Written by Vi-Linh Nguyen | August 12, 2025

San Antonio, TX - If you find yourself driving down Fredericksburg Road looking for a place to eat that also happens to strike a good balance between the trifecta of healthy, affordable, and tasty, you might spot a large black sign with red and green letters that reads “Afghan Village Restaurant and Halal Market.” Stop there if you can. They have a patio outside where customers can sit on cushions and eat at low tables, as well as the usual high tables found in every diner inside. You decide to eat inside as the summer heat is still strong.

Once you walk in, the chime is reminiscent of a bodega, and the décor is a mixture of maps and flags of Afghanistan, with the occasional traditional attire hanging on the wall. The back leads into the halal market, and a friendly face will guide you to one of the tables.

The menu is filled with more options than you’d expect from such a small restaurant. Entrées include everything from Qabuli Pilau (seasoned rice with lamb shank) and chicken shawarma (chicken and fresh vegetables wrapped in bread) to my personal favorite, mantoo. Mantoo are dumplings stuffed with seasoned ground beef and onion, topped with fresh homemade yogurt and meat sauce. The beef and onion filling is a familiar pair, and in a dumpling, it makes for a satisfying mouthfeel to start off the meal. The yogurt sauce adds a light herbiness that keeps the dish from feeling too rich, leaving you craving more. The yogurt’s creaminess helps round out the dumplings into a unique taste experience that feels like a warm blanket draped around your shoulders.

The chickpea qorma is another entrée worth recommending, with beautifully aromatic seasonings. The chickpeas are just soft enough to thicken the sauce with every bite. The seasonings feel like a symphony of smells right before the spoonful hits your mouth (or other vessel for food, to be mentioned later). The qorma is a good introduction to South Asian dishes through its cultural similarities. If you’re familiar with South Asian cooking but can’t handle too much spice, Afghan cuisine is a wonderful choice. Even with these similarities, there are dishes exclusive to Afghanistan, thanks to the unique way spices are used.

Afghan Village’s drinks have their own allure. The milk tea might remind you of chai, but the strong hint of black pepper creates a contrasting prick to the taste buds in this hot and soothing drink. It feels similar to chai but keeps its distinction. Other drink options include sodas, energy drinks, fruit juices, green tea, and dogh. Dogh is a spiced yogurt drink unique to Afghan cuisine, made with cucumber, plain yogurt, mint, some water, and a little salt. If you’ve had masala chaas from an Indian restaurant, you’ll find dogh very familiar. Even with cultural intersections, the influences of the Arab world’s cuisine remain vibrant in Afghan cooking.

Of course, we cannot forget about Afghan Village’s naan—freshly made, with a crispy outside and just enough fluff to soak up the array of stews the rest of the menu provides. Choices include garlic, chili, garlic chili, black seed, sesame, and plain naan. The naan takes a few minutes to prepare, but it’s well worth the wait. It also makes the perfect vessel to carry the soups and stews from the rest of the menu, especially if you feel like foregoing Western utensils when trying Afghan food for the first time.

The staff is accommodating to allergies and dietary restrictions, which makes the restaurant’s culinary offerings more accessible. Outside the restaurant, through the doorway by the cash register, sits the halal market. It offers a wide array of Middle Eastern imports and even an impressive assortment of cookies for when Eid comes around. You can grab a snack to bring home after your meal from the restaurant side of the establishment.

A meal at Afghan Village feels like a warm meal at a friend’s house. It’s not fancy, but the staff is warm, and there is care put into each dish. Each mouthful is a comfort to the soul. Come back if you ever find yourself in need of a bite to eat. They do takeout, by the way.