Afghan Flavours: great value and tasty food

Afghan Flavours is a relatively new restaurant celebrating the cuisine of this Greater Middle Eastern country.

Situated on the edge of Reading town centre — on the site of what was once a pizza takeaway and, more recently, a Lebanese restaurant — this diner promises an unforgettable journey through authentic Afghan flavours and hospitality.

The menu is, unsurprisingly, a fusion of Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Chicken tikka, lamb chops, mixed grill and lamb kofta all feature, alongside falafel, samosas, hummus and feta cheese salad.

There are also fish dishes — grilled seabass and salmon — with prices depending on whether you order them with naan and chips, or with rice. With plenty of choice, including vegetarian options, most palates should be catered for.

We started with a falafel wrap meal, which comes with chips and a soft drink for £8.95. It arrived fairly swiftly and was a generous portion: a basket of French fry-style chips came first, along with a salad that was clearly fresh and very welcome.

The wrap itself was excellent. The falafel was perfectly moist and tightly packed into the wrap, with sauce and vegetables — a satisfying meal in itself and great value.

We also ordered a chicken biryani (£9.95). We expected a modest plateful — something the size of a 7-inch single — but instead received a mountain of soft, fluffy rice. Large pieces of chicken were dotted throughout, and it was delicately spiced: enough zing to let you know spices had been used, but not so much you’d reach for the milk to cool your mouth.

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The plate could easily have served three or four people, making this exceptional value. While a side of something saucy would have enhanced the dish, a selection of squeezy bottles — including mayonnaise — was available at the table to add moisture or flavour.

To counter the slightly dry nature of the biryani, we added a side of channa daal: spiced split chickpeas in a sauce with a decent kick. Again, the portion was large, and at £6.95, it felt like a bargain.

We ended up asking for takeaway containers, as Afghan Flavours’ portions were so generous we got another three meals out of the leftovers.

The restaurant itself is modest but tastefully decorated and quite small. The atmosphere is no-nonsense café style, with pleasant lighting and artwork on the walls.

Service was swift and friendly at Afghan Flavours, with staff checking in to ensure everything was OK and whether we needed anything else.

It’s clean and clearly well looked after — so it’s no surprise Afghan Flavours has a four-star rating on the Scores on the Doors food hygiene scheme. This rating was awarded in September last year and is up to date. The management of food safety was rated as ‘Good’.

It’s a great spot for small groups, and there are value meal deals for sharing: a three-person meal includes hummus, chicken wings, chicken tikka, lamb tikka, lamb kofta, Qabuli pilao with meat pieces, red kidney beans and Afghan naan.

There are also options for five (£74.95) or eight (£114.95) people, making it possible to share plates and enjoy a meal for around £15 per head — depending on your party size.

Afghan Flavours doesn’t have its own website, the menu is available on Storekit and the restaurant can be found on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Orders and reservations can be made in advance by calling 0118 327 7546.

Would we go again? Definitely. There is plenty more on the Afghan Flavours menu we’d like to try, and the generous portions at affordable prices mean you really feel like you’ve had good value at this welcome addition to Reading’s restaurant scene.

Where is Afghan Flavours in Reading?

Afghan Flavours
40 Oxford Road
Reading RG1 7LA
0118 327 7546