cauliflower, turnips, and potatoes. Served with spinach and challow rice
Special Vegetarian Entree
A platter of baked pumpkin, pan-fried eggplant with yogurt sauce, and sautéed okra with fresh tomatoes. Served with pallow rice.

Soup
Lentil Soup
Traditional lentil soup; a local favorite.
Aush
Homemade noodle soup served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Vegetarian Shorwa
Fresh vegetable soup.
Shorwa
Fresh vegetable soup with lamb.
Vegetarian Aush
Homemade noodle soup served with mint yogurt and yellow split-pea sauce.

Vegetarian Appetizers
Vegetarian Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions topped with carrots yellow split-peas, served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions topped with carrots yellow split-peas, served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Kadoo
Baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar topping with yogurt.
Samsosa
Pan-fried twin pastry shells, One filled with leeks and scallions, the other with spiced potatoes.

Photos

Photo credit: google
Photo credit: google
Photo credit: foursquare
+75 photos
Photo credit: foursquare
+74 photos
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Recent Reviews

Great, peaceful, quiet/dinner. Felt personally loved by the chef, my experience was so empecably perfect. I enjoyed the smooth timing of each course, as well as the beautiful preparation and the wonderful flavors of my dinner. Helmand Palace is great place to enjoy a classy, delicious,well prepared meal.
September 2025
A hidden gem with incredible food! Came here from a reddit recommendation and had been back a few times already + takeout. The owner is so warm and welcoming, and the food is Max flavorful. Prices are so reasonable too!!
July 2025
I absolutely love this place! The food is always delicious and never too heavy. The portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable. They have a fantastic vegetarian special, and their beef and lamb dishes are top-notch. Highly recommend!
July 2025

More Reviews

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Helmand Palace

2424 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 345-0072