Middle East - Anthony Ham [110]
Emara Hati Al-Gish (Map; 2796 2964; 32 Sharia Falaki, Downtown; meals E£15-40; 11am-11pm; ) You can almost hear the meatatarians salivating at this popular, upmarket charcoal-grill house. Just grab a seat, choose the hunk of meat you want grilled (E£15 to E£33), add some token vegie sides (E£5 to E£15) to your order, and tuck in!
Café Riche (Map; 2392 9793; 17 Sharia Talaat Harb, Downtown; mains E£12-25; 8am-midnight; ) Once the favoured drinking spot of Cairo’s intelligentsia, in recent years it’s been a reliable spot to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine in a dash of old-world ambience.
Abou El-Sid (Map; 2735 9640; 157 Sharia 26th of July, Zamalek; mezze E£12-28, mains E£18-62; noon-2am; ) A sumptuous orientalist fantasy of a restaurant-bar, the über-hip Abou El Sid serves traditional Egyptian food to wannabe pashas amid moody and low-hanging lamps, oversized cushions and brass tables. A beer costs E£25 and reservations are a must, darling. Look for the massively tall wooden doors.
La Mezzaluna (Map; 2735 2655; 118 Sharia 26th of July, Zamalek; mains E£17-36; 7am-11pm; ) A funky little Italian-inspired hideaway, this favourite of the arts and letters set whips up sound breakfasts, panini, pastas and lots of vegetarian dishes. It’s a cosy place, with polished wooden panelling and a tiny, relaxed outdoor patio that’s perfect for a post-meal espresso.
L’Aubergine (Map; 2738 0080; 5 Sharia Sayyed al-Bakry, Zamalek; mains E£18-50; noon-2am; ) The noncarnivorous among you will love the massive vegie menu on offer at this dimly lit, Western-style bistro. Not as hot on the hipster calendar as it used to be, the minimalist, almost Japanese fusion decor, ever-changing menu, occasional live jazz and upstairs bar still draw in the punters.
Maison Thomas (Map; 2735 7057; 157 Sharia 26th of July, Zamalek; sandwiches E£23-43, pizzas E£25-35; 24hr; ) Most people come here for arguably the best Italian pizza in Egypt, but secretly, we love it for the awesome futurama, space age–inspired art deco lampshades. They do take-away and delivery, plus there’s a deli selling quality cheeses and meats on site.
Quick Eats
Akher Sa’a (Map; 8 Sharia Alfy, Downtown; meals E£3-4; 24hr) A frantically busy fuul (fava bean paste) and ta’amiyya takeaway place with a no-frills cafeteria next door, Akher Sa’a has a limited menu but its food is fresh and good.
Gad (Map; 2576 3583; 13 Sharia 26th of July, Downtown; meals E£3-8; 7am-1am; ) This Western-style fast-food eatery is always packed to the rafters with a constant stream of young Cairenes sampling its fresh, sensibly priced food. The fiteer (Egyptian pancake/pizza) with Greek cheese (E£9.50) is scrumptious, and the quarter chicken with rice and salad (E£10) is both flavoursome and top value. There are branches all over town, including opposite Khan al-Khalili (Map; Sharia Al-Azhar).
Unbeknownst to first-time visitors new to kushari (a mix of noodles, rice and lentils among other things), a secret war is being waged in Cairo over the title for ‘best kushari joint’ in town. We’ll take the role of the UN here, and declare Koshary El-Tahrir (Map; Sharia Tahrir, Downtown; kushari E£3-5; 7am-12am), Abu Tarek (Map; 40 Sharia Champollion, Downtown; kushari E£3-5; 24hr) and Sayed Hanafy (Map; Midan Orabi, Downtown; small/medium/large kushari E£2/3/4; 24hr) all equally praiseworthy.
For mouth watering fuul and ta’amiyya sandwiches, try Felfela takeaway (Map; Sharia Talaat Harb, Downtown), and for sweet oriental pastries be sure to pop by El-Abd (Map; 8am-midnight; Sharia 26th of July Downtown; Sharia Talaat Harb cnr Sharia Talaat Harb & Bursa al-Gedida, Downtown) – everyone else does.
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DRINKING
Cafés
Cairenes have only recently discovered the joys of espresso coffee, but there’s no stopping them now. Slick, modern coffee shops have multiplied all over the city and serve up all manner of caffeinated beverages