Cairo eats on the street first: koshari from a downtown cart-turned-institution, ful and ta'ameya wrapped at a counter, hawawshi (spiced meat baked in bread) and layered feteer from old family shops. Go for that everyday cooking, then add a pyramids-side lunch at the restaurant now ranked the best in the Middle East and North Africa.
Cairo at a glance
What to eat
Koshari; Ful medames and ta'ameya; Molokhia; Hawawshi; Kebda.
When to go
Best: March and October–November. Also good: February, April and December. Hardest: June–August.
Top tables
This guide lists 5 award-winning restaurants, starting with Khufu's, Reif Kushiyaki Cairo, Kazoku and Zooba (Zamalek).
Where locals eat
Local favorites off the prestige lists include Koshary Abou Tarek, Sayed Hanafy, Koshary El Tahrir and Abdullah Bashandy.
Markets
Khan el-Khalili and Al-Attarine spice market (Al-Hussein).
Five ranked kitchens, led by the pyramids-side restaurant named best in the Middle East and North Africa, then five old street counters and family shops where Cairo actually eats lunch.
The well-known five
Khufu's
Giza Pyramids plateau
MENA's 50 Best #1 (2026)Modern Egyptian$$$
Order: Set breakfast or lunch menu with koshari, mu'ammar rice, duck, molokhia, feteer
Ranked number 1 on MENA's 50 Best 2026, with the pyramid complex as the setting. One local guide thinks the view outdoes the cooking.
Best for: celebration lunch · Reserve: book ahead · Hours: Daily 9am to 4pm (En Primeur Club, Mar 2026)
Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza (plus code X4HF+8P)
Giza (First Nile Boat) · Italian, Neapolitan pizza
An open-air pizzeria aboard the First Nile Boat serving brick-oven pizzas, antipasti and desserts; it reopened in October 2026 after a temporary closure.
Order: Margherita pizza, pizza al formaggi, frutti di mare pizza, arancini ai funghi
First Nile Boat, opposite Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence, Giza
New places change fast. “Provisional” means a guide or directory lists it as new but we have not confirmed the opening date. Check hours and book ahead before you go.
Memorable breakfasts in Cairo
The top pick here; the rest are on their own page.
Felfela
Downtown
Order: Ful and taameya
A longstanding introduction to Egyptian breakfast staples.
Picks come from romantic-dinner lists on booking and review sites. Confirm dinner service, menus and availability before you book.
Hot right now in Cairo
We have not verified a current craze in Cairo yet. We only list one once it has been reported in the press.
The Cairo food map
Every place in this guide, pinned. Tap a pin to see what to order, then add it to your trip.
Open the full Cairo food map: every place on our lists too (pizza, ice cream, romantic, where locals and the famous eat, cooking classes), searchable by dish.
· 12 of 27 dish places are pinned; the rest appear in the lists below. Pins are placed by address or name and can be a little off; always confirm in your maps app.
Plan my days in Cairo
Tell us what you like and we will line up the places on this page into a day-by-day plan. Only places from this guide, never anything else.
What to eat in Cairo, and where
Each dish comes with the places that do it best. Tap Add to my trip on the ones you want, or find them on the map above.
Koshari
Rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas with tomato sauce and fried onions
The 4 best places to eat it in Cairo
1
Koshary Abou Tarek
Downtown · $
Order: Koshari with garlic and chili sauce, fried bread crumbs
Started as a cart in 1963; a meal ran about EGP 20 to 30 in 2022.
Peak Mar, Oct–NovShoulder Feb, Apr, DecHard Jun–Aug
Why these months
Cairo summers are very hot and the cooler months suit walking markets and terraces; one Cairo guide also puts October to March as best for outdoor seating. General climate knowledge, not checked against a weather source in this research.
In season
Konafa and Ramadan sweetsFeb–MarKonafa is especially popular during Ramadan; Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier each year (roughly Feb to Mar 2027).
Ramadan iftar buffetsFeb–MarZooba Zamalek has served a set fetar meal with a rotating menu and extra sidewalk tables in Ramadan.
Feteer for Sham El NessimAprScene Eats ran its 2026 feteer guide around the spring holiday, calling feteer a table staple then.
MolokhiaJan–Mar, Oct–DecEaten year-round; the cooler months are when it is most comforting. Month range is a judgment, not sourced.
Food events
Cairo Food WeekSepThird edition ran Sept 25 to Oct 4, 2025; a fourth edition opening Sept 25, 2026 was mentioned in a teaser. Founded 2023 by Flavor Republic; visiting...
Closures to plan around
Khufu's was listed open daily 9am to 4pm (verified Mar 2026 by En Primeur Club); hours can change for holidays and private events.
Hours shift during Ramadan; many places serve iftar menus and open late.
Groppi's Talaat Harb branch had been under renovation for several years in one guide, so check before going.
From published guides and tourism boards. Months are our mapping of how guides describe the seasons; 2027 event dates are expected, not confirmed. Prices come from single sources of varying age, so treat them as a rough guide. Compare cities by month
The best of Cairo, by category
The top pick in each, then every place on its own page with what to get and a map.
Awards come from the guides named on each listing (MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 (no Michelin Guide for Cairo; local press used for the rest)). Researched October 25, 2026. Restaurants change; confirm hours, reservations and current stars before you go. Some addresses, phone numbers and websites come from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), so call ahead to confirm. Local favorites are editorial picks, not rankings.
Chef Amazing’s lists for Cairo: where locals eat, new openings, romantic dinners, ice cream, cooking classes and more, each place with what to order. Cooking classes in Cairo: who teaches, what you cook, how long and how to book.
