Eat Like a Local in Cairo: The Best Street Food, Cafes and Restaurants As Recommended by Locals
Forget the guides, this is where locals in Cairo really go to eat. Discover Cairo’s best street food and more, from shawerma buns to koshary, with locals revealing their favourite places to eat.
Cairo plays with the senses. The sticky heat, the riotous, cacophonous traffic, the fragrant waft of warm spices and the smell of fried things sizzling across shimmering oil and tongue-tingling heat. Should you visit during Cairo Food Week or any other time, this is where the people who live and love Cairo go to eat—from fūl to koshary to liver sandwiches. We asked four Cairo locals and food lovers to share their must-eat places across the city—from gritty street-side joints to modern institutions. With passionate food lovers, there is grinning disagreement about ‘who does it best’! We start with where to eat some of Cairo’s best-known dishes and a list of restaurants by people who know where to eat in this sprawling city. Here’s what our Cairo locals said.
Cinderella recommends…
Egypt is known for its fava beans. Al Gahesh (here) is my favourite place for the best Egyptian fava beans, as they are cooked authentically using Egyptian ghee, and the flavour of fava stays front and centre! I like to eat my fava beans from the street vendors who cook from the typical fava bean pot. This is how it is meant to be eaten!
Next, Koshary is Egypt’s national dish (aka Kushari or Koshari), a popular street food made with rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas, topped with a spicy tomato sauce and the crunch of crispy fried onions. I recommend Koshary Abu Tarek (here)! Everyone eats it their way, but I love getting two extra crunchy onions on top, and I put a bit of the transparent (garlic) sauce and a bit of tomato and spicy tomato sauce, just enough. Some people love to put a lot! I put enough to not drown the rice and to keep the texture. You can wash this all down with a sobeya from Sobia Rahmany in Bab El Nasr (here), a typical Egyptian drink made from coconut, rice and milk.
For shawerma, there are many places in Cairo, but I recommend Caizo (many locations) as I am a chicken shawerma kinda woman! I know people who will eat 5 or 6 shawerma buns at a time! That’s another thing: Egyptians eat shawerma in buns, not wraps like the Lebanese or others. Both Naeema (here) and Semsema (here) bring back memories of hanging out with my cousins and picking up sandwiches at 2 AM after studying.
For grilled meat, Sobhi Kaber (here) and Hagouga (here) are must-visits, but also order their molokheya, a green vegetable stew traditionally made with chicken or chicken broth and served with rice. Also, liver and brain sandwiches are a big deal in Cairo! Zeezo (here) is my favourite for their liver sandwich and their dessert sandwich.
Cinderella Nabil Mounir hails from Cairo, but currently lives in Dubai. She is a relationship therapist, and you can find her on the Sultry and Sacred Podcast and Cinderella on Substack.
Reem recommends…
I agree with some of Cinderella’s recommendations, especially Sobhi Kaber for liver sandwiches now that El Brens is closed; also, Al Rahmani for sobia (it’s like Mexican horchata, but sour); Abou Tarek Koshary for straightforward koshary, but you have to go to the Downtown location for the full experience (here). Hagouga is mainstream popular, but it’s so, so heavy! We don’t cook our food this fat-heavy at home.
For shawerma, it varies by location. Caizo is everywhere; a 10 out of 10 modern shawerma. Neama is the OG spot, if you’re in Downtown Cairo (get the meat shawerma and the “sogo2”, an Alexandrian-style beef liver sandwich). Abou Haidar Shawerma (here) is the OG if you’re in Heliopolis—and they make killer sandwiches too… and the pasta al forno too (macarona bechamel in Arabic).
For feteer, a traditional Egyptian pastry, often described as a flaky, layered pie, with a variety of sweet and savoury fillings, there is a super secret, hidden spot in Heliopolis’ Midan El Gamea (here). It has no name, IYKYK! Just ask around for the shop.
In Cairo’s famous historic bazaar, Khan el Khalili (here), head to Fatatri el Hussein pancake house (here), Farahat (here) for their stuffed pigeon and grilled meat and Naguib Mahfouz Cafe (here) for a slice of Egyptian late-night entertainment over (see Nouran’s thoughts below).
On the modern side, there is Zööba inside the Grand Egyptian Museum—it’s a must-visit that fuels you up for the exhibitions. Also, check out Mo Bistro.
In Downtown Cairo, Cafe Riche (here) offers an old-school Egyptian lunch. Fasahet Somaya (here) provides that “homecooked experience”; it will not blow your mind, but it offers the experience of when you go home and whatever your mom cooked.
In nearby Zamaleek, check out Cairo Kitchen (here) for clean Egyptian food; their Ro’a’ is incredible; it’s a typical Egyptian crispy phyllo meat pie. The gorgeous Abu Elsid (here) is nostalgic without being touristy—eat the duck!
Reem Khemis lives in Cairo. She is the Creative Director at Flavor Republic Ventures, and you can find her on Instagram here or cooking breakfast at the Early Bird Club.
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Nouran recommends…
Koshary El Tahrir on Abdel Khalek Tharwat Street (here) is an iconic restaurant that still feels very raw and authentic. It serves up plates of our iconic Egyptian koshary.
A childhood favourite of mine was always Felfela on Hoda Shaarawy St. (off Talaat Harb) Restaurant (here). I still go when I am in Cairo, maybe for the nostalgia more than the food, but the ambience, the space still hits. Naturally, you should order the falafel.
Not everyone wants to come to Cairo and eat Egyptian food every day, so if you are looking for a break, I recommend CaiRoma in a side alley off Talaat Harb (here). If you’re in Downtown and feel like pizza, this alley is your place, also with al fresco dining.
Speaking of pizza, What the Crust has several pizzeria locations across Cairo (here’s one), making artisanal, sourdough pizzas. I have tried most and I loved them all! Go with what your heart desires!
Zeeyara in Le Riad Hote de Charme is currently under renovation, but the one at the Pyramids Elite hotel has great views of the Pyramids (here). Order the countryside breakfast: think ghee-drenched feteer and warm bread while gazing over the Pyramids. A view worth lingering for.
Naguib Mahfouz Café in Khan El Khalili Bazaar Restaurant (here, also recommended by Reem) is named after the legendary writer, Naguib Mahfouz. This place is soaked in heritage. You’ll love the space and the golden reflective tables. It is great for photos. Order the Ta’ameya (Egyptian falafel), fava beans, maybe some guava juice—anything really. I enjoyed all the dips, the hawawshii (a traditional pita stuffed with minced meat, onions, herbs and spices) and a strong Turkish coffee. Simple pleasures. Great history.
Andrea Mariouteya in New Giza (here) is a restaurant on a cliff with open views of nothingness. Go for the ladies in red who bake fresh baladi bread by hand, stay for the eggs with basterma (air-dried beef or water buffalo), grilled meats, cool breeze and a golden hour sunset with a skinny donkey to take kids on rides—but that I don’t do!
Ratio’s Bakery has two beautiful locations in Maadi. The first, tucked into an old building (please ask the bawab, a trusted community building keeper, where it is). You walk in to see rustic baked goods lined up freshly baked, home spreads, nut butters, tarts—it’s just beautiful! The second is more spacious, perfect for bigger groups, and located in another building (here). You go downstairs (yes, literally below street level). If you miss the entrance, just ask our trusted bawabs as they know everything—what size of undies you’re wearing included. Egypt is a big living room like that. Order sandwiches with trusted ingredients and beautiful coffee.
Fatatry Wael in Heliopolis (here) is not for the faint-hearted, but the stuffed fatayer is delicious!
Zööba is on the MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants List for a good reason. I recommend the Zamalek branch for modern Egyptian food that you can trust with your eyes closed.
If you cannot pick from the list, I recommend you try an excellent food tour like Bellies En Route that showcases authentic Egyptian food and will take you through some of the trickier areas in Cairo. Find them on Instagram here.
Nouran Fawzy comes from Cairo, Egypt. She is a multidisciplinary creative director, photographer and food artist specialising in culturally-driven content and brand storytelling. She develops full campaigns from concept and visuals to execution and leads workshops on branding and creative identity. You can find Nouran on Instagram and her portfolio here.
Sherif recommends…
Hagouga (here) near Cairo International Airport has a big restaurant setup in the street that serves a variety of Egyptian dishes. Be warned: it is one of those places where you are well advised to go on an empty stomach, even from the night before!
Nefa al Nagahy (here) is a delicious, but unpopular way of slow cooking certain parts of the lamb. This place is considered the oldest restaurant in Egypt, actually, as it is over one hundred years old. They only serve those parts, and the restaurant closes once they run out of stock, usually by 7 pm at the latest, so you need to get here early!
For offal and sausages, Baba Abdo (here) is a famous street vendor serving grilled liver and sausages located right next to the previously suggested Zeezo, but it is actually more delicious. We brought Massimo Bottura here! Al Nasr (here) serves liver and brain sandwiches, but the liver here is breaded and fried. In Abu Al Enein (here), another liver and brain place, but they also serve the most delicious fried shrimp sandwiches.
Caizo cooks the traditional Egyptian shawerma served in burger buns, unlike the Syrian or Lebanese wrapped ones. Cinderella has mentioned the two most famous ones, Neama and Semsema, there is also Abou Haidar (mentioned by Reem). But today, Caizo beats them all with quality and taste!
For koshary, you have to visit Koshary Abu Tarek, of course! I think you can find it in Dubai too.
Sherif Tamim comes from Cairo. He is the World’s 50 Best Academy Chair for Egypt as well as the co-founder of Cairo Food Week and Flavor Republic. You can find Sherif on Instagram.
Have your own favourite Cairo food spot? Message Liam Collens and let him know.
Update 3 August, changing the link to Bellies En Route.
Liam is a restaurant critic, food and travel writer based in the Middle East. He owns EatGoSee and contributes to other publications. You can find Liam on Substack, Threads, Instagram, BlueSky or Facebook.
I am still not cool enough to visit Egypt. However an Egyptian friend took us to Hadoota Masreya in SZR. From the moment we sat down, our friend and the staff kept yelling at each other and hugging other. The food was top. They gave us all kinds of grills and the shisha was insane. Due a revisit it seems.
Wow, what a feast- Would love to go to every one of these recommendations!!