Restaurants in Downtown (Cairo)

Taverne du Champs de Mars

This wildly popular bar was actually transported from Belgium and rebuilt piece by piece on the hotel's ground floor. Its warmly-lit interior oozes charm. Belgian paintings, cozy furniture and grape-cluster lamps give the room a distinctly European feel. Customers who want to get away from the crowd can sit in the private booths along the wall. An active nightspot (especially on weekends, when there is a live band), the Taverne offers a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails as well as traditional Middle Eastern and Belgian snacks.

Windows on the World

Stunning views and an elegant atmosphere await those who venture 30 floors up for live music and cocktails. The interior is tastefully decorated in modern decor with the best tables set against windows overlooking the city. Book a windowside table for a fabulous sunset and watch the city lights come to life. A vibraphone player entertains in the evenings, followed by live jazz and pop at 10p. Prices are high, but most people come for the atmosphere not the food. Steak and seafood dishes are on the menu, with entrees averaging EGP50. The bar is fully stocked and heavenly cocktails are served at appropriately lofty prices.

Sherlock Holmes Pub

You don't need to be a Sherlock Holmes fan to enjoy the warm and homely atmosphere of this downtown watering hole. The books, street signs and pictures give patrons plenty of clues that the theme of the bar is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous fictional sleuth. In addition to regular pub fare, fresh salads and desserts are offered. Local and imported alcohol is sold at moderate prices, with a bottle of Stella local running EGP12.50. Watch for beer specials and happy hours. No cover.

Abu Aly

One of several coffee bars in this famous hotel, Abou Aly is distinctive for its elegant Asian terrace. It's a good place to go if you want a quiet drink in an attractive setting, and maybe a puff of shisha (waterpipe). The Asian ambience is pervasive, and you might just forget that you're in the Ritz Carlton. In summer, the terrace is a relaxing place to people watch, while in winter it is enclosed and dressed up like a Bedouin tent. A singer entertains in the evenings. The menu is small on snacks, but has several good traditional dessert options. Tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol are served at moderate prices. Rich apple-flavored shisha is available, and the attendants vigilantly watch the coals. No alcohol is served during Ramadan.

Le Grillon

An artist and writer meeting place tucked away in a small alley. Always buzzing. The spotless tables inside the luxurious but stuffy restaurant are not the draw. Instead, head for the shabbier tables in the enclosed split-level garden beneath a thin canopy. Here loquacious locals polish off beers and carry on late into the night. Watch your food—a sculpted waterfall in one corner gives frisky cats a way in. The restaurant offers a selection of overpriced Egyptian and International cuisine. No need to eat in the restaurant; however, as affordable and delicious mezzes can be ordered from the garden with chilled beer and sheesha. Steaming hot fuul beans and swollen termis (lupine seeds) come free in the cafe.

Da Mario

An elegant dining experience, this popular Italian restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton is famous for its authentic food and efficient service. Diners have the choice of sitting inside or on the terrace. Romantics will prefer the cozy interior, which is decorated with photographs, pictures, cutlery, and artifacts from Italy. An itinerant guitarist entertains in the evening. Start with a fresh salad before indulging in the selection of traditional Italian pastas, pizzas and meat dishes. The sauces here are extra rich and the servings are very generous. Dessert specialties include a cappuccino mousse. Alcohol is served.

Abou Shakra

A Cairo landmark, this fancy kebab house has been serving locals for over 50 years. There are other branches in Heliopolis and Mohandiseen. Recently refurbished and purged of its Disney idols and other kitsch collectibles, this conservative Muslim restaurant is done up in marble and alabaster. Seating is a little tight and the staff can be slow, but customers are always guaranteed an authentic Egyptian experience. The main specialty here is kebabs, with prices calculated per kilo of meat and a host of salads and dips to choose from. Pigeon, chicken and specialty beef dishes are also on the menu. The Egyptian desserts served here are heavenly, with top honors going to the Om Ali (flakey dough with raisins and nuts soaked in sugar and milk).

La Chesa

A welcome respite for worn-out shoppers, this downtown Swiss-run establishment has a restaurant, cafe and patisserie. The pseudo-Swiss atmosphere includes a coat of arms, oversized cow bells and pictures of the management's homeland. The heavy wood tables are pleasant, but someone certainly forgot the Swiss sense of ergonomics when they designed the hard chairs. The menu offers a good selection of Swiss and international fare at moderate prices. Certainly the best deals are the delicious breakfast buffet and the large salad bar. There is also a fine selection of Swiss pastries and cakes for customers to eat in or take away.

Felfela

A long-time favorite with tourists and locals for traditional Egyptian fare, the casual atmosphere and reasonable prices makes this chain an ideal place to sample the country's specialty dishes. The licensed chain is famous for its fuul and taamiya, offering dozens of varieties and all served with freshly baked baladi bread. Also notable is its creamy and garlicky baba ghanoug, one of the best in Cairo. Meat is prominent on the menu, but the management has taken care to include a good selection of vegetarian dishes. Try the vegetable casserole or spicy mousakka. For the same great food at a fraction of the price, try the selective menu at Felfela Takeaway around the corner on Talaat Harb Street.

Paprika

A favorite haunt of Egyptian media notables, this well-known restaurant sits in the shadow of the Radio and TV building, just a stone's throw from the Nile. The triangular chalet-style restaurant has dark wooden walls and dim yellowed lighting. There is plenty of seating, and you might end up opposite your favorite Arab actor or pop singer. Starters, including an unusual combination of lamb and mozzarella, while entrees may cost considerably more. Or splurge a little on grilled or baked fish, shrimp in curry sauce or the highly-acclaimed veal goulash. Alcohol is served at affordable prices.

Alfi Bey

Established in 1938, some of the staff have been here nearly as long. Known city-wide for its traditional Egyptian fare and hilariously misspelled menu, locals and tourists alike will find this Cairo landmark a charming treat. Apart from air conditioning, little has changed over the decades. The copper engravings, polished wood floors and uniformed antique waiters give diners a chance to sample a restaurant of yesteryear. Don't think octogenarians can't move quickly either; service is prompt. Ask your waiter to translate the garbled English menu and prepare for a hearty meal. The baba ghanoug, kebab and fattah all come highly recommended, and at very affordable prices given the setting. The stuffed pigeon, apparently a specialty, is nothing to coo about, but the half-chicken is roasted to perfection. No alcohol is served.

Arabesque

Notable for its art gallery and fine Asian decor, the food at this tourist trap is overpriced. Come for the decor and its contemporary art exhibits, which change monthly. Tourists pile in to sit at widely-spaced tables in the wonderful carpeted dining area. Tapestries, mashrabiyya screens, elegant columns and a gurgling fountain add the finishing touches. A small gallery displaying contemporary work by local artists lines the entrance hallway. Touted as "Continental-Egyptian" cuisine, the menu offers little of the latter. The restaurant has a long-standing reputation for mediocre food, but few come here for the menu anyway. Alcohol is served.