I have been living in Egypt off an on for 13 years, and I want to share where you can find the best food in Cairo Egypt. From hole-in-the-wall kitchens and downtown Cairo street food to fine-dining restaurants with cocktails and award-winning chefs, Egypt's capital has plenty of delicious Egyptian food for everyone.

In this guide to the best food in Cairo, Egypt, I'll share my favorite places to eat in downtown Cairo, Zamalek (an island in the Nile River), across the Nile in Giza, and a few places spread throughout greater Cairo. I'll also give you specific recommendations for dishes to order at each restaurant, from traditional Egyptian cuisine to popular international hotspots.

*Come on a* *small-group Egypt tour* *with me, Gus, as your guide!*

If you don’t know me already, my name is Gus, and I love Egypt! I have been living in Egypt off and on for over 13 years, I speak fluent Egyptian Arabic, and I have traveled to almost every destination in the country. I now inform travelers about everything Egypt, arrange trips for hundreds of travelers each year, and also personally lead group tours throughout Egypt. If you’d like help with your Egypt trip, fill out an interest form and I’ll get in touch to share how I can make your Egypt adventure come to life!

The best food in Downtown Cairo

Downtown Cairo is where it's at - the hustle and bustle of Egypt's largest city combined with the historical charm of the old Egyptian Museum and places like Talaat Harb Square, wust el balad (literally translates as the "center of the country") is not just an interesting area to stay at and visit, but it's also a delicious area, with tons of great restaurants to try. Here are my favorite places to eat in Downtown Cairo:

Quick note: instead of putting down an address for each place, I'll have a link to it's pinned location on Google Maps. Addresses in Egypt can be hard to find, and most Egyptians do not use addresses to locate restaurants, instead, they rely on pinned locations and oral directions from locals on the street to find where they're going!

Koshary Abou Tarek: My top choice for downtown Cairo

Koshary (also written as koshari) is the number one most filling food in Egypt, and Koshary Abou Tarek is the number one spot to try it! Even though the only food they serve at Abou Tarek is koshari, which is a naturally vegan food, you must visit this eclectic restaurant and experience Egypt's national dish.

They only have one location, in downtown Cairo, and visiting this bustling koshary restaurant is a sightseeing activity in and of itself. If you don’t have the time to go to Koshary Abou Tarek, finding a branch of Sayed Hanafy Koshary or a branch of Koshary El Tahrir are also good options to try Egypt’s national dish.

Wherever you go, order some extra fried onions for the top and extra tomato sauce as well - I can never get enough of the crispy, delicious fried onions that Egyptians put on koshary, and I love having more tomato sauce to tie it all together!

Note: most koshary restaurants are closed for the entire month of Ramadan and also for the Eid Holidays happening after Ramadan, just a heads up!

Bellies en Route: downtown Cairo street food tours

Ok, so not a restaurant, per se, but Bellies en Route have been offering great street food tours, market tours, and cooking classes for years, and they will take you to the best local places in an afternoon/evening walking tour of downtown Cairo.

They stop at several great local places throughout the tour, and you are led by expert local Egyptian guides whose mission is to spread the good word about all the delicious Egyptian foods available in downtown Cairo.

If you do book a downtown Cairo street food tour, get ready for a full evening of eating, and prepare yourself to experience some of the best street food in the Middle East.

Fasahet Somaya: local Egyptian home-cooking

*The menu at Fasahet Somaya changes every day, but what never changes is the delicious quality of the food!*

Somaya is an Egyptian woman who got her start cooking for protestors during the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, and after the revolution was over, they begged her to open up her own restaurant in order to continue offering her delicious Egyptian food to the public!

Somaya is now in a bigger location in downtown Cairo just off of Bab el Luq Square, and she only is open from 5-7pm. The menu changes daily, and I recommend showing up as close to 5pm as possible, because she will often run out certain menu options before 7pm.

Somaya posts the daily menu on Instagram, and I recommend taking a look before you go, since some days she will cook things like bone marrow soup (koowar'aa) and stuffed intestines (mumbar), which are both delicious, but not for the average foodie!

Vegetarians and vegans may find it hard to order good food options at Fasahet Somaya, depending on the daily menu.

Check out this video I made showing off the delicious food at Fasahet Somaya!

El Sharouk or Abdullah Bashandy: fuul and falafel

Fuul (also written as foul or ful medames) is a staple food for all Egyptians made from fava beans, and it is usually served in fuul/falafel joints, which specialize in these two breakfast foods.

Even though fuul and falafel (also called Ta'amiya) are typically eaten for the first meal of the day, just like "breakfast all day" joints in the USA, you'll find places serving foul and falafel from morning until late at night.

Two of my favorite spots to get falafel and foul are El Sharouk, in downtown Cairo, and Abdullah Bashandy, just south of downtown.

Don't forget to try at least one falafel sandwich while you're in Egypt - pita bread (called ayeesh balady in Arabic) stuffed with falafel, a cucumber/tomato salad, and topped off with tahini sauce makes for a perfect meal.

El Hamra Shawarma: the perfect street food

Shawarma isn't an Egyptian food, but this Lebanese sandwich has taken over the downtown Cairo street food scene, and after having a few bites of chicken or beef shawarma, you'll figure out why!

Even though you'll see long lines at Karam el Sham or Kazaz, I actually prefer the shawarma at El Hamra. And the best part of getting shawarma in downtown Cairo is that you are close to Talaat Harb Street, one of the best streets to walk up and down in the evening, full of local Egyptians, shops, restaurants, and enough hustle and bustle to make you feel like you're experiencing the real downtown.

The best food in Zamalek

Zamalek is a large island just across the Nile River from downtown Cairo, and if you cross over Zamalek, you'll end up in Giza. The island is a long oval from north to south, with most of the restaurants clustering on the northern section. You can easily get to Zamalek from downtown Cairo by Uber or the Cairo Metro, or if you are staying at the Cairo Marriott and Omar Khayyam Casino, you're right at the heart of one of Cairo's most tourist-friendly, but still authentic, districts.

Zööba: My top choice for Zamalek

*Zööba is my favorite restaurant to take people to in Zamalek*

Zööba also has a branch in the Grand Egyptian Museum, but the flagship location in Zamalek is the original, and when I first came to Egypt way back in 2012, it was all the rage (and still is).

The folks behind Zööba decided to take traditional Cairene street food and elevate it, creating a sit-down atmosphere, easy-to-read-menus (in Arabic and English), and enough of a spin on the classic dishes to make everything interesting, even for a local. The result is an excellent restaurant that is the perfect place to sample all the staples like falafel, fuul, koshary, hawawshii, molokheya, and more, all while being in a hygienic restaurant setting.

Note that Zööba can be very busy between 11am - 1pm (the time of day lots of Egyptians are eating breakfast or an early lunch), so you may have to wait 20-30 minutes for a table if you are visiting during this time window. You can always get your order to go if you are short on time!

If you are already planning on dining at Zööba at the Grand Egyptian Museum, why not go twice, and try different dishes each time? I promise the menu is extensive enough that you'll find something unique during each visit!

Pier88: Fine-dining Italian food

Pier88 is one of several fine-dining establishments I'll highlight in Zamalek, and it's no wonder that Zamalek has the fancy restaurant options, being the historically posh part of Cairo, full of embassies, wealthy elites, and foreign expats. Nowadays Zamalek still has tons of charm and very little pretension, so any tourist can visit these spots without worrying too much about fitting in.

Pier88 is run by the same award-winning chef who started Khufu's at the Giza Plateau (more on that restaurant in the Giza section), and it boasts homemade pasta, some of the best cocktails in Cairo, and an enviable location on a stationary boat in the Nile River, giving great views while you enjoy your food.

Note that Pier88, like the next few fine dining establishments, is best visited when you have made a reservation in advance, and visiting on Thursday or Friday evenings can mean very loud music and a boisterous crowd, blurring the lines between restaurant and nightclub, so be prepared.

There is no official dress code (no need to fancy shoes or a suit and tie), but you'll want to look your best.

Pier88 has multiple locations, but my favorite one is the Nile River location, right on the River Nile off the coast of Zamalek.

Crimson Bar & Grill: Posh Zamalek rooftop

Crimson is another great fine-dining spot in Zamalek, located almost on the northern end of the island. Just like PIer88, this fine-dining establishment is best visited with a reservation, be prepared for a vibrant atmosphere on Thursday and Friday nights (the workweek in Egypt is Sunday - Thursday, so Friday/Saturday are the days off), and dress to impress!

U Bistro & Bar: Fancy tapas joint in a tucked away location

In order to find U Bistro, you'll enter a historic-looking but otherwise nondescript apartment building off of 26th of July Street (the main drag in Zamalek), and after going up a flight of stairs and taking the first door on the left, all of a sudden you'll be transported to a sleek lounge-like atmosphere that could be anywhere in New York City or LA.

U Bistro's charm lies in its good selection of local Egyptian wines and cocktails, and the delicious small plates that you can easily combine to create a delicious feast. Very similar in atmosphere to Crimson and Pier88, expect a quieter crowd during the week, and a lot more people on the weekends, possibly with live music.

Abou el Sid: an Egyptian classic

Abou el Sid has been around for ages (they even have their own cookbook), and they specialize in classic Egyptian home-cooking. This is a great place to try pigeon (hammam in Arabic), which is considered a delicacy in Egypt. If you find yourself wrinkling your nose, you need to get over your hangups around eating pigeons, because in Egypt, pigeons are not some dirty street bird, but are actually raised in captivity for the sole purpose of creating delicious meals (just like we would raise chickens to be eaten).

In addition to pigeon, there are dozens of great Egyptian dishes at Abou el Sid, just waiting for you to try them, and the charming Egyptian antique-y atmosphere (with classic furniture and artwork featuring famous Egyptian divas like Umm Kalthoum all over the walls), you'll be transported to another time and place as you enjoy your meal.

The icing on top is they serve local beer and wine (very rare for a place that specializes in local Egyptian food), and you can order scrumptious Egyptian desserts like Umm Ali when you're done with your food.

The best food in Giza

Giza is a gigantic area, going for miles all the way from the west side of the Nile River (just across the bridges from downtown Cairo/Zamalek) out to the Pyramids and beyond. Here are my favorite spots to eat in this important district:

Khufu's at the Giza Plateau: My top choice for fine dining at the Pyramids

Khufu's is an award-winning restaurant set in the backdrop of the Giza Pyramids, and you think the scenery would wow you, but the food will wow you even more! This is the same chef who is behind Pier88 in Zamalek, and he has done a great job paying homage to classic Egyptian food, while putting his own twist on the cuisine in the shadows of the Giza Plateau.

Note that Khufu's is only open for breakfast and lunch - the limited hours of the Giza Plateau mean this restaurant starts to shut down around 4pm, and is completely closed by 5pm each day.

9 Pyramids Lounge: Best view at the Pyramids

*The 9 Pyramids Lounge gives great views of all 9 Pyramids on the Giza Plateau*

The 9 Pyramids Lounge is the original restaurant in the Giza Plateau, and it is the only restaurant that has a view of all 9 Pyramids on the plateau at the same time. Khufu's may have a more impressive view being closer up to two of the largest pyramids of the plateau, but the vista at the 9 Pyramids Lounge is also stunning.

The specialty at the 9 Pyramids Lounge is their grilled meats, homemade dips, and house-baked local Egyptian bread. I always order the mixed grill, and get a plate full of grilled chicken, lamb, and beef, with rice and veggies, and plenty of dips and bread to go along with it.

Zeeyara Pyramids Elite: Elevated Egyptian food within view of the Giza Plateau

Zeeyara originally began in the UNESCO World Heritage site of El Moez Street (more on that below), but now they have a second rooftop location in Giza, overlooking the Giza Plateau. This restaurant takes classic Egyptian dishes and adds something unique to each one, keeping true to the authentic flavors and styles, but making everything even more delicious.

If you go here, you have to try the arugula salad, duck pie (crispy, flaky bread filled with deliciously cooked duck meat), and the Zeeyara pie for dessert. The pie is so special that the restaurant has a patent on the recipe and no other place can make it, except for the Four Seasons Hotel (where the chef originally invented the dish!).

Neama: Great Egyptian food, to go

Neama (pronounced N-AAH-MUH) is my go-to spot anytime we need to grab something quick to go, like a falafel sandwich to enjoy on the road, or a quick snack of fuul before returning to the hotel. It's a very popular spot with local Egyptians, who flock here to order takeaway sandwiches and meals to bring home or to work.

Delicious food in Greater Cairo

Cairo is one of the largest cities in the world, so naturally I can't limit myself to just telling you about my favorite food in three of its districts! Here are some other amazing restaurants spread throughout Greater Cairo. Check the map location for each one to see if one is close to where you're staying our touring

Near downtown: Tabkhaa Space

*Tabkhaa Space is a very unique place to have lunch or dinner in Cairo*

A tiny sidewalk kitchen run by a very friendly Egyptian guy, Hakeem, who makes homemade Egyptian dishes every day (except Fridays and major holidays).

Hakeem speaks English very well and he is always changing the menu, since he visits the market each morning and creatively crafts his vision for the day based on what is fresh and available in the moment.

Hakeem is great with folks who are vegetarian and vegan, because even though he always has some meat options on the menu, he also offers a few options every day for folks with those dietary needs, and can clearly explain what he has on hand that day that is vegetarian or vegan.

Check out this video in order to learn more about Hakeem’s restaurant and how to find out the menu of the day! Definitely check the menu of the day on Instagram before going to make sure he's in fact open that day, and to see if the options sounds good to you!

Near downtown: Taboula Garden City

Taboula is a Lebanese restaurant in Garden City, just outside of downtown, and if you ask me why you should try Lebanese food in Egypt of all places, just think about the options...

-Hummus

-Grilled Halloumi Cheese

-Kibbeh (like a hushpuppy, but stuffed full of spicy ground beef)

-Stuffed grape leaves

-Fresh-baked Lebanese bread

-Spicy crispy potatoes

-Fattoush salad, with a homemade pomegranate vinaigrette dressing that is to die for

...need I say more?!

The name of the game at Taboula is to order a ton of small plates (starting with the ones I mentioned above works great) and then sharing everything, creating the perfect Lebanese feast!

Taboula is another restaurant that serves local beer and wine, which is pretty rare outside of fine-dining establishments or places inside 5-star hotels.

Maadi: Frank and Co

*Frank and Co gives you a great break from Egyptian food, with delicious small plates and good wine*

The only wine bar that I know of in Cairo, Frank & Co is a ritzy spot to enjoy a bottle of wine and some small plates (or entrees) in Maadi, a trendy expat district about a 40 minute drive south from Cairo.

I wouldn't go all the way down here just to try the food, but if you happen to be at a hotel nearby, this is a great spot to have dinner one night.

Heliopolis or Mohandeseen: Abo Ammar el Soury Shawarma

While I did say that El Hamra is my favorite shawarma in downtown Cairo, Abo Ammar el Soury is my favorite shawarma of all time!

They have two locations, one in Mohandeseen, technically in Giza, and pretty close to downtown, but I love taking folks to the location in Heliopolis. This historic district just a 20 minute metro ride form downtown Cairo has tons of early 20th century charm, local coffeeshops, the Baron Empain Palace, a location of Fair Trade Egypt, and delicious shawarma. Who wouldn't want to go there?!

El Moez Street and Khan el Khalilii: Zeeyara Rooftop El Moez

Just like the Zeeyara Pyramids Elite, this rooftop in the UNESCO World Heritage district of El Moez Street has amazingly elevated Egyptian cuisine, and the exact same menu. Remember, where else can you eat a patented dessert with a secret recipe?

El Moez Street and Khan el Khalilii: Farahat

Remember when I said you need to get over any apprehension and try eating stuffed pigeon in Cairo? Well, Farahat is the ultimate place to devour this Egyptian delicacy.

Farahat is street food at its best, where you literally sit at a table in a crowded alleyway and are served up steaming hot stuffed pigeons. The people living in the apartment buildings above the restaurant will even drop down wicker baskets on strings (with the money inside, of course) in order to lift their takeout orders directly up into their apartments, instead of walking all the way down the stairs and back up!

Frequently asked questions about Egyptian food

What is the most popular food in Cairo?

For tourists, usually the most popular food in Cairo is falafel, koshary, or grilled meats. For Egyptians, these three foods are very popular too, but Egyptians also love fast-food chains, like McDonald's, KFC, and Hardee's - who knew?

What food is Egypt known for?

Falafel is definitely the most commonly recognized food that Egypt is known for. Other Egyptian foods, like molokheya, koshary, mahahshi, bessara, etc. are almost unheard of outside the Middle East/North Africa.

What not to eat in Egypt?

If you are trying to avoid getting sick, I recommend sticking to sit-down restaurants, and avoiding fresh vegetables and fruit that doesn't have a peel. Other than that, everything is fair game! Despite the risk, I've always eaten whatever I wanted in Egypt, street food and all, and the few times I've been sick over the past 12+ years have totally been worth it.

Is food safe in Egypt?

Food from any of the restaurants I listed above is totally safe, however, I've had tourists on my trips who "do everything right" (no fresh veggies or fruit without a peel, lots of hand washing, avoiding street food), and still have a day or two with an upset stomach. So I always tell my guests that even though food is safe, they can still expect to have a day or two of adjustment to the new foods, spices, and ingredients.

What is the first thing you should eat when you visit Egypt?

For meat lovers, trying any type of grilled meats is the first thing you should eat in Egypt, and for vegetarian/vegan folks, definitely try falafel!

What's the most delicious food you have tried in Cairo?

For me, fiteer, with soft white cheese, dipped in molasses and tahini, is hands down the most delicious food I've ever had in Cairo, and potentially anywhere! I can never get enough fiteer when I am in Egypt.