Cairo
Probably the oldest ahwa in the city, and certainly the most celebrated, Fishawi’s has been a great place to watch the world go by since 1773. It's all…
Must-see nightlife in Cairo
Cairo
Egypt’s home-grown answer to Starbucks, this popular chain does all the usual hot and cold coffee drinks, teas and juices, plus packaged sandwiches and…
Cairo
Blend in with the locals at this cramped dark pub, where the bartenders are in crisp white jackets and the regulars are usually conferring in clouds of…
Cairo
Alas, most of the regular clientele of the Windsor Hotel's bar has passed on, leaving a few hotel guests, a polyglot bartender and a faint soundtrack of…
Cairo
You'll forget you're in the middle of the desert when you step into The Smokery, an upscale bar where giant, lush plants seem to be staging a jungle…
Cairo
This teensy cafe-restaurant, tucked in the little alley off Sharia Sherif, does good coffee and shisha, as well as yummy fresh juices and milkshakes. Many…
Cairo
This classic Zamalek hangout can get crammed, and seriously smoke-filled, late in the evening, but we still love its laid-back, casual vibe. Also check…
Cairo
El Horreya has long been a living room for locals, artists and foreign residents, with tea, coffee and cold Stella beer on offer. It's not as dusty and…
Cairo
Tucked away in a quiet square behind Al Azhar, this modern outdoor ahwa is a great place to rest up after a walk, with tea and snacks and comfortable…
Cairo
Super-fashionable bar and restaurant in a top spot in Zamalek with regular live music and DJs on weekend evenings. Expect expensive cocktails and good…
Cairo
L’Amphitrion is a Heliopolis institution, once a hang out for the suburbs' wealthy and a favoured hang out for Allied soldiers during the world wars…
Cairo
Pretty much the only place in Doqqi to get a decent flat white or cappuccino; this Cilantro branch has a great courtyard area out front (screened off from…
Cairo
The garden terrace at the Marriott is one of the most comfortable spots in town to relax over a drink. Big cane chairs, fresh air and good-quality wine…
Cairo
Its fake turf singed from shisha coals, this slightly dilapidated rooftop bar is favoured by Cairo’s heavy-drinking theatre and cinema clique, and is a…
Cairo
The Mohandiseen branch of Cilantro has a decent non-smoking section and serves up all the hot and cold coffee combinations this Egyptian coffee chain is…
Cairo
This traditional ahwa is a bit of an intellectuals’ and artists’ haunt, though also firmly on many backpackers’ lists, so be alert to scam artists. It’s…
Cairo
Marked with a tiny red neon sign, this spit‘n’sawdust–style place gets good reviews from Downtown foreign residents, who find it a more cheerful and…
Cairo
This bar, on the rooftop of the King Hotel, comes with the bonus of Pyramid views. It's a casual and relaxed place to hang out with a beer and shisha…
Cairo
This bar-club, set in the old Arabesque restaurant, hosts local bands on weekday nights while Thursday and Friday nights are DJ sets with electronica, R&B…
Cairo
An ahwa dedicated to Kawkab Al Sharq, the ‘Star of the Orient’, a title for the famous Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. Look for the huge busts of the singer…
Cairo
That’s Egyptian for ‘Jamaica’. Often crowded, and noisy, this little dive-bar has a loyal band of old timer regulars who are welcoming to the odd…
Cairo
Nominally a restaurant, this bizarre faux patio is all about beer, shisha and gossip about politics and the arts scene. The illusion of outdoors is…
Cairo
It's a Cairene tradition to sit on a rickety chair at this century-old cafe and read the paper over a flaky, buttery pastry. We wish the coffee was better…
Cairo
Cafe, craft shop, book shop and gallery on the ground floor of a villa on a quiet square in Garden City. A good place for a quiet afternoon coffee whilst…
Cairo
One of the oldest of Downtown's baladi (local) bars, Cap d'Or has friendly staff who are used to seeing foreigners, and you get free mezze with your beer…
Cairo
The tiny Zamalek outlet of Egypt's own coffee chain serves up its full menu of hot and cold coffees, and numerous teas and juices. There's no toilet…
Cairo
Walk through the restaurant to the 1st-floor bar. The beer is not always icy, but the atmosphere is fun, if slightly sleazy.
