Maison Thomas – This famed Cairo pizzeria has very little seating, but sometimes you can snag a table inside. However, they deliver 24 hours (and even deliver wine and beer… shhh!). While it’s famous for zillions of pizzas, it also has pasta and even Egyptian dishes if you’re hungry at 4am but want more than pizza pizza. Gianini’s […]
Food & Dining
Best Bars, Nightlife, and Social Venues in Cairo
U Bistro & Bar – A swank bar and lounge with multiple areas delivering different ambiance in each. You enter from the busy 26th July Street in Zamalek into what looks like an apartment building that has seen better days. But just take a walk up the wide winding staircase or a ride up the old-fashioned elevator and […]
When you’re craving Asian food in Egypt
Birdcage – When you’re craving some kind of spicy lemongrass coconut milk deliciousness to get your Thai food fix on while you’re traveling, this restaurant in the Semiramis Intercontinental hotel in the heart of downtown Cairo is the best of the best – globally even. In a city where upscale fad restaurants come and go with the changing […]
Our Favorite Egyptian Restaurants in Cairo
Abou Tarek – This institution of a koshari restaurant in downtown Cairo is the most famous of Egypt’s koshari houses. Takeaway is on the ground level while a sit-down restaurant area is located on the upper floor. No need to order downstairs if you’re dining in, as they have a full-service wait staff upstairs. The beauty of […]
Egypt marks Mawlid al-Nabi in the sweetest way
Egyptians love their sweets, and that’s especially true when it comes to the holidays. Whether it’s Ramadan, Coptic Christmas, or this year’s Mawlid al-Nabi celebration, special traditional deserts created just for these occasions are a staple in streets, homes, and shops throughout the country. While most people who know even a little about the Islamic […]
RESTAURANT REVIEW – SHOGUN (Japanese)
Travelers always want to soak in local experiences and taste local cuisine when they are visiting new countries and regions. But let’s face it – when you spend five to ten days in another country and you’re eating three meals per day, you’re going to crave some of your favorite foods from back home. In […]
RESTAURANT REVIEW – FAYRUZ (Lebanese)
Levantine Mediterranean cuisine, specifically of the Lebanese variety, is quite popular on Cairo’s upscale food scene despite its similarity in many ways – and incorporation into – local Egyptian cuisine. Nevertheless, many of Egypt’s top hotels host fine dining Lebanese restaurants, and the InterContinental Citystars is no exception. However, what is truly exceptional about Fayruz […]
RESTAURANT REVIEW – AL KHAL (Egyptian)
Sampling local cuisine always ranks right up there alongside seeing the most famous sites and monuments when visiting a country as culturally rich as Egypt. Like many countries around the rim of the eastern Mediterranean, Egyptian food is a mixture of regionally inspired dishes combined with some very traditional local options that are uniquely native […]
The Best Dang Food 30 Cents Can Buy
I’ve always been a YUGE fan of carbs, especially pasta. But nothing on the entire planet beats the carbo-loaded awesomeness of the closest thing Egypt has to a national dish. It’s called koshari, and it’s ahh-mazing! Oh and it costs like 30 cents at today’s exchange rates. Koshari looks like a super simple meal to […]
The Deaf KFC
If you really want a heartwarming experience in Cairo with a side of fried chicken, go check out the deaf KFC over in the Dokki neighborhood of Cairo. This place has been there for at least a decade, and it’s right around the corner from my very first apartment in Cairo. It’s right off of […]