Saffron Indian Bistro

Name: Saffron Indian Bistro
Address: 1143 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, CA, United States, 94070
Telephone: (650) 593-4269
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.1

4.1

80 Reviews

$30 and under

Indian

Neighborhood gem
Vegetarian-friendly
Innovative

Saffron is a local neighborhood family restaurant located in the heart of downtown San Carlos, serving Northern Indian Cuisine with a commitment to using local and sustainable foods.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Indian, Vegetarian, Contemporary Indian
Hours of operation
Daily lunch: 11:30AM - 2:30 PM Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00PM - 9:30PM Friday - Saturday: 5:00PM - 10:00PM
Phone number
(650) 593-4269
Website
http://www.saffronindianbistro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Chef Owner - Ajay Walia
Catering
Let us cater your next event. We will bring everything you need including a kitchen (on wheels). We cater corporate lunches, wedding, birthdays, or if are just in the mood to celebrate.

Location
1143 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070
Neighborhood
San Carlos
Cross street
Laurel Street
Parking details
There is street parking all over downtown, including parking at the nearby Caltrain station, just a 2 minute walk away.
Public transit
Taking SamTrans, on El Camino get off at San Carlos Ave/ Holly Street Bus stop.<br><br><br />If taking Caltrain, get off at Holly Street Station (San Carlos) and walk west on San Carlos Ave to the restaurant on the left, 5 doors from El Camino Real.
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Seasonal Saffron Salad$9.95
Market greens dressed in tangy herb yogurt with boondi and pickled onions
General Tso's Cauliflower*$9.95
Indian Chinese style cauliflower in a tomato chili sauce, chives and sesame seeds
Onion Bhaji$8.95
Red onion pakoras topped with whipped homemade yogurt and chutneys
Samosa$7.95
Savory flaky pastry stuffed with cumin seasoned potatoes and peas, served with chutneys
Masala Chicken Winglets (Organic Chicken)$10.95
Garlic, chili and cilantro flavor spiced winglets with spicy masala barbeque sauce
Spiced Vegetable Cutlets$8.95
Semolina crusted spiced mix vegetables patties, served with spicy ketchup
Pav Bhaji$9.95
A street food classic of bombay, toasted soft pav bread served with savory mixed vegetable and potato masala hash
Cheese Naan$8.95
Sharp white cheddar cheese, seasoning salts, onion and cilantro topped with market greens

Baked to Order Breads

Naan$2.95
Leavened Bread
Whole Wheat Tandoori Roti$2.95
Whole wheat flat bread
Garlic Naan$4.25
Leavened bread baked with garlic and cilantro on top
Whole Wheat Paratha$4.25
Layered whole wheat bread with butter
Onion Naan$3.95
Leavened bread stuffed with onions and spices

Tandoori

Stuffed Tandoori Paneer$12.95
Paneer marinated in tandoori spices, stu1ed with chutney cooked on embers served with cucumber slaw and cherry tomatoes
Tandoori Shrimp$13.95
Bay Shrimp marinated with tandoori spices, grilled and served with vegetable and herb salad and yogurt
Lamb Seekh Kebab$13.95
Ground lamb seasoned with spices, onions and bell peppers, cooked on embers in our Tandoori oven served with cucumber slaw
Black Pepper Chicken Tikka Kabob$13.95
Chicken thigh marinated with tandoori spices and tellicherry pepper, roasted in the oven, served with beet slaw and mint chutney
Tandoori Chicken$14.95
Half chicken (bone-in) marinated in yogurt, our spice blend and cooked on embers in tandoor, served with red onion slaw and cilantro chutney
Chicken Tikka Kabob (Rocky Jr. Free Range)$13.95
Marinated chicken breast cooked on embers, served with house sauce and side slaw

Entrées (Non-Vegetarian)

Malabar Shrimp Curry$16.95
Gulf shrimp prepared with onions, fresh chilies, our coriander masala blend with coconut milk
Saffron's famous Butter Chicken$15.95
Roasted chicken simmered in makhani sauce (spiced tomato sauce) fenugreek and ginger
Methi Chicken Curry$14.95
Chicken cooked in traditional punjabi style with whole spices and tomatoes, fenugreek, ginger and garlic
Hyderabadi Chicken Curry*$15.95
Traditional Indian dish made with coconut, mint leaves and spices
"Our Take" Chicken Tikka Masala$16.95
National dish of UK; Rocky Jr. free range roasted chicken breast simmered in a mild sauce with fenugreek
Saffron Chicken Biryani$17.95
Fragrant basmati rice slow cooked with chicken and house spice blend cooked "Dum Pukht" served with raita, chutney and pappad
Lamb Vindaloo$16.95
Lamb leg cooked with potatoes in a richly spiced gravy with hint of vinegar
Lamb Rogan Josh$16.95
Lamb leg slow braised with over 21 di1erent Indian spices and yoghurt

Vegetarian Entrées

Lahsooni Saag Paneer$14.95
Paneer sautéed and simmered with spiced spinach gravy, roasted garlic and cilantro
Saffron's Daal Makhani$13.95
Black lentils simmered for over 24 hours with tomatoes and spices, finished with homemade butter
Shahi Paneer*$14.95
Paneer simmered in makhani sauce (spiced tomato sauce) fenugreek and ginger and cashews
Farmers Market Vegetable Korma*$13.95
Seasonal vegetables cooked with coconut, mint leaves and spices
Shahi Malai Kofta*$14.95
Cottage cheese koftas simmered in a rich tomato & onion gravy with cashews
Vegetable Pulao*$14.95
Long grain basmati rice, cooked with mildly spiced vegetables, caramelized onions and nuts, topped with fresh mint
Baingan Bhartha (Spiced Eggplant Hash)$13.95
Roasted eggplant subzi cooked in onion & tomato and garlic with aromatic Indian spices
Butternut Squash Coconut Curry$13.95
Butternut squash cooked in a coconut based curry sauce
Adraki Aloo Gobhi$12.95
Cauliflower and potatoes tossed in a mild spice blend, cilantro and ginger
Amchuri Bhindi Masala$13.95
Okra tossed with onions, sundried tomatoes, spices and mango powder
Channa Masala$12.95
Delicious garbanzo beans cooked with green chilies, onions, tomatoes and a touch of garam masala
Daal of the Day$12.95
Special home style cooked lentils of the day, please ask server

Sides

Basmati Rice$3.25
Pickle$1.00
Papad$4.00
Plain Yogurt$2.00
Onions, Lemon and Chili$2.00
Chutney Duo (Cilantro and Tamarind)$3.00
Cucumber Raita$4.00

Desserts

Elaichi Kheer$7.00
Creamy rice dessert delicately flavored with cardamom and garnished with pistachio
Gulab Jamun$7.00
Cheese dumplings simmered in sugar syrup sauce and garnished with pistachios; served hot
Rasmalai$8.00
Soft poached homemade cheese dumplings in a reduced milk sauce, garnished with nuts

Beverages

Mango Lassi$4.00
Minty Lemonade$5.00
Sodas$3.00

What 80 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.1

4.1 based on all time ratings

4.2Food
4.1Service
3.7Ambience
1Value

Noise • Moderate

80 Reviews

D
Droni
San Francisco
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2017
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We ordered samosas and the "street food" option as appetizers. Delicious. For mains, we ordered baingan bharta, butter chicken, malabar shrimp curry, lamb kebobs and hyderabadi chicken curry. The butter chicken was the only disappointment as the chicken was dry but the other dishes were delicious. Also ordered onion and garlic naan and mango lassis.
Is this helpful?
L
Leon
San Francisco
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on June 17, 2017
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
I love very clean place with good service. Food is too spicy for request "everything mild"
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VG
VindalooGirl
San Francisco
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2017
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
This restaurant used to be our favorite Indian restaurant for ages. The last couple years, the food has changed. The food is not as tasty as before. Wish they revert back to their original recipes.
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KH
KnowsHowtoTravel
San Francisco
62 reviews
3.0
62 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2017
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Love Saffron Bistro, but we were disappointed to find out they no longer do the dinner buffet on Tuesday nights 😩, only Sunday now. Please bring it back!
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S
Sinecure
San Francisco
60 reviews
4.0
60 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2017
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We keep coming back to Saffron as our go-to Indian place. We venture further afield, try someplace else, then end up back here and enjoying it. I've had take-out, the buffet and normal dining here. All have been great. The service is pleasant and it is almost always easy to get a table.
Is this helpful?
DO
DOJO
San Francisco
19 reviews
4.0
19 reviews
Dined on January 8, 2017
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Best Indian food yet!! Good service and very pleasant dining overall
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R
Robert
San Francisco
30 reviews
4.0
30 reviews
Dined on October 9, 2016
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We've been eating at Saffron for years and the meals are always very good and the service is very attentive. Our only disappointment is that the menu has been scaled back a lot. They used to serve a variety of fish dishes... all of which were good. They no longer serve fish. We also had some vegetarian favorites that are no longer on the menu.
Is this helpful?
SC
ScottC
San Francisco
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2016
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Saffron used to be our go to Indian place but they changed the menu and raised prices and it is no longer our favorite. They don't even offer tandoori dishes anymore. In their effort to be like all the other new restaurants in this town, they've now downgraded their menu and lost several loyal customers. I'm sure they will still survive since it is the only Indian food in the area.
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MV
MVtoSF
San Francisco
14 reviews
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on August 7, 2016
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food was very good! We had the eggplant which was prepared like babaganoosh (meaning squished rather than in chunks or pieces). It had a lot of ginger but was very good. We also had the butter chicken, samosas and shahi paneer. All were yummy and their nan was very good. Add a Kingfisher beer and you are in business. The wait staff was a little too attentive. Meaning like they removed plates when not everyone was done and they interrupted conversation.
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LP
LillyP
San Francisco
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2016
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A fun-take on Indian food! And the service and ambiance are both super cute!
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FAQs

Saffron Indian Bistro offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 593-4269.

Saffron Indian Bistro is rated 4.1 stars by 80 OpenTable diners.

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

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

1143 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070

Additional information

Cross street
Laurel Street
Neighborhood
San Carlos
Hours of operation
Daily lunch: 11:30AM - 2:30 PM Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00PM - 9:30PM Friday - Saturday: 5:00PM - 10:00PM
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Indian, Vegetarian, Contemporary Indian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
There is street parking all over downtown, including parking at the nearby Caltrain station, just a 2 minute walk away.
Public transit
Taking SamTrans, on El Camino get off at San Carlos Ave/ Holly Street Bus stop.If taking Caltrain, get off at Holly Street Station (San Carlos) and walk west on San Carlos Ave to the restaurant on the left, 5 doors from El Camino Real.
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Owner - Ajay Walia
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.saffronindianbistro.com/
Phone number
(650) 593-4269
Catering
Let us cater your next event. We will bring everything you need including a kitchen (on wheels). We cater corporate lunches, wedding, birthdays, or if are just in the mood to celebrate.

Saffron Indian Bistro

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Small Plates

Seasonal Saffron Salad$9.95

General Tso's Cauliflower*$9.95

Onion Bhaji$8.95

Samosa$7.95

Masala Chicken Winglets (Organic Chicken)$10.95

Spiced Vegetable Cutlets$8.95

Pav Bhaji$9.95

Cheese Naan$8.95

Baked to Order Breads

Naan$2.95

Whole Wheat Tandoori Roti$2.95

Garlic Naan$4.25

Whole Wheat Paratha$4.25

Onion Naan$3.95

Tandoori

Stuffed Tandoori Paneer$12.95

Tandoori Shrimp$13.95

Lamb Seekh Kebab$13.95

Black Pepper Chicken Tikka Kabob$13.95

Tandoori Chicken$14.95

Chicken Tikka Kabob (Rocky Jr. Free Range)$13.95

Entrées (Non-Vegetarian)

Malabar Shrimp Curry$16.95

Saffron's famous Butter Chicken$15.95

Methi Chicken Curry$14.95

Hyderabadi Chicken Curry*$15.95

"Our Take" Chicken Tikka Masala$16.95

Saffron Chicken Biryani$17.95

Lamb Vindaloo$16.95

Lamb Rogan Josh$16.95

Vegetarian Entrées

Lahsooni Saag Paneer$14.95

Saffron's Daal Makhani$13.95

Shahi Paneer*$14.95

Farmers Market Vegetable Korma*$13.95

Shahi Malai Kofta*$14.95

Vegetable Pulao*$14.95

Baingan Bhartha (Spiced Eggplant Hash)$13.95

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry$13.95

Adraki Aloo Gobhi$12.95

Amchuri Bhindi Masala$13.95

Channa Masala$12.95

Daal of the Day$12.95

Sides

Basmati Rice$3.25

Pickle$1.00

Papad$4.00

Plain Yogurt$2.00

Onions, Lemon and Chili$2.00

Chutney Duo (Cilantro and Tamarind)$3.00

Cucumber Raita$4.00

Desserts

Elaichi Kheer$7.00

Gulab Jamun$7.00

Rasmalai$8.00

Beverages

Mango Lassi$4.00

Minty Lemonade$5.00

Sodas$3.00

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Saffron Indian Bistro offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Saffron Indian Bistro restaurant rated?

Is Saffron Indian Bistro currently accepting reservations?

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information