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Helmand Dining Room - The Helmand Restaurant, Cambridge, MA
animated flamesBooked 28 times today

The Helmand Restaurant

4.8 (795)
$31 to $50
Middle Eastern
143 1St St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

About this restaurant

  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
  • Vegetarian-friendly
Helmand Restaurant offers Afghani dishes with a wood-burning oven where the famous flatbread is cooked on one side of the room and an intimate fireplace is on the other side.

Helmand Restaurant entrées include tasty choices like qabelee, which is pallow rice baked with chunks of lamb tenderloin, raisins and glazed carrots or mantwo, a homemade pasta shell filled with beef and onions. If you like spicy dishes, try the koufta challow, consisting of beef meatballs with Afghan seasoning sautéed with sun-dried tomato, hot peppers and green peas in a fresh tomato sauce. Several vegetarian entrées are also available such as the kaddo and banjan challow, which is pan fried and baked pumpkin and eggplant served with challow rice and yogurt garlic sauce.

*Due to limited patio seating, we do not take reservations for our patio . Please note the patio or any other special requests in your reservation, or ask upon arrival, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern, Afghan, Halal
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Neighborhood
    Cambridge
  • Cross street
    Bent Street<br />Across from the CambridgeSide Galleria
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Close to the Lechmere Green line T stop & bus station
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 795 people are saying

The Helmand Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Helmand Restaurant offers a "stellar dinner" experience with its "sensational" food, especially the lamb and kaddo appetizer. Guests praise the "wonderful staff" and "unique menu" that transports diners to the heart of Afghanistan. Though occasionally noisy, the "vibrant ambience" and "impeccable service" keep patrons returning for this "amazing experience."
795 Reviews
  1. Roy

    Greater Boston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favorite places to eat. Always consistently good.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco1 review

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Service could have been better and waiter could have been around more. Food was very good. Noise level is too high. They should consider rugs to dampen the noise.

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  3. Soledad

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a beautiful restaurant. I had not been in over 5 years. The restaurant continues to be esthetically beautiful, clean and well cared for. The food was absolutely delicious. The lamb, the vegetarian special were delicious. The service was great All around a stellar dinner with my family. I can’t recommend highly enough.

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  4. Jane

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We loved everything about our dinner tonight! The dining room was perfectly beautiful clean and comfortable and the service was great. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kae

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was sensational. Highly recommend the saffron ice cream for dessert. Lovely people, and a nice space.

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  6. Revekka

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Phenomenal food and laid back atmosphere. Highly recommend.

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  7. David VIP

    Philadelphia9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Food was good but not as well presented as I would have thought. The bigger issue was the noise level. It was too loud to hear most of our conversations.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Chris VIP

    Greater Boston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always amazing food and a wonderfully vibrant ambience.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Ben

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, especially if you like lamb but everything was perfectly seasoned and cooked.

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  10. Bruce VIP

    Greater Boston47 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great experience and dining adventure… Our server, Renata was exceptional! 

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Helmand Restaurant does offer delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. The Helmand Restaurant also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 492-4646.

The Helmand Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 795 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Greater Boston
  4. Boston
  5. Cambridge

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Google Map for The Helmand Restaurant

143 1St St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Bent Street<br />Across from the CambridgeSide Galleria
  • Neighborhood
    Cambridge
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Middle Eastern, Afghan, Halal
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Close to the Lechmere Green line T stop & bus station
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Kosher, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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