Cairo's Tasty Street Food

Being in Cairo means being spoiled and fed by family. Our moms pour their love into stuffed grape leaves, decadent roasted pigeon and duck, and warm rice pudding. Eventually our jeans start to protest and so do we, announcing (to our mothers' dismay) that we will no longer be eating bread, pastries and meat. But here are a few of the things we're sneaking in behind their backs...

1. Fiteer

Layers of pastry stuffed with everything from meats and cheeses to nutella. This little food cart on Al-Muizz street serves up the classic sweet version filled and topped with powdered sugar.

Layers of pastry filled with sugar = smiles.

2. Koshari

The vegan meal of champions: rice, lentils, macaroni, chick peas, crispy fried onions and a spicy tomato sauce. Served across Cairo on street carts and in restaurants serving only koshari, it's delicious and it'll keep you full for hours- not bad at all for a meal that's under $1. Insider tip: ask for extra onions- they're the best part! With no shortage of koshari places around the city, where should one go? Abou Tarek of course! Dine in at the original downtown establishment for an unforgettable meal.

Photo and delicious food courtesy of Abou Tarek.

3. Sakalance

The epic sakalance sandwich is a block of halawa (sesame paste and sugar), cream and honey on a fluffy white roll. If you think it sounds crazy, it is...but it's also heaven. Try this carb bomb at none other than the famous Zizo Natana (Stinky Zizo in Arabic) across from the al-Futuh gate in Old Cairo.

I’m embarrassed by the quality of this image, as well as all the calories we consumed….

4. Foul and Taamia

Egypt’s quintessential fast food: foul is slow cooked fava beans, traditionally mashed with cumin, oil, salt & lemon and taamia is falafel, but the Egyptian variety is made with fava beans instead of garbanzo beans. Both are eaten in small, 6-inch pita sandwiches or scooped up with pita bread. Grab & go restaurants or street carts are found everywhere across Egypt. We can’t get enough. 

Happiness in a pita.

One more way to enjoy taamia: hot out of the fryer, served in a paper bag or cone.

5. Leb

Leb refers to roasted pumpkin or melon seeds, but you'll find all kinds of treats, like salted peanuts, served in paper cones by these delightful street vendors. Sure it's a healthier snack option, but we're still embarrassed to say how much of this stuff we've been eating.

Sunset and snacks on the Kasr El Nile bridge.

6. Fresh Juice

What do we wash down all that food with? A cold, refreshing glass of fresh pressed juice. My favorites are mango and pomegranate, while Ed opts for the very Egyptian sugar cane. Sure we get lots of sugar, but I can't say we feel too guilty about this one.

Look mom, I'm drinking my vitamins.