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Groppi's
Distinctly not part of the new coffee wave, Groppi's high point was more than 50 years ago. Now it just seems haunted. The offerings are poor and overpriced, and the tearoom reeks of cheap tobacco. For nostalgia buffs only.
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Hana Korean Restaurant
You'll feel as if you're in Seoul when you eat at this bustling Zamalek restaurant. The kimchi (fermented chilli peppers and vegetables) packs a tremendous punch, the fried dumplings are excellent, the BBQ beef is tender and the Stella is ice cold - we can't ask more than that. Perhaps the best endorsement is provided by Cairo's Korean expats, whose constant presence pays testament to the authenticity of the food.
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Hard Rock Café
Like its twins around the globe, this concept café/nightclub serves up burgers, rock paraphernalia and T-shirts (you can buy fake ones in the Khan al-Khalili) to a young crowd. The Nile view is great.
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International Public Meal Kushari
The grand chandeliers, etched mirrors and marble walls of this Cairo institution stand in bizarre contrast with its sawdust-strewn floor and Formica-topped tables. The quality of the kushari is only average, but the waiters are friendly and service is fast.
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Justine's
Resembling a discreet gentleman's club, with panoramic views over the lush gardens of the Gezira Club, Justine's is the perfect place for a romantic dinner or important business meeting. Comfortable leather furniture, subdued lighting and pristine napery set a classy tone that the food more than lives up to. This is one of the best places in town to enjoy beef dishes or quality seafood concoctions. There's an impressive and well priced wine list.
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JW's Steakhouse
JW's is more Texan than the Alamo, with juicy steaks and a rodeo interior. Expats adore it, and regularly order up big from the classic menu and extensive wine list.
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Kawkab ash-Sharq
Dedicated to the 'Star of the Orient', Umm Kolthum. Look for the huge busts of the singer out front.
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Kebabgy
The bestselling novel The Yacoubian Building (by Alaa al-Aswany) has a scene set at this Nileside restaurant when loathsome businessman Hagg Azzam and corrupt politician Kamal el-Fouli strike a dodgy deal - a scene close to reality, for the outdoor terrace here is one of the most popular places for Cairo's political and business elite to meet. The kebabs are particularly good. Go for dinner, when you don't have to see how dirty the Nile is.
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Khan El Khalili
The funky 1960s Arabesque interior of this hotel restaurant is more impressive than the food. Brass tables, marble floor and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Great Pyramid star; the pan-European food (and cold Stella) is more of a supporting act.
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Khan el-Khalil Restaurant & Mahfouz Coffee Shop
After wandering the souq and dealing with its touts rest awhile in the luxurious Moorish-style interiors of this restaurant and adjoining café. The only upmarket restaurant in the area, it serves good, safe Egyptian-Levantine dishes to wealthy Egyptians and foreign tour groups. The café is a perfect if pricey place to enjoy a tea or Stella and sheesha ; it serves mezze and sandwiches. Look for the wooden door onto the lane.
Read more about Khan el-Khalil Restaurant & Mahfouz Coffee Shop
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Koshary El Tahrir
Our independent taste tests confirmed that this place is actually better than Abu Tarek (heresy!). There's a second branch on Sharia Abdel Khalek Sarwat.
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L'Aubergine
This stylish Western-style bistro serves up a wide range of dishes, lots of which are vegetarian. The menu includes blue cheese gnocchi, aubergine moussaka and fennel with parmesan au gratin. Its upstairs bar is popular, and often has a DJ.
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La Bodega
La Bodega's extremely attractive interior can't compensate for its disappointing menu. Asian-inspired dishes feature, but just don't make the grade - when we visited, the chicken with cabbage was bland and the spicy beef was overcooked. Limit your visit to a drink in the fabulous cocktail lounge or extremely popular bar.
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La Gourmandise
One of the city's most popular French patisseries, this ground-floor café in one of the city's glitziest malls comes complete with tuxedoed waiters, a profusion of potted palms and a grand piano. It serves good-quality Mediterranean dishes that are perfect for lunch.
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La Mezzaluna
Head down a tiny alley to find this funky bilevel space that's frequented by Cairo bohemians. The menu is roughly Italian, from conventional combos like tomato and basil to the 'Illy pasta' (beef bacon, cream, radicchio and coffee). Salads are enormous. No alcohol, but the little patio out front is a quiet place to take coffee. There's an outpost in Mohandiseen too.
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La Piazza
Part of a complex of restaurants under the collective title Four Corners, La Piazza is decorated to resemble a gazebo - think cane furniture, floral-motif stained glass and candy-cane colour scheme. It won't be to everyone's taste, but it's a good place for lunch and casual dinners, offering soups, club sandwiches, chicken Caesar salad and pastas. There are a number of vegetarian dishes. Wine and beer available.
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Le Bistro
Tucked away below street level, Le Bistro nonetheless tries to conjure summery France with a blue-and-white colour scheme and Gallic crooners on the stereo. The food may not quite match its European ideal, but Francophone Cairenes love it, and steak frites can make a nice change from kebab.
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Le Chantilly
This Swiss-run place features a chalet-style décor and even serves up cheese and meat fondue. Fortunately, the waiters don't yodel. There's a wide range of pastas and soups on the menu, as well as alcohol and great freshly baked bread.
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Le Tabasco
One of the city's most popular and glamorous bar/restaurants, Le Tabasco's menu is truly international, ranging from the Mediterranean to Mexico. Reservations are needed and be aware that the music gets loud later in the evening. There's also a branch of Abu el-Sid here.
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Mahran
Under a tree in an alley off Sharia Mahmoud Bassiouni in Downtown. Women are welcome.
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Maison Thomas
Is this the best pizza in Cairo? Many locals think it is, and can be seen lining up to perch on the high stools and grab a quick pizza or sandwich fix. You can eat in or take away (alcohol is served only with takeaway). There are other branches in Heliopolis and Ma'adi.
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Mandarine Koueider
Cairenes regularly cross town for a fix of the delectable, cooling ice cream treats at Mandarine Koueider. There are other branches in Heliopolis and Ma'adi.
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Moghul Room
Cairo's best Indian restaurant specialises in mild North Indian-style curries and kebabs, with an emphasis on tandoori dishes. Though it's a long taxi ride from Downtown, the opulent décor, good food and live sitar music make the trip worthwhile. There's a wide range of vegetarian options and an extensive (and pricey) wine list.
