Must-see restaurants in Cairo

  • Abu Tarek

    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…

  • O's Pasta

    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…

  • Zööba

    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…

  • At Tabei Ad Dumyati

    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…

  • Sabaya

    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…

  • 8

    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…

  • U Bistro & Bar

    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…

  • Abou El Sid

    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 Kitchen

    Cairo

    Dig into contemporary versions of traditional wholesome Egyptian home cooking. Order from the counter – brown-rice kushari, molokhiyya (garlicky leaf soup…

  • Maison Thomas

    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…

  • Mezcal

    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…

  • Copper and silver

    Khan Al Khalili

    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…

  • Crave

    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…

  • Olivo

    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…

  • Felfela Restaurant

    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…

  • Mori Sushi

    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…

  • Four Fat Ladies

    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…

  • Gelato Mio

    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…

  • Mandarine Koueider

    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…

  • Baraka

    Cairo

    Cheap and cheerful shawarma, plus a range of other sandwiches such as oriental sausage and kofta – are served up here.

  • Gad

    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),…

  • Copenhagen

    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,…

  • Eish + Malh

    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…

  • Balcona

    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…

  • Tabla Luna

    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…

  • El Omda

    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…

  • Abu Ammar Al Souri

    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…

  • Koshary Goha

    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…

  • Saj & Shawerma

    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…

  • Akher Sa’a

    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…

  • Oya Lounge

    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…

  • Osmanly

    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,…

  • Estoril

    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…

  • Fatatri At Tahrir

    Cairo

    This basic canteen just off Midan Tahrir has been serving delicious, filling, though greasy fiteer (sweet or savoury flaky pizza) to Downtown residents…

  • Hati Al Geish

    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…

  • Peking

    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…

  • Five Bells

    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…

  • Arabiata El Shabrawy

    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…

  • El Abd

    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…

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