Saffron Bistro

Closing May 18, 2013.

Saffron Bistro is by far the best food in Nashua. You can sit in the dining room and feel pampered, or grab a bite to eat at the bar if you’re not feeling formal. The staff are incredible, and the food is just soooooooooo good!

Recently went back her with a high girlfriend. It was very empty which made me sad. This place has fantastic food. We shared a Caesar salad it was good a bit over dressed but I finished it. For my main course I ordered Lobster & Shrimp Sauté which was jumbo shrimp & fresh lobster, sautéed with garlic, lemon, & served over fresh linguini. It was AWESOME! I got three meals out of it. There was 10+ lobster claws and at least 6 – 8 shrimp… is was cooked to perfection. My friend had Frenched Pork Chop pan roasted with sweet potato hash finished with a house made maple butter. It looked like something out of the Flintstones. The hash was fantastic I tried a little bit. She said the pork chop was amazing.
All in all another fantastic meal I really hope this place sticks around!

This place does not disappoint!
We (my wife and I) love this place and typically will go here on a Fri or Sat night sans kids. The wine menu is constantly changing and adapts for the various menu changes that occur on a ¼ basis. We have been frequenting Saffron for about 3 – 4 years and this is our go to spot for a decent meal close to what you would typically experience if you were to drive to Boston with no long drive, hard to find parking and expensive food.
The owner is also the chef and I challenge him by ordering «a customer gourmet burger, not on the menu» and it comes our beautifully dressed and made to order with a theme or taste in mind. The food is carefully prepared dish after dish and the bartender «Alyssa» is a young cute and expert foodie and wine suggestor. I HIGHLY recommend Saffron if you live or frequent Southern NH. Its a hidden gem in Nashua.
Great date night restaurant!

I have to agree with Marcia W. The dining room looks like a room from a grand hotel, but the first thing I noticed was a subtle aroma of cat urine. At 7 pm on a Saturday night, about ¹⁄₃ the tables were taken, although the bar was packed. The entrees were fairly flavorless, especially the lamb, which arrived unseasoned, unsauced and only warm. I was told their steaks were amazing. I was not amazed. The potatoes, however, were delish and the highlight of the meal. The spinach, which seemed to be a mixture of cooked and uncooked spinach, was bitter and just plain weird. Very expensive and very NOT up to par, at least for dinner.

I have been to Saffron Bistro numerous times over the last year. The food and menu selection are exquisite. Every time I have been there the food was cooked exactly to order and was well seasoned. I had sat at the bar and quarters are tight because the place is popular in the area. The service is excellent though. Definitely give this restaurant a try!

I gave this place 4 stars for several reasons. On a positive side this place offers really nice food and drinks and I felt in love with their desserts. Also, I do love the upgrade and cozy look of this place. However, sometimes service is off (most of the time is good); I would love more choices on menu for entrees and public there is a bit arrogant… Overall, I do comeback to this place when I have my cheating days or simply try to relax…

My husband and I have been «regulars» since the beginning. We come back because the food is AMAZING. Chef Joe Drift has a passion for food that you can taste! The freshness of the ingredients, the homemade desserts and the fect that he changes the menu every 4 to 6 weeks insure that he is using flavors that are in season and we love having the variety. We also LOVE the bartender Elissa. She is always smiling and makes our experience better. We love it here and know that you would too!

Birthday treat!
Local establishment with very nice décor right on Main Street in Nashua. Small and intimate, perfect for a romantic dinner. The service was okay (not exceptional), the food tasty but nothing phenomenal. A good solid upscale place.

UPDATE: The hubby and I went back for Valentine’s Day and everything was perfect. The food was amazing (no surprise there), our waitress was funny, nice, knowledgeable, and professional. I will definitely be back.

I eat here often, and have never had a meal that was anything less that fabulous. I prefer to sit in the bar because it is cozier and less formal. The Bartender, Elissa, and Chef Joe, are friendly, welcoming and really know their stuff. They will give you as much or as little attention as you like.
If you cannot make up your mind about what drink/​wine/​beer to order or what you want for dinner, Elissa, will be happy to make suggestions. If you want the latest, trendy drink, you can be sure she will know how to make it.
I sometimes have a salad and a glass of wine. When I order a dinner, it is usually the special and always spectacular. This Friday’s special was Rainbow Trout served with caramelized fennel & carrots. It was delicious!
If you go, introduce yourself to Elissa and Joe, and then become «a regular.»

Had dinner here with my boyfriend, food was great but not sure why they are listed as french. Would go back again for sure our waiter was great and very helpful

It began with our sliding up to the bar. Drinks were great. But the bartender was SUPERB. She really knew her food and talked to us about how each and every dish was made. Oh, by the way, the drinks were great.
We split appetizers including the:
1. Risotto Goat Cheese Balls: light as air, crisp on the outside, yummy on the inside. Really delightful!
2. Escargots: Huge escargots bathed in a rich and deep yellow saffron sauce that tasted of lobster and butter. This was such as winner we are both coming back just for that one dish alone!!!
3. Caesar Salad: Lemony. Creamy. Cheesy. Crisp. And they used white sardines with a slight vinegary flavor rather than the mushy brown ones from a can. Yes, they can definitely make caesar salad!!!
This wonderful little restaurant is well worth a visit. The service is lovely. The chef trained with a classic French chef from Dijon so he knows his stuff. And the ambiance is peaceful, refined, and friendly.

The hidden jewel of restaurant week!
We randomly found out Nashua was doing restaurant week, the same time as Manchester. So for Hubby’s bday, we decided to give this place a go. The menu made our mouths water from the start.
The mood/​appearance of the place was a nice welcoming. We made reservations and were seated right away.
The waitress was very friendly & took our drink orders while we looked over the regular menu & the Restaurant wk menu. Let’s just say, we’ll be back for the regular menu someday! Amazing!
We started with our own Parm meatballs in a basil cream sauce. So fresh, perfectly cooked & tasted great.
The main course was scallops in a lobster risotto, with an orange glaze type sauce. Very light on the orange, but the hint of it was delish! This meal was the highlight of my week. If you need to be «wowed», please try this meal. The chunks of lobster were very generous as well. Many props to Saffron!
For dessert I went with the fun fried dough sticks, to dip in carmel. Hubby went with the Pumpkin cheesecake. Both were perfectly sweet & a great way to end his birthday. They even put a candle on his! Thank you!
Great experience overall. We’ll be back!

My mother is a tough cookie. Enuf said. She loved the food and so will you. Our server Ellisa, the cocktails, and every dish were top-​notch! In short, Saffron Bistro is a good find when you’re in the area.

Restaurant atmosphere is very important to me, that being said, I felt that Saffron Bistro atmosphere was lacking. It felt a bit stuffy or too formal or old… or something was just off. I can’t put my finger on it. For the record, I sat in the dining area and did not go into the bar.
I was there on a Friday night and the place was empty (we were the only ones in the dining room at 7– Thank goodness we had called for a reservation!!!)… Which is just weird because I noticed the rest of the restaurants on Main Street were crazy busy when I walked past. Although this can be a knowing sign, it wasn’t. The food was exceptionally tasty and the service was fantastic. If I had to say anything about the food, I wish there were more options. The drink menu/​wine list were interesting and had lots of options. Price was definitely reasonable.
If I ignore the atmosphere– the place gets 4 or 5 stars. Its just lacking that je né sais quoi atmosphere.

Last night we had dinner in this marvelous restaurant in downtown Nashua. After reading the reviews, I decided to make a reservation and dine there. Well, first off, I was pleasantly surprised that there was parking available. I also have to add that I’ve walked and driven by this restaurant for the last 3 – 4 years and always admired the exterior but something kept me from wanting to go in. Anyway, there were only 4 people dining when we walked in. The waitress was friendly and the food was superb! The service, food, everything was excellent. We practically had the entire restaurant to ourselves and ended up having a wonderful conversation with our waitress.
I would definitely dine there again. For two, our bill came to about $ 98 but we had an appetizer (The Bistro Salad — Frisse, Belgian endive, crumbled cranberry stilton, sliced apple & toasted walnut vinaigrette
!). Followed by Veal Cutlets (Very creamy) and Key Lime Pie for dessert! I was sick I ate so much!
All kidding aside, check out this restaurant. They also have a bar and most importantly if you sign up on the web site and print the coupon you get $ 15 – 25 off your meal if it’s your first time.
Great place!

This place was delicious, and very charming. I went here last night with my boyfriend, his friend, and my best friend from college.
Most of the dishes on the menu are cooked using sweet ingredients. My boyfriend’s friend got steak that was cooked with brown sugar. BF and I both got lobster ravioli, which was cooked in a sweet sauce. I didn’t mind it, but my boyfriend was expecting something less sweet. My friend ordered the «catch of the day», which was grilled salmon, served over Israeli couscous. She raved about it!
The place is pretty pricey, save for the $ 11 cheddar burger on the menu. For four people, with four entrees, four drinks, and one salad, it came to $ 146.
I wouldn’t go here all the time because of the price, but it was a pleasant experience.

The Saffron Bistro is probably my favorite restaurant in the state of NH. I have been here multiple times and have never been disappointed.
It has a nice swanky feel to it but doesn’t feel too stuffy. The staff is friendly and the service has always been stellar.
Eating here multiple times i have had rack of lamb, grilled duck, salmon, mac n cheese and everything has been delightful. I have never eaten here and been like that was good, everything has been great. Even the beverages are good here. They have infused vodkas, fun cocktails, and a descent beer selection.
Saffron bistro is not only a great place to eat but an overall good experience

My boyfriend chose this restaurant to celebrate his recent college graduation, & even though we were in Boston for the day we all agreed that a meal in his hometown would suit us much better after a long day of Pomp and Circumstance. As a former employee of a top French bistro in Boston I like to think I know my stuff (duck confit, roasted chicken, etc.) so I was excited to see what Nashua had to offer.
The restaurant itself is nicely decorated & has a great ambiance, there is even a patio outside where some ladies were sipping some delicious looking cocktails when we arrived. After being seated we all ordered a round of drinks ranging from Sam Adams, red wine, a vodka tonic & a cosmo (for me). My drink was a pale pink & definitely packed a punch without being too overpowering, the perfect cocktail combo. For starters we had escargot & the special fried clams, both were delicious! Needless to say the snails were ordered on a whim but the whole table enjoyed them as they were paired with a light puff pastry & yummy cream sauce.
For entrees we sampled a few of their ‘signature’ dishes: maple glazed salmon, pecan crusted chicken & cast iron duck breast. I had the duck medium rare & it was quite good, juicy but not greasy and presented with a raspberry sauce and cheesy polenta cake. The polenta went nicely with the rest if the dish, something about the scallions and cheese brought out the best in the duck… I cleaned my plate!
Dessert brought a flourless chocolate torte, bananas foster & warm blueberry bread pudding… all yummy & served with fresh, homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Halfway through my meal I ordered the dirty goose martini extra extra dirty and it was great. I’m picky about martinis and this one was perfect and served with blue cheese stuffed olives.
I will definitely be back to Saffron, from the friendly, competent service to the delicious food and drinks you really can’t go wrong. Next time we might try out the patio or the really nice bar area to the left of the dining room for a more casual bite, it’s nice to have the option of a full dining room or a more intimate meal at one of the bar tables.
Finally, I would not rank this restaurant in the $$$$ category, more like $$$. Food and drink for five people was barely $ 200, definitely a deal for a French foodie experience!