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Besterd · Tilburg · Netherlands

Sarban Afghaans Restaurant

Afghan family restaurant in Tilburg serving traditional three-course menus of fragrant rice, slow-cooked stews, and spiced vegetable dishes in an elegant, warmly decorated setting.

The essentials, at a glance

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Impact score
1 - Starting
→
Documented practices
Social impact
Health-intentional kitchen

Style
Cosy
Cuisine
Asian
Good to know
Terrace

The delicious details

Sarban, named after the guides who once led caravans through Afghanistan's mountain passes, brings the Alizadah family's culinary heritage to Tilburg. Founded in 2010 by siblings Rabia and Ahmad Alizadah, the restaurant serves traditional Afghan cuisine built on family recipes passed down through generations.

The three-course kennismakingsmenu offers a broad introduction, presenting 60 to 70 per cent of all dishes in smaller portions; it can be adapted entirely for vegan or vegetarian guests. Dishes balance fragrant spices, slow-cooked stews, caramelised rice, and fresh vegetables, prepared without artificial colours, flavours, or additives.

Beyond the kitchen, Stichting Sarban de Toekomst has created over 500 paid positions and provided employment pathways for more than 400 people from refugee backgrounds, supported by partnerships with Stichting DOEN and Rabobank Foundation.

Menu
What's on the table, and what's left off

Family recipes balanced between mild and bold spice guide the daily-prepared menu, with the 'Janem' philosophy seeking bodily harmony through carefully combined whole ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are well-served, including golpie (cauliflower in caramelised onion) and kofte tohhm (vegetable patties), and the three-course tasting menu adapts fully plant-based.

Cuisine
Asian
Dietary options
Vegetarian options
Vegan-friendly
Gluten-free options
Dairy-free options
Nut-free options
Halal
Health-intentional kitchen✓
Specific health practices named in at least one sub-area
Researched

The restaurant explicitly states it avoids artificial colours, flavours, and additives, preparing all dishes daily from family recipes without artificial additions. The 'Janem' philosophy frames the cuisine as seeking bodily harmony through carefully balanced spices and whole ingredients.

Allergies handling

Contact the restaurant with allergen requirements; the kitchen accommodates allergies and intolerances on request, with gluten-free options available.

Impact score
How this restaurant rates
1 - Starting

Sarban's strongest contribution lies in its social impact. Through Stichting Sarban de Toekomst, the restaurant has created over 500 paid positions since 2010 and provided employment for more than 400 people from refugee backgrounds. A dedicated training programme with ROC De Rooi Pannen offers hospitality qualifications, and the restaurant reserves tables weekly for families experiencing poverty. The restaurant states it cooks with organic ingredients where possible.

The impact dimensions
Local & direct sourcing
Social impact✓
Plant-forward menu

The restaurant states it uses organic ingredients where possible.

The restaurant states it uses organic ingredients 'as much as possible' without naming specific suppliers or sourcing partners.

Strongest sourcesarban.nl ↗

Stichting Sarban de Toekomst has created over 500 paid positions and trained more than 400 people from refugee backgrounds since 2010.

Stichting Sarban de Toekomst has created over 500 paid positions since 2010, with more than 400 people from refugee backgrounds given sustainable employment and career pathways from dishwasher to co-ownership. A dedicated training programme with ROC De Rooi Pannen provides MBO hospitality qualifications.

Weekly, tables are reserved across all locations for families in poverty, with over 6,500 people served. The foundation supports over 25 community projects aiding homeless people, isolated elderly, and those in poverty. Co-founder Rabia Alizadah sits on the jury of Stichting DOEN's Fair Future Challenge, and partnerships with Stichting DOEN, Rabobank Foundation, and Stichting Samen Doen are independently documented.

Strongest sourceinbrabant.nl ↗

Vegan and vegetarian dishes are available, including golpie and kofte tohhm; the three-course tasting menu can be fully adapted plant-based.

The menu includes dedicated vegan dishes (golpie, shor nakhot, homemade sorbet) and vegetarian options (kofte tohhm, caramelised rice with vegetables). The three-course kennismakingsmenu can be adapted to be fully vegan or vegetarian.

Strongest sourcerestauplant.com ↗
Visit & practical info
Address, price, and more
Address
Besterdring 2, 5014 HL Tilburg, Tilburg, Netherlands
Open in Google Maps ↗
Price
€€
Format
Tasting menu and à la carte; reserve via TheFork
Hours
MondayClosed
Tuesday17:00–22:00
Wednesday17:00–22:00
Thursday17:00–22:00
Friday17:00–22:00
Saturday17:00–22:00
Sunday17:00–22:00
Style
Cosy
Good to know
Terrace
Web
sarban.nl
Reviewed by My Treats
Last reviewed 13 Apr 2026
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How we score
The My Treats impact scale

Every restaurant is assessed against SEERO, our six-dimension sustainability framework — covering sourcing, seasonality, waste, animal products, social impact, and plant-forward cooking. Each finding is weighted by how strongly it is corroborated. The combined result is translated into a planet rating from 1 to 5.

The five levels

SEERO is an acronym for Starting, Engaged, Endorsed, Recognised, Outstanding:

Starting First verified signals of sustainable practice.
This place
Engaged Credible practice across two dimensions.
Endorsed Meaningful practice across three or more dimensions.
Recognised Strong practice across four or more dimensions, with independent corroboration.
Outstanding Top-tier practice, confirmed by recognised third-party audit.

How a level is reached. Each level needs two things together: a minimum number of dimensions covered, and a minimum overall strength of evidence across them. A dimension only counts once its evidence is specific and substantiated — a passing mention doesn't qualify. Meeting only one of the two keeps a restaurant a level lower.

Ratings of four or five planets require human validation and, at the top tier, an external audit. Scores are based on publicly available evidence and restaurant submissions at the time of assessment.

Full methodology→
Impact dimension
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How this dimension works
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How evidence is weighted
Self-declared Stated by the restaurant on its website, menu or in a submission. Plausible, but not yet independently corroborated.
Researched Found through independent research; one credible third-party source backs the claim.
Vouched Corroborated across more than one independent source. Some gaps may remain.
Audited Fully corroborated across independent sources or by a recognised third-party certification.
What the sourcing checkmarks mean
✓ Full check — independently verified: corroborated across more than one source, or audited / third-party certified (vouched or audited).
✓ Light check — self-declared or from a single source. Not yet independently verified.
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