Eating and Drinking in Egypt

Eating is one of the best parts of a trip to Egypt: cheap street food, fresh seafood on the coast, home-style stews and sweet pastries. This guide covers what to eat and drink in Egypt, how to eat safely, and some etiquette tips. For a list of dishes, read our guide to the top 10 Egyptian dishes.

Things to try

• Seafood: fresh fish and shrimp on the Red Sea and in Alexandria.
• Ful medames: slow-cooked fava beans with oil, lemon and bread, a classic breakfast.
• Ta’ameya (falafel): fried fava bean patties in bread, popular with vegetarians.
• Koshari: rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas with tomato sauce and crispy onions.
• Bread (aish baladi): flat local bread eaten with most meals.

What to drink

• Tea (shay): strong and sweet, often with mint.
• Arabic coffee: small, strong and usually sweet.
• Karkadeh: hot or cold hibiscus tea.
• Fresh juices: sugarcane, mango, orange, pomegranate or tamarind.
• Alcohol: sold in many tourist hotels, bars and some shops, but not everywhere, and rules change. Ask locally.

Eating and drinking safely

Choose busy places, drink bottled or filtered water and be careful with ice and raw salads. Read health and safety in Egypt.

Etiquette

Use your right hand to eat and share food. During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in public during the day out of respect, although many tourist restaurants stay open.

Our verdict

Try koshari, ful and fresh seafood, drink tea and hibiscus, and ask locals for their favourite places. A guided food walk is a good way to start.