Cairo
‘We have no other branches!’ proclaims this temple of kushari (mix of noodles, rice, black lentils, fried onions and tomato sauce). No, the place has just…
Must-see restaurants in Cairo
Cairo
A few years ago, Cairo was a-tizz with new sushi joints; now all the newbie restaurants are Italian and O's Pasta is our pick of the bunch. Squeeze – and…
Cairo
Egyptian street food gets a modern makeover. Zööba has taken the country's classic cheap eats and given them contemporary twists. Whole-grain kushari (mix…
Cairo
The takeaway section out front does a roaring trade in shawarma (meat sliced off a spit and stuffed in a bread roll with chopped tomatoes and garnish) and…
Cairo
Delicious Lebanese food in a sumptuous but relaxed atmosphere. There's plenty of grilled meat mains, but the mezze here is the real star of the show…
Cairo
Cairo may not be synonymous with luxury, but travellers with a chunk of dough can head to Africa’s top-rated Cantonese restaurant. The crispy crab claw…
Cairo
For one of the smartest European kitchen menus outside of Cairo’s grand hotels, head to U Bistro & Bar, the long-awaited replacement to the street’s…
Cairo
Cairo’s first hipster Egyptian restaurant (and now a national franchise), Abou El Sid is as popular with tourists as it is with upper-class natives. You…
Cairo
Dig into contemporary versions of traditional wholesome Egyptian home cooking. Order from the counter – brown-rice kushari, molokhiyya (garlicky leaf soup…
Cairo
A little slice of the Continent, with loads of brass and mirrors, and friendly waiters in long white aprons, Maison Thomas has been serving up Cairo's…
Cairo
A Peruvian-Mexican fusion restaurant should be enough to keep a cook busy, but Mezcal also throws sushi in the mix, with something to suit all tastes. The…
Giza
This casual restaurant at Mena House has huge windows opening on to the Pyramids – a great place to rest up for lunch after a morning of Pyramids…
Cairo
Most definitely not a place for vegetarians; Crave specialises in meaty comfort dishes that the clientele of Egyptian families and big groups of friends…
Cairo
The self-proclaimed proprietors of the best pizza in town is by no means an overstatement. The crispy thin-crust pizzas from its wood-fired oven, combined…
Cairo
Attracting tourists, coach parties and locals since 1959, Felfela is an institution that can deliver a reliable, if not wildly delicious, meal with good…
Cairo
Egypt's favourite sushi haunt (with several branches across the country) is always buzzing thanks to its reasonable prices and vast menu selection. From…
Cairo
Not the place for maintaining your diet. This coffee and cake joint is sugar-rush heaven with brownies, always at least six different cakes – including…
Cairo
On a sweltering summer's day, we make a beeline here to cool off with a mixed scoop of watermelon and prickly pear. For chocoholics, the Twix and chilli…
Cairo
This ice cream parlour is a hit with local families taking the kids out for a treat. For a fruity kick, get stuck into the zabadi bi tut (yoghurt with…
Cairo
Cheap and cheerful shawarma, plus a range of other sandwiches such as oriental sausage and kofta – are served up here.
Cairo
Gad’s lighthouse logo is fitting: it’s a beacon in the night for hungry Cairenes whether they're in the mood for fiteer (sweet or savoury flaky pizza),…
Cairo
A strong latte and avocado toast for a light lunch – well, well Cairo, how times change. This teensy place, with just two high bar-tables and eight seats,…
Cairo
This high-ceilinged cafe, with its original arched windows framed by floor-to-ceiling city scenes, is a favoured hang-out for hip, young Cairenes. The…
Cairo
For authentic Egyptian flavours in a tourist-free environment, head to Balcona after 9pm to enjoy a quiet evening of kofta and bread. Black-and-white…
Cairo
If you need a hiatus from hummus, this tiny bistro in the heart of Maadi is a solid pick. Tabla Luna is one of the few Latin American restaurants well…
Cairo
A mini-empire taking up the better part of a block, El Omda offers numerous ways to put grilled meats into your system. At the takeout joint on the corner…
Khan El Khalili Restaurant & Mahfouz Coffee Shop
Cairo
The tranquil Moorish-style interior of this cafe-restaurant, with its strong air-con and tarboosh-hatted waiters, is a popular haven from the khan’s…
Cairo
At this thronged fast-food operation, pantalooned men work the shawarma skewers, folding meat slices into huge pieces of Syrian-style saj flatbread. It's…
Cairo
Egyptian families know a good deal when they see one, and that's why Koshary Goha's outdoor tables are often packed solid in the evening. The kushari (mix…
Cairo
Follow the crowds of students to Zamalek’s most popular shawarma stand. True to street food form, Saj & Shawerma keeps it simple with beef and chicken…
Cairo
This branch of the popular takeaway joint is in a prime location, just off Midan Orabi – always thronging with strolling families and gaggles of young…
Cairo
A big outdoor space with sofa seating, as well as indoor dining and a dedicated kids play-area, make Oya a favoured spot for family-friendly casual dining…
Cairo
Exceptionally good Turkish food, served with elan, starting with handwashing in jasmine-scented water and moving on to a dazzling selection of cold mezze,…
Cairo
There are clouds of cigarette smoke and tables crammed with Cairo’s arts-and-letters set here, but once seated, you’ll feel like one of the club, scooping…
Cairo
This basic canteen just off Midan Tahrir has been serving delicious, filling, though greasy fiteer (sweet or savoury flaky pizza) to Downtown residents…
Cairo
This temple to charcoal-grilled meat does excellent kastileeta (lamb chops) and tender moza (shanks) – good for gnawing. The moza fatta, with a side of…
Cairo
Sometimes you just need steamed dumplings. Luckily when that craving hits in Cairo you can head to Peking. Order the delicious chilli cabbage, and a bowl…
Cairo
A pretty place to rest up after a long stroll through Zamalek, this garden restaurant serves traditional Egyptian mezze to a soundtrack of Edith Piaf and…
Cairo
One of the most popular cheap snack places in Heliopolis, with multiple takes on fuul (fava bean paste) and ta'amiyya (Egyptian variant of falafel); we…
Cairo
For Arabic-style pastries head for Cairo’s most famous bakery, easily identified by the crowds of people outside tearing into their croissants, sweets and…
