After some searching for an Afghan restaurant in Frankfurt, we’ve finally found a favorite that we can’t wait to share with you. Located in the cozy neighborhood of Bockenheimer Warte, this hidden spot is run by locals who bring the authentic flavors of Afghanistan straight to the heart of the city.
The restaurant brims with a warm, relaxed vibe. The staff are very friendly, and the experience is as welcoming as it is delicious. The flavorsome dishes are budget-friendly and come in generous portions, making them an absolute steal for the quality.
Restaurant Profile
- Name of the Restaurant: Die Waffel (see menu)
- Adress: Leipziger Str. 3, 60487 Frankfurt am Main
- Style: Afghan Cuisine – rice dishes, dumplings, bread, stews, nachos, salad, vegan & vegetarian dishes, waffles etc.
- Price: around 15 – 25 EUR per Person (incl. drinks and tips)
Besides its incredible food, Die Waffel also excels in crafting exceptional beverages, both warm and cold. Among their cold offerings, two standouts deserve the spotlight: the Saffron Lemonade with Ginger and Cardamom and the traditional Afghan Dogh.
The Saffron Lemonade, infused with the delicate floral aroma of saffron, is a fragrant masterpiece. This drink is not overly sweet, with just a hint of sourness from the two slices of fresh lemon floating inside. The subtle warmth of ginger adds a gentle spice, while the citrusy, herbal notes of cardamom lend an exotic touch.
The Afghan Dogh is a yogurt-based drink and a much-loved staple in Afghan households. Served cold, it carries a slight saltiness balanced by the tangy creaminess of yogurt. What makes it so special are the chives and mint inside, which give it a fresh, herbaceous kick. This wonderfully aromatic combination makes it a great companion to hearty, spiced Afghan dishes, offering a cool and cleansing contrast to the meal.
If you’re in the mood for a warm, comforting drink to chase away the chill of colder months, Ginger-Honey Tea with Freshly Ground Saffron, Cardamom, and a Cinnamon Stick is a great choice. This drink has layers of bold, aromatic flavors – with zesty ginger, balanced by the gentle sweetness of the honey. Cardamom adds a citrusy, herbal undertone, while the cinnamon stick infuses a subtle, lingering warmth. And then there’s the saffron—its floral aroma and golden hue lend an air of elegance, making this drink feel truly special.
Shir Chai, the traditional Afghan milk tea, is a must-try, blending mild creaminess and spiced complexity for a nuanced tea experience. The milk provides a smooth, mellow base, complementing the distinct tea flavor. Delicately spiced, it carries a gentle warmth, a touch of herbal freshness, and a subtle hint of spiciness. And it’s captivatingly fragrant.
There’s an infuser filled with tea leaves steeping in the cup—a traditional way to control the tea’s strength. If you prefer a milder flavor, simply remove the infuser early; for a more robust flavor, let it steep a bit longer. Either way, enjoy a drink that’s both indulgent and calming—a nice little introduction to Afghanistan’s rich tea culture.
Now onto the main course—the Kabul Palau, a star dish at Die Waffel that you simply can’t miss. This traditional Afghan palau features steamed saffron rice, golden and aromatic, mixed with caramelized carrots and plump raisins. Beneath the fragrant rice are generous chunks of marinated lamb.
The lamb is the highlight of this dish. The meat is exceptionally tender, falling apart effortlessly at the touch of a fork. Its rich flavor is enhanced by the marbling of the collagen or connective tissue—its juice melts into the meat, adding richness and moisture without any greasiness. This creates luscious, deeply-flavored bites that’re hard to beat.
To balance the richness, the dish is paired with a fresh salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and herbs. The crisp vegetables bring refreshing bursts of crunch, while the sweet-tart raisins complement the savory lamb meat.
This dish is served with two dips. The first is a thick yogurt sauce, mild, creamy and tangy, which softens the richness of the lamb and rice with a cooling touch. The second is a fiery green chili sauce, bold and spicy, ideal for those who enjoy an exciting kick.
For an extra indulgence, you can choose various toppings for just 1.5 EUR each. Options include okra with chickpeas, lentil cream (daal), eggplant with bell peppers, or traditional Afghan dumplings, adding even more variety to this already rich dish.
Bolani is an Afghan flatbread dish, freshly made and generously stuffed with various flavorful fillings. At Die Waffel, we like their vegetarian version the best. It is packed with mashed potatoes, corn, red beans, jalapeños, creamy feta cheese, and gouda, with a vegan cheese option available for plant-based diners.
We often customize our Bolani with extra toppings (1.5 EUR each) of okra with chickpeas and eggplant with bell peppers, which are seamlessly mixed into the filling. The Bolani comes with a fresh side salad of crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant herbs, drizzled with a tangy yogurt sauce and a sweet-tart balsamic glaze.
Cutting through the slightly crispy flatbread, you’ll uncover a hearty, indulgent filling where the cheeses add a rich, savory creaminess that binds it all together. The jalapeños introduce a gentle kick of spice, while the corn and red beans bring a mild sweetness.
The flatbread itself is mildly flavored with a hint of crispiness, acting as the ideal vessel for the bold, vibrant flavors inside.
Bolani is a very versatile dish, as you can customize it further with additional options like minced meat, grilled chicken breast, or vegan meatballs. Among these, the chicken version is also very popular.
Afghan Dumplings are a staple of Afghan cuisine, and at Die Waffel, you can enjoy both meat and vegetarian options.
Mantu, the meat-filled dumplings, are generously filled with a mix of minced lamb and finely chopped onions. The filling is juicy, savory, and deeply satisfying, with the onions adding a bit of sweetness and crunch that complement the rich, flavorful lamb. This classic lamb-onion combination is a hallmark of Afghan dumplings, prized for its robust and hearty flavor.
Ashak, the vegetarian version, is filled with sautéed leeks. The leeks impart a mildly sweet and earthy flavor with herbal undertones, making this option lighter yet equally aromatic.
Both varieties are topped with a creamy yogurt sauce for a tangy richness that balances the flavors of the filling. The chickpeas add an earthy, nutty note, enhancing the richness of the dish, while fresh coriander and other herbs provide a burst of freshness.
The Stew at Die Waffel is pure comfort for the soul—so soothing that just one spoonful down, my stomach instantly relaxes and surrenders happily.
It comes with your choice of two sides as standard, with the option to add extra toppings for 1.5 EUR each. The variety includes okra with chickpeas, lentil cream (daal), eggplant with bell peppers, meatballs, grilled chicken breast, vegan patties, and feta cheese, catering to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
We usually go for eggplant and bell peppers paired with meatballs, all served with a base of lentil cream. Each bite offers a mix of savory, spiced, and comforting flavors. Especially the lentil cream, with its velvety texture and mild, earthy, nutty undertones, acts as a perfect base for the stew.
The meatballs, made from lean beef (and possibly lamb), are extremely soft yet hold their shape. Their juicy, melt-in-your-mouth texture comes from slow simmering, all the while being infused with rich, spiced, lightly herbal flavors. The eggplant and bell peppers bring a slightly sweet, smoky notes, with a hint of tang that balances the heartiness.
Accompanying the stew is airy crispy Afghan naan – a great canvas to soak up the flavorful stew sauce. You’ll also receive two dips: a mild yogurt sauce and a fiery green chili sauce, so you can craft your own flavor experience, as mild or bold as you like.
Although our blog usually focuses on savory dishes, there’s one dessert at Die Waffel that you have to try—after all, it’s in the name. The waffles here are an experience in themselves, and with so many variations. You can go for the basic waffle dusted with powdered sugar, or explore options like cocoa, cinnamon, honey, apple sauce, banana, red fruit compote, or even hot cherries.
For an extra treat, you can top it off with ice creams like vanilla, chocolate, stracciatella (vanilla milky base with chocolate chips), or nut ice cream.
Or you can opt for a special waffle dough, like chocolate, stracciatella, nut, or coconut dough. But the best for us so far has been the basic waffle paired with saffron ice cream.
The waffle itself is nicely textured – slightly thick, airy, crunchy on the outside, but soft and pillowy on the inside. It’s only mildly sweet, making it the least sugary version we’ve come across. The saffron ice cream is a revelation. It’s not so sweet, but instead earthy, floral, and surprisingly delicate. The saffron imparts an almost perfume-like quality to the ice cream, like a flower blooming in your mouth – such a unique indulgence that feels both luxurious and comforting.
Afghan food brings together a flavorsome mix of Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East, highlighting staples like beef and lamb, rice, and fresh salads. These salads, typically made with crisp lettuce, cucumber, and tomato, might seem modest, but they wonderfully complement the rich main dishes.
Die Waffel showcases the beauty of such simplicity combined with bold, aromatic flavors – whether it’s fragrant rice dishes, hearty stews or delicious dumplings. For those who can’t decide, the restaurant offers a cleverly named option, “I Want to Try Everything,” where you can have saffron rice, dumplings, and stew all in one dish—a perfect way to experience diverse Afghan flavors on a single plate.
It’s also a great place to spend a lazy afternoon, over their diverse drinks and, of course, their signature waffles.
They really serve the best waffles in frankfurt, and an amazing variety of authentic Arabic dishes. Thank you so much for the recommendation!