Supporting dining notes

The Sweet Streets of Mazar & Sesame Seed Palaw

For guided food experiences, see our Culinary Experiences. This page shares background on local dining.

Mazar-e-Sharif is not only the Blue Mosque and buzkashi. It is also a city of sweets, tea houses, nuts, sesame, and northern Afghan food traditions.

Sweets Around the Bazaar

Visitors may find sesame sweets, halwa, noql, roasted nuts, dried fruit, and traditional candies sold near markets and gathering places.

Sesame Seed Palaw

Northern Afghanistan has rice traditions that differ from Kabul. Sesame seed palaw adds aroma, nuttiness, and texture, reflecting the agriculture and tastes of the region.

Cultural Pairing: Blue Mosque Tea Culture

A walk near the Blue Mosque followed by tea, sweets, and market browsing gives visitors a grounded sense of everyday Mazar life.