Shopping in Alexandria
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Sayed el Safty
Certainly the most fun, is Sayed el Safty, a 2nd-generation antiquaire who runs a small shop piled to the rafters with antique and reproduction Oriental furnishings in wood and metal – tables, chests, maps, bowls, beautifully inlaid backgammon sets, and more. The store itself is worth the trip alone, with graceful Arabic text carved into the stone walls. Sayed himself is enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable. The sign above the store says ‘Ibrahim el Safty’ (Sayed’s father).
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A
Souq Ibrahimiyya
Souq Ibrahimiyya is a favourite little market in town for peeking into daily Egyptian life as it goes about its business. It’s packed to the brim with bright fruits and vegetables, piles of still-wet seafood, and stalls selling all kinds of clucking poultry and meats, both before and after they’ve seen the butcher’s block. It’s best in the morning, when the vendors are at their most vocal and enthusiastic.
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Green Plaza Mall
Slightly older but still a big hit with locals is Green Plaza Mall, out beyond the suburb of Smouha on the Agricultural Rd to Cairo. It is as kitsch as things get, a local shopping version of Disneyland, with shops and shops and shops plus a noisy funfair, snooker hall, bowling alley, food court, cineplex, Hilton hotel, and a gaudy 'Roman temple' housing a conference and marriage centre.
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B
Hassan Fouad
This tiny and incredibly tidy market offers beautifully displayed produce, like grapes from Lebanon and tasty Egyptian mangoes, and a good selection of imported staples like digestive biscuits. There’s no sign in English, so look for the place with artfully stacked fruits and a bright-red sign.
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C
Patisserie Assad
This hole-in-the-wall bakery does good sweets, fiteer and croissants, sold by weight. It also offers a selection of hard-to-find local honey and olive oil. There’s no sign, so look for the honey stacked in the window.
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San Stefano Mall
The latest ode to international label shopping, this swanky mall sits behind the Four Seasons Hotel and has a big food court and cinemas. It is the current place to see and be seen for chic young Alexandrians.
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D
Drinkies
Takeaway beer is available in the city centre at the aptly named Drinkies; Sharia al-Ghorfa al-Tugareya; [hrs] noon-midnight), below the Hotel Acropole. It also delivers.
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Carrefour City Center Mall
A 20-minute drive south of the city, this is one of the largest malls, with the massive French superstore Carrefour. It sells everything from groceries to TVs.
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Metro
A reliable supermarket chain with branches all around the city, including one at San Stefano Mall. It has a small organic section.
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E
Al Maaref Bookshop
Has a decent English-language section, including many titles on Egypt and Alexandria.
reviewed
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F
Dar al-Mustaqbal Bookshop
A smattering of fiction and nonfiction books in English.
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G
Al-Ahram Bookshop
A smattering of fiction and nonfiction books in English.
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ACML Bookshop
Has one of the better selections in Alexandria.
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