Restaurants · Our pick in Cairo
Eating in Cairo: koshary, molokhia and the new Egyptian table
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Dina Said · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Eating in Cairo: koshary, molokhia and the new Egyptian table
Cairo eats Egyptian first. The day starts with ful, slow-cooked fava beans, and taameya, the Egyptian falafel made with fava rather than chickpeas; lunch is koshary, rice, lentils and pasta under a spiced tomato sauce and crisp onions; and dinner may be molokhia, stuffed pigeon or grilled kofta. Abou El Sid in Zamalek serves the home classics in a dining room dressed for an older Cairo; Zööba gives street food a modern room; and on the Giza Plateau, Khufu’s cooks contemporary Egyptian food with the Pyramids in view.
The Egyptian table
Abou El Sid on 26th of July Street in Zamalek, Zööba for taameya and koshary, and Downtown’s koshary houses.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Dina Said · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAt the Pyramids
Khufu’s, inside the grounds of the Giza Plateau, with Khufu’s Bistro for dinner.
Book Khufu’s well ahead, and allow time for the Giza Plateau entrance before your table.
On the river
Le Pacha 1901, the moored boat in Zamalek with several restaurants, and Pier88’s Italian dining.
The hotel tables
The Blue at the Kempinski, Gingko at Fairmont Nile City, La Palmeraie at the Sofitel Gezirah and Omar Khayyam at the Cairo Marriott.
Our advice: eat koshary at lunch, when it is freshest, and keep dinner for the river.
Why it's on our list
- The Egyptian table
- At the Pyramids
- On the river
- The hotel tables
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Eating in Cairo: koshary, molokhia and the new Egyptian table before you go.