Food & Drink

Koshari (كشري)

THE national dish of Egypt — and one of the best vegetarian dishes in the world. A layer of rice, topped with macaroni, then brown lentils, then chickpeas, drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce (daʼa) and crowned with crispy fried onions. Add vinegar and chili sauce (shatta) to taste. A plate of Koshari costs 20–40 LE (0.40–0.80 €) on the street and fills you up for hours. The best place: Abou Tarek in Downtown Cairo — nothing but Koshari, for decades.

Ful Medames (فول مدمّس)

The quintessential Egyptian breakfast: Slowly cooked fava beans, mashed and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, and salt. Served with warm Aish Baladi (flatbread). Available at countless street stalls in the morning and is the foundation on which millions of Egyptians start their day. A sandwich costs 10–20 LE.

Ta'amiya (طعمية)

The Egyptian version of falafel — but made from fava beans instead of chickpeas, making them greener and moister inside. Flattened and fried, served in flatbread with tahina (sesame paste), pickled vegetables, and salad. Fresh from the hot oil, a dream — crispy outside, juicy inside. 10–25 LE.

Mahshi (محشي)

Stuffed vegetables — grape leaves, zucchini, eggplants, peppers, or cabbage, filled with seasoned rice (cumin, dill, tomatoes). A classic main dish prepared in every Egyptian household. In restaurants: 100–200 LE.

Molokhiya (ملوخية)

The “queen of Egyptian cuisine”: A soup made from finely chopped jute leaves, seasoned with garlic and coriander, served over rice with chicken or rabbit. The consistency is slimy-creamy (similar to okra) — an acquired taste for first-timers, indispensable for aficionados. A daily dish in Egyptian families.

Other Classics

• Shawarma: Grilled meat (chicken or lamb) from a spit in flatbread with tahina and pickled vegetables. 30–60 LE.
• Fiteer (فطير): Egyptian puff pastry “pizza” — thin layers of dough, savory (cheese, minced meat) or sweet (sugar, cream, honey). Specialty restaurants are called “Fatatri”.
• Hamam Mahshi: Stuffed pigeons — a feast in Upper Egypt. Filled with freekeh (roasted wheat) or rice. 80–150 LE.
• Fattah: Layers of flatbread, rice, meat, and tomato sauce, drizzled with a vinegar-garlic dressing. The festive meal for celebrations.

• Konafa (كنافة): Fine vermicelli noodles, filled with cream or cheese, soaked in sugar syrup, and sprinkled with pistachios. The most popular dessert during Ramadan. Best served warm. 20–50 LE.
• Basbousa (بسبوسة): Semolina cake with sugar syrup and coconut flakes. Sweet, juicy, available everywhere. 10–20 LE per piece.
• Umm Ali (أم علي): “Mother of Ali” — Egyptian bread pudding with milk, nuts, raisins, and coconut. Served warm, the ultimate comfort food. Available in every restaurant and on Nile cruises. 40–80 LE.
• Roz Bel Laban: Egyptian rice pudding with rose water and cinnamon. Creamy, light, the perfect finish.
• Halawa (Halva): Sesame paste with sugar — there are dozens of varieties (with pistachios, chocolate, vanilla). Sold in blocks at the bazaar.

Non-Alcoholic

• Shai (شاي): Black tea with lots of sugar — THE Egyptian drink. Everywhere, always, in small glasses. Order “shai min gheer sukkar” for tea without sugar.
• Ahwa (قهوة): Turkish coffee — finely ground, brewed in a copper pot. Order “sada” (without sugar), “mazbout” (medium), “ziyada” (sweet).
• Karkadeh (كركديه): Hibiscus tea — deep red, slightly tart, hot or ice-cold. Refreshing and healthy. The unofficial national drink alongside tea.
• Asir Asab (عصير قصب): Freshly pressed sugarcane juice — the green presses are on every street corner. 5–15 LE per glass. Sweet, refreshing, purely plant-based.
• Fruit Juices: Mango, guava, strawberry, pomegranate — freshly pressed at juice stands everywhere. 15–30 LE. Heavenly.
• Sahlab: Hot milk drink with orchid root flour, cinnamon, and nuts. A winter classic.

Alcohol

Alcohol is legal in Egypt but socially stigmatized. Available in:

• Hotels and licensed restaurants: Beer (Stella, Sakara — Egyptian brands, 30–60 LE), wine (Egyptian wine is better than its reputation — try Omar Khayyam), cocktails.
• Duty Free: At the airport or in duty-free shops in the city (within 48 hours of arrival). Significantly cheaper than in hotels.
• Drinkies: Licensed liquor stores — recognizable by the barred windows.