Great food may not be the main objective for a visit to Cairo, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be sought out. The good news is it's easy to do so, as Cairo has a vibrant dining scene that celebrates Egypt’s cuisine and culture. Now more than ever, restaurants across the city have blossomed in new directions, embracing everything from casual street food classics to fine-dining, as well as elevated international flavours drawn from Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines and beyond. Here's where to dive in and dine out.
Norma
For a taste of southern Italy in Cairo, head to Norma in the burgeoning Sheikh Zayed neighbourhood. The restaurant’s chic mid-century decor is flecked with gold accents and curved lines, while oversized plants hanging from the ceiling offer a contemporary touch. Norma is known for its hand-made pasta and bouncy focaccia bread, and the menu features highlights like aubergine parmigiana, rigatoni burrata and the signature ossobuco. This is also one of the only places in Egypt where you can indulge in a fresh cannoli – a treat not to be missed.
Address: Arkan, First Al Sheikh Zayed, Cairo 3247016
Le Steak
An icon of Nile-side dining, Le Steak is found in river boat Le Pacha 1901, anchored on the famed river’s banks. This is a charmingly old-school spot in all the best ways – with its red banquetes and waistcoat-wearing waitstaff – and the name tells you all you need to know. The speciality here is of course steak, offered in a variety of cuts, and served alongside a selection of classic steakhouse sides. A meal here will have you feeling transported to a bygone era, so dress up and embrace the occasion.
Address: 3 Saraya El Gaezira, Al Gabalayah, Zamalek, Cairo Governorate 4270123
La Trattoria
Zamalek is home to some of the best dining experiences in Cairo, and Italian La Trattoria is among them. This charming, cosy bistro, with its white-clothed tabled and framed black and white pictures lining the walls, is a well-known local date spot, serving traditional Italian dishes that are best shared. The classics are done to perfection here – particularly the salmon tartare, pollo milanese and, of course, tiramisu.
Address: 13 Mohammed Maraashly, Mohammed Mazhar, Zamalek, Cairo Governorate 4271140
Asmak
Ask a local where to find the city’s best no-frills seafood and they’ll likely point you in the direction of Asmak. Owned by Egyptian pro footballer Mohamed Barakat, the restaurant has several branches across the city, all of which serve an impressive variety of fresh fish and fruit de mer, served in a cosy, unpretentious setting. Order the fish roe batarekh (tagine) and eat with your hands, as the locals do.
Address: 3X36+3Q9, El-Bostan, Second Al Sheikh Zayed, Giza Governorate 12588
Abou Tarek
While nobody would mistake Abou Tarek for a "fancy" or formal restaurant, it's an absolute must visit for first timers to the city, as well as a beloved purveyor of comfort food for locals. The restaurant specialises in koshari, the modern Egyptian staple that takes rice, lentils and chickpeas, adds in macaroni and vermicelli noodles, and douses the entire combination in piquant tomato juice seasoned with lemon, vinegar and chili. Abou Terek has mastered the koshari arts since 1935, growing into a bustling, multi-story establishment with an assembly line-like crew of cooks churning out loaded bowls seemingly by the thousands.
Address: 16 Maarouf-Shamplion Street, Cairo, Egypt, 11111
Bab Al Qasr
Bab Al Qasr is found within the Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski hotel, a resort near Cairo International Airport. The restaurant serves a full range of Levantine dishes and the ambiance is part of the appeal here, with evocative decor in the vein of ancient Egypt or Arabia, and live musicians and performers in the evenings. Menu highlights include a line-up of different Egyptian fattah, and a wide selection of kebabs and grilled fare. Also recommended is the house-made grilled manakeesh with a choice of several different stuffings and seasonings. Large groups can order house specialties such as a whole lamb shoulder or kofta by the metre.
Address: 3C6C+52C, Ring Rd, Second New Cairo, Cairo 11477
Andrea El Mariouteya
Andrea El Mariouteya opened in 1958 in New Giza, and remains family-run several generations later. The restaurant specialises in grilled chicken in a number of formats: on the skewer, deboned or in large, broken down pieces, always with a flavourful, crisp skin and juicy meat. Slightly charred bread served with a full spread of traditional Egyptian mezze and dips is not to be missed, along with feteer meshaltet, the flaky, buttery, layered pastry. The restaurant is also a popular choice for breakfast and is well known for its open-air courtyard with expansive views of its sprawling surroundings.
Address: New Giza Rd, Al Giza Desert, Giza 3296101
Fasahet Somaya
Located near the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Fasahet Somaya is a homely restaurant where the proprietor and chef, Somaya Al Asyoty, welcomes her guests like family. The bright blue door allows passersby to find the restaurant with ease, while the white and blue interior is slightly reminiscent of the Greek isles. The food, though, is all Egyptian, with its rendition of molokhiya in particular being revered. The quick, casual eatery features a focused, rotating daily menu of only a few signature items, based upon the morning's market availability.
Address: 59 Al Falki, Bab Al Louq, Abdeen, Cairo 4280123
Kazoku
Kazoku serves contemporary Japanese fare, including a wide assortment of sushi. The indoor-outdoor space in Swan Lake specialises not only in Japanese flavours, but also in the culture's approach to hospitality: kazoku means family. House classics include glazed short ribs and black cod, while the menu incorporates dishes from other parts of Asia as well, such as Thai curry and Chinese hot pot. The bar programme, which mixes up a selection of signature cocktails, is another highlight. Kazoku is operated by Baky Hospitality, the group behind a growing collection of Cairo's trendiest restaurants, including Sachi.
Address: Naguib Mahfouz Axis, Second New Cairo, Cairo 4732401
Le Tarbouche
Le Tarbouche is one of seven dining, drinking and entertainment establishments housed within Le Pacha 1901, a moored river boat located on the western, Giza side of the Nile. The restaurant offers an impressive lineup of Egyptian fare in a stylised dining room, with live music and performers. Specialties include hamam mahshi, or grilled pigeon, as well as hawawshi, flat bread stuffed with ground beef. This is along with the typical array of mixed grill dishes and a wide assortment of mezze. Don't miss the extra large, disc-shaped falafel and the hummus prepared with preserved lemon.
Address: Saray El Gezirah Street, El-Khalig, Zamalek, Cairo
Naguib Mahfouz Cafe
Tucked away within Khan el Khalili, the sprawling souk in historic Cairo, is Naguib Mahfouz Cafe. The restaurant is named after the late Egyptian novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988, and is operated by the luxury hotel group Oberoi. It's known as a cafe and a shisha lounge, in addition to serving a full food menu, and provides welcome respite amid the clamour of the bazaar. Egyptian classics such beef or chicken hawawshi, lamb or chicken kofta, koshari, falafel, dolma and mezze spreads are available along with a small collection of international dishes.
Address: 5 Sekat Al Badstan, El Gamaliya, Cairo 4331310
Nine Pyramids Lounge
Some restaurants are more about the experience they're able to provide than the particulars of what they serve, and there's no doubting that Nine Pyramids Lounge offers an unforgettable form of dinner theatre, the likes of which cannot be replicated elsewhere. The open-air dining venue has one of the best views in the world, a straight shot onto its namesake, the full nine pyramids of the Giza pyramid complex. It's an ideal place to decamp for a set menu of mixed grilled fare and mezze after a loaded morning of tours, and recharge for an afternoon of further exploration.
Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Giza Desert, Giza 3512201
Sachi
Sachi's menu offers a modern interpretation of Mediterranean cuisine, paired with flavours and dishes from Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Expect to find a selection of sushi and sashimi alongside octopus carpaccio and beef tataki, as well as popular menu mainstays such as arancini, tartare, a full chateaubriand prepared for two and truffle ravioli. Sachi has two locations, one in Cairo (Heliopolis) and one in Giza (Park Street), each of which is highly touted on its own. The menus and ambiance are different for each, but the overall approach and the aforementioned signatures can be found at both.
Address: 3 Cleopatra Street, Korba،El-Montaza،, Heliopolis, Cairo
Zitouni
Zitouni is housed within the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, one of two outposts in the city for the luxury hotel brand. The restaurant serves Egyptian food in an elegant dining room, with views of The Nile and Persian decor to match. Signature dishes include Egyptian lentil soup, stuffed pigeon, lamb and okra, and molokhiya stew, the traditional prized dish made from jute leaves, while a serve-yourself buffet service for sides and starters includes dozens of hot and cold mezze, in addition to an array of grilled dishes and an enormous dessert selection.
Address: 1089 Nile Corniche, Qasr El Nil, Cairo Governorate 11519
Zööba Zamalek
Zööba has been open for more than a decade after being founded by an Egyptian-American entrepreneur who wanted to reinvigorate Egyptian street food and bring it to a wider audience. Egyptian ta'ameya, or falafel, stuffed in loaded pockets, spruced up koshari, ful, or mashed fava beans, served as a dip or in sandwich form, hawawshi, and a variety of tagines are among the menu choices. The restaurant has become an international sensation, with locations spanning the globe from Saudi Arabia to the United States. In Cairo there are several outposts, including the original and most popular in Zamalek.
Address: 16 26 July St, Al Gabalayah, Zamalek, Giza 4270123