19 of Cairo's Favourite Hotspots Migrating to Sahel this Summer

We Egyptians love eating; we’ll even eat that egg Kylie Jenner cooked on the pavement. Okay, a tad exaggerated, but you get what we mean; Ramadan or not, we never stop eating. That said, we've got our local favourite go-to places that we can never get enough of any time of year; we've stuffed our faces with their food, made memories around their tables, and basically developed deeply-rooted relationships with our favourite food places. So what happens when we go to Sahel for the summer? Do we dare eat elsewhere and then claim that we were on a [summer] break? Unfathomable; we'd never cheat in our food relationships. If you think we're crazy for our loyalty, these 18 places are even crazier. In their attempts to do their part to keep their relationships going strong, these guys are migrating all the way over to Sahel – or, perhaps it's to keep an eye out on us so we don't dare eat elsewhere. Either way, it's a win/win situation.

Andiamo

Opening in Hacienda, this beach bar offers a vast array of perfectly seasoned pizzas, delicious appetizers, and fresh salads to fill your formerly flat tummies. Along with their signature cocktails, of course. The best part? They’ll have frozen margaritas – perfect on a hot summers day. We can just picture ourselves sipping on that triple sec ice blended tequila and lime... We’re also quite excited about their partnership with Byganz and we’re expecting something big. 

Cafe Blanc

The intricate ceiling design, custom made furniture, and lighting give a romantic oriental atmosphere to the space in the Marassi branch. Creativity fills their menu; most of their traditional dishes have a certain twist, as well as their dessert items. We recommend you try the oriental cheesecake with rose loukoum, or simply opt for the traditional trio puddings. Also, their halloumi is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

The Lemon Tree & Co.

Their beach bar at Telal has a chill ambience with a variety of icy-cold drinks and mouthwatering food. Our special favourite is their beef pasta; penne with thinly sliced beef medallions and fresh mushrooms cooked in rich creamy sauce with a hint of pomegranate. It’s also the perfect date spot, or the best place to strut around showing off your formet el Sahel. However, the other branch located in Marassi is better known for the over-the-top themed nights they host with creative themes - last year saw everything from a Michael Jackson night to aerial artists. 

BRGR Truck

The BRGR Truck will be opening in both Hacienda and Diplo – YAAAS! The truck in Hacienda will be serving people during beach hours and the one in Diplo will be working regularly on weekdays. During weekends, they’ll operate after-hours so you have a place to grab a bite at 5 AM after a long night of partying.

Eatery

Your favourite culinary hub is opening up in Diplo. Excited? We are! If you’re the ‘I-must-eat-everything-and-lick-the-plate-clean-or-else-I-shall-die’ type of person, this is probably not the place for you. It’s classy, chic, and sophisticated, so save yourself the embarrassment. Though you will feel tempted to do that, because, well, their food is just a bite out of heaven. Resist. Fight the urge!

The Tap

The Tap North is one of the spots that we’re excited for the most. Why? Think vast garden with a pool in the middle surrounded by cabanas and picnic tables. With a bar on the left, games, volleyball courts, ping-pong tables, buckets of fried shrimp and calamari, we’re going to have trouble containing ourselves. Then again, summer is the time to let loose...

Ted's

They truly stand out with their revolutionary dishes – at least compared to the rest of the restaurants in Egypt. One item that really pops out is the bresaola pizza:tomato sauce, bresaola, fresh rocket, grated parmesan, mozzarella, pecorino cheese. We don’t know what half these ingredients are *gives waiter a confused look*. They’ve opened up two branches – one in LakeYard and the other in Marassi. They’re also going to have a delivery service where they'll deliver pizza to people within Marassi.

Just Cook

The problem with Sahel is that, if you don’t have a car, you’re pretty much screwed. And oh man, if you’re hungry, you’ll probably starve to death unless a friend is kind enough to drive you to a restaurant. On that note, we’re excited that Just Cook now offers its services in Sahel twice a week, so you can finally create your own home-cooked meal! Can we get a hallelujah? Our tip: order the package in advance – they’ll probably have a lot of traffic. Don’t say we never warned you.

Mince

Yes, the omnipresence of burgers in Egypt is getting a little pompous, and yes, we've seen about every permutation of them at this point, but we will never grow tired of their inherent deliciousness – and who does it better than Mince? Aside from their mouthwatering burgers, our new favourite item on their menu is the Elvis; French toast with a layer of bananas and Nutella topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream glazed with caramel. Because screw having a beach bod.

Mori Sushi

Sushi restaurants in Egypt are getting more popular than ever so it can be difficult to know where to go when you’re in need of a serious Philadelphia roll fix. Japan may be a good 9,000 kilometres away from Sahel, but that doesn’t mean Mori Sushi isn’t up to scratch on its cuisine in Diplo, Platfrom, and Marassi.

Sachi

Inspired by the Japanese word, meaning child of joy, we can tell that this unique refined restaurant will bring joy to our hearts. We know – cheesy, but it’s true. What better way to spend the summer nights than to dine at the finest spots in Sahel while enjoying the salty sea air and drinking a glass or two or eight of red wine?

Tempo

Can we just stop for a moment to take in the beauty that is this restaurant? Located by the beach at Caesar, just looking at this dining spot reminds us of the beaches of Orange County, California, with palm trees everywhere. Subtle, understated, and elegant – exactly what we’re looking for when we want a chill summer evening. Just picture the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, light music playing in the background, dim lights all around, while chewing on the delectable smithereens of steak.

The Smokery

The Smokery will be opening up again on a floating deck in the heart of the upscale Marassi compound, and we're pretty sure it'll conquer the culinary Sahel world. Serving savoury seafood dishes to fit the season, signature juicy steaks, and several other heavenly platters, their creative cocktails are just as good as their food. Open for lunch and dinner, it’s the perfect setting for a hefty meal after a long day at the beach.

Tutti Matti

When it comes to pizza or pasta, we’re a picky bunch. There are endless varieties in style, shape, and cheese – not to mention crusts, sauces, and toppings. But no matter the shape or ingredients, one thing’s for sure: Tutti Matti’s pizza and pasta are of the best. They cook like the Italian grandma you never had. One bite will instantly entice you; and now, they’re open in Sahel!

 Cairo Kitchen 

We all know that Egyptian food is the most delicious – and also the most fattening, but the calories are so worth it. Our waistline won’t thank us, but you sure will. If you still haven’t tried Cairo Kitchen, what’s wrong with you? Get yourself better aquatinted with each other because we know you’re heading to Marassi, and so are they!

Tabla

Party people: Tabla is back for another summer full of late night partying. With Alchemy Design Studio designing their interior, they’ve created a three different levels. Fridays are set to be Walkman Night, which means they’ll teleport us back in time.

The Four Fat Ladies

When it comes to dessert, you have to have faith in us and trust that we’ve got you covered. Between chocolate brownies, cookies, red velvet cake, cream konafa, apricot basbousa, and cupcakes, the Four Fat Ladies’ desserts are constantly on our minds all day long. Now that they’ve opened in Sahel, we won’t be able to resist them. Our pants won't close by the end of the summer, but whatever. 

 White Coast by Loft 21

Inspired by the beautiful island of Santorini, you’ll definitely feel like you’re in Greece. White Coast is a culinary Mediterranean restaurant, pool, and bar located in Bianchi. You can enjoy their signature cocktails while tanning in the sun on their terrace (or taking a dip in the pool) and listening to the DJs. Spoiler alert: they’re going to host a retro night every week!

Gelato Mio

In this scorching heat, you’d think that there’s nothing better than relaxing by the beach, but there is – relaxing by the beach with a scoop of ice cream from one of the best gelato joints in town, Gelato Mio. Yup, it’s opening up soon in The Platform! Not only are the flavours unique, delicious, and constantly being altered, everything is made fresh (daily).