Features / Restaurants
How a radical restaurant is prioritising community over profit
Khano Sadiq Amahmad was working in construction during the pandemic when he felt unsatisfied with the food options available to fuel his labours.
“I was always getting hungry and spending lots of money as well, especially for a group of three or four working-class people,” the 32-year-old tells me, pouring steaming green tea into glasses.
“So I said to my friend: ‘I should find somewhere to open my own restaurant where we can have breakfast and go from there to work, with food we like.”
is needed now More than ever
Khano is telling me the story of how Afghan Tasty Corner began, a small restaurant in Easton which quietly opened its doors in January 2023 and has since grown into a thriving, and essential, community hub.
Afghan Tasty Corner is based on an unconventional business model called ‘pay-what-you-can’
While it looks like any other restaurant in Bristol, albeit a more colourful one, it’s based on a radical concept which sets it apart from anything else in the city: ‘pay-what-you-can’.
There are prices, Khano explains, but diners are not obligated to pay them – they are simply “suggested”. The point is to empower people, no matter how much money they have, and bring them together through the simple act of eating food.
“With pay-what-you-can, it’s great for people to feel welcome at no expense,” says Khano on a recent sunny afternoon. “It makes them feel equal and strong and boosts their self-esteem.
“Everyone should realise that money doesn’t change the status of people, only their outfit. With my restaurant, I believe in giving people practical help, and that’s all to do with food, faith, trust and helping each other.”
New planters line the front of Khano’s restaurant which is situated just off Stapleton Road in Easton
There is a simple offering of food at the restaurant on Oxford Place off Stapleton Road, mostly based on organic ingredients such as aubergine, okra, kidney beans, green lentils and some meats and spices like ginger, garlic and chilli.
A typical meal could be Kabuli pulao, steamed rice, raisins, carrots and some kind of meat, or stew served with bolani, stuffed flatbread.
The menu is based on what Khano ate during his childhood, which was split between living in Kabul and on a farm in a nearby village.
It was during this time living with his family and sharing traditional Afghan meals that instilled a desire to harness the power of food to connect people.
“The first thing you do when you see friends or family or a visitor is to say: ‘Come, have a green tea!’. If they accept the green tea, we go straight into the kitchen to make some delicious food.
“My mum is very generous when it comes to food, and my dad was the same. He used to sit and share food with anyone, young and old.”
Khano said his cafe was born out of a need for healthy, affordable food in Bristol
But food is just one element of the cafe, which is a hub for activities, and live music, from ‘Afghan Sundays’ and DJ sets to open jam sessions, workshops, classes and gatherings.
“We are open from eight in the morning until 11 at night, seven days a week. The door is open for everyone: whether they are rich, poor, homeless or from anywhere in the world. People are happy to come because they don’t have to spend money to enjoy events.”
In 2021, Khano’s father and brother died in Afghanistan. He was comforted by his mother who told him the similarities between him and his father’s outlook on life.
“My father grew food on a farm and sold it to the market but whatever he could, he would share with the village. He ignored the political side of life.
“But still, he could have been targeted. He was a simple and generous farmer. Growing lots of fruits and vegetables like watermelons and cucumbers.”
The venue not only home to an array of food but also various community event and activities including musical jam sessions
Khano dreams of inspiring others in Bristol to adopt a ‘pay-what-you-can’ model.
He said: “Some people don’t believe our concept. Life isn’t all about money. Sometimes you do things for yourself; and sometimes for the world.
“Doing ‘pay-what-you-can’, I feel generous, which makes me feel good, I feel connected, I feel supported.
“What else are you looking for? I feel rich in myself. I’m not better than anyone else in this world. No one wants to be short of money.”
“I see the future of Tasty Corner as very bright. We will continue to provide natural foods using ‘pay-what-you-can’ and connect people who can share stories over the dinner table.
“I believe we will pass on the concept to other businesses and hopefully, lots of rich, capitalistic people will get involved.”
This is an unedited version of the article that originally appeared in EatDrink24/7, which is now free to pick up from across the city
Bristol24/7’s food & drink guide is filled with recommendations from hospitality professionals in Bristol – image: Bristol24/7/ Chris Grayson
All photos: Betty Woolerton
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
