With summer around the corner, I’m starting what I hope will become a personal, everexpanding collection of city notes; not exactly a guide, certainly not a comprehensive one. Just a loose preface to a hopefully useful list of addresses I’ve found myself returning to, sharing, and thinking about.
Occasional entries or fragments that might serve as reference points for friends who’ve come to rely on my long WhatsApp lists and travel notes from around the world. Now shared with readers, too.
I wouldn’t exactly recommend Cairo in its often suffocating summer months, but with schools out and many residents away at the coast, something shifts. The city feels briefly less tangled. And like most things in Cairo, the contradictions persist: affection and frustration, intensity and inertia, hope and despair, all coexisting in a peculiar chaotic order.
The thoughts and information I share are subject to change and obviously a result of personal selective memory. Forgive potential omissions, whether by oversight or intent.
Cairo, Capital of Egypt. My Father’s Land
I was 16 when I first saw Cairo with awareness. The reasons I wasn’t more exposed to Egypt earlier in life are too complex to fully unravel here, but much of it goes back to the sweeping reforms under Gamal Abdel Nasser, whose policies ended the era of Pashas and landowners like my grandfather, the last president of the Egyptian Senate under the Kingdom. Instead, land expropriation, nationalization and sequestration lead to massive economic collapse eradicating centuries-in-the-making foundations. Later, my father Chams El Wakil, a brilliant Doctor of Laws and Minister of Higher Education under Sadat, left Egypt with what I suspect was disillusionment. Newly married to my beautiful young Lebanese mother and father to a toddler daughter and newborn son, he moved his family to France to begin a diplomatic career. I was raised in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. Cairo felt like a fictional, exotic place I knew mostly through old family photographs and the occasional visit from Egyptian relatives.
When professional obligations drew my parents back to Cairo just as I was turning 17, I was excited, but I can’t say I loved it at first sight.
I didn’t speak the language. I knew almost nothing of its incredible history. What I did see was chaos, pollution, and concrete clutter.
We arrived from the airport into Zamalek, one of Cairo’s more residential enclaves, nestled on a Nile island. But as the car turned onto Gezira El Wosta street, the illusion of calm quickly unraveled. The road appeared wounded, scarified by a maze of dangling electrical wires, caked in dust, looping from building to building like a forgotten web. They seemed to strangle every possibility of sunlight or breeze reaching the ground below. My sister and I sat dazed in the back seat, confusion thick between us. Could we really live here? Moments after we stepped into the newly rented apartment, our daze turned into despair. From the balcony came a loud, jarring wail, distorted through blown-out speakers, the sound of something ancient forced through something broken. We had never heard anything like it. We screamed. Then we cried. It was, my parents explained with amused patience, the call to prayer. It happened five times a day. What? We cried harder. Things got better quickly though. At the Lycée Français du Caire, there were girls, in my class, that is. A miraculous change from the then-all-boys halls of Saint-Louis de Gonzague in Paris. Still, I remained the Parisian teenager, obsessed with cinema, dreaming in American frames, drawn to the misleading mythologies of New York and Hollywood. Egypt, in my young mind, shared little with those dreams. But Cairo, as it often does, revealed itself slowly, and unexpectedly, as a city of abandon and wildness. It was, in its way, one giant party. I learned about life there, not from books or history, but from movement, laughter, discovery, sometimes toxic, but often enlightening. When I returned alone to Paris years later, the city felt small and restrained. I had been stretched by Cairo. I did miss out on the city’s deeper culture back then. I wasn’t ready for it. I finished high school, graduated from the American University in Cairo, and chased my dreams back to Paris. I even made my way to Los Angeles for nearly a year later, only to discover how deeply European I was. Predictably, nothing unfolded exactly as planned. But I lived many of the dreams I once harbored, and eventually became officially French after 40 years in Paris. To be the child of a diplomat doesn’t grant you the immigrant status needed for regular residency. One of life’s many ironies is how I had to return to Cairo when I finally obtained my French nationality but that’s another story.
I established an independent creative practice in Egypt in 2019. It is still vibrantly active today even though it basically consists of me and a little team of roughly 10 people. Probably not the wisest business oriented thinking , but I’m happy not to have a showroom or workshop that people can visit all the time because I’m not sure I can deal with always being available in one place. I also know that delegating is no option in most creative endeavors, especially in Cairo. Even more so if you’re trying to forge your own model without following anyone’s footsteps. Till now, I felt like balancing the weighty nature of my work with something elusive and ephemeral that travels outside its place of conception.
Al Qahira, “The Conqueror”
I can’t claim to fully understand Cairo, nor to ever form a fixed opinion of it. Its Arabic name, Al Qahira, meaning “the Conqueror” or rather ‘The Conqueress” as repeatedly pinpointed by my mother, even though the software’s auto speller doesn’t recognize the feminized version of the word. It was chosen by the Fatimid Caliph al-Mu’izz upon establishing the city as the capital of the Fatimid dynasty. The city is vast, relentless, and impossible to pin down. Officially, Greater Cairo is home to over 22 million people. But even that number does little to capture the sprawling, shape-shifting reality of the place. Even now, and I drive through it for an average of at least two hours each day from one workshop to another, I can’t say I know what Cairo is. I’d be skeptical of anyone who said they did.
In the past two decades, Cairo has grown not as a city, but as a constellation of cities.
Entire new districts have emerged, dwarfing the older ones.
For my fellow Parisians: imagine Versailles, Suresnes, Boulogne, Levallois, and Meudon all expanding into “New” versions of themselves, and then adding “New Paris” for good measure. This is Cairo today. New Cairo, New Capital, Fifth Settlement, 6th of October, New Giza, Obour, New Fifth Settlement, New 6th of October, to name only a few. Gated compounds, luxury malls, artificial lakes, slums, all orbit a historic core that struggles to hold its center.
What I call the “real Cairo” still clings to the banks of the Nile, a place where buildings aren’t hidden behind walls, and life spills out onto sidewalks, or what’s left of them. It’s the Cairo of balconies, kiosks, and unfiltered street life. It’s also chaotic and maddening. But it’s real.
I often wonder what it feels like to grow up in one of the gated communities on Cairo’s outskirts, where children go to school, shop, and socialize without ever stepping outside a security checkpoint. These enclaves are vast and sometimes very pleasant. But for all of Egypt’s limitations on democratic freedoms, Cairo remains one of the safest large cities in the world. The irony is not lost on me.
To understand Cairo today, one must cross both physical and psychological borders, from the hidden misery of its slums to the excessive opulence of gated communities, from incredible heritage to decaying education that erases heritage. Like in much of the world today, but more starkly in a country as big and singular as Egypt, one must learn to live with mind-boggling contradiction.
Begging
I often grump, when I’m at the end of my rope, that I want my body to be buried in one of Paris’s great cemeteries when I leave this world. For it to rest in the most beautiful graveyard, so people who grieve me, but also casual visitors who don’t know me, can spend time there and leave flowers by a well-kept tombstone. In Egypt, bodies are often simply wrapped in cloth and placed in underground family chambers. Access to these plots is usually reserved for relatives, and the keys are often held by gatekeepers who can be frustratingly insistent, sometimes outright mercenary.
Begging is a real issue in Egypt. Not so much when it comes from the streets, but more so from guards or ridiculous amounts of random people posted every ten meters of opulent compounds, businesses or country clubs where annual subscriptions cost the price of an apartment. The management often relies on tipping culture instead of paying proper salaries, leading workers to develop emotionally manipulative tactics that can be incredibly draining. These have ended my relationship with the Gezira country club, one of the rare places where you can actually walk in a relatively car free surrounding. More disturbing still is the begging that comes from the wealthy, those who routinely request clothes, medication, or food every time you travel abroad, even when these items are readily available locally.
Albert Cossery captured some of this complex psychology in his caustic classic Mendiants et Orgueilleux, a sharp portrait of Egyptian society’s contradictions. Its English title, Proud Beggars loses in translation.
Still, there’s a testament to the exceptionally friendly if sometimes understandably resigned, nature of many Egyptians. Remarkably, Egypt has enjoyed relative peace across millennia, with stable borders and no history of colonizing other continents. No wonder it is often referred to as Om El Donia, Mother of the World.
Around the Nile
Cradled by the life-giving Nile, Cairo grew along its banks. And despite the modern sprawl, its essence never strays too far from the river.
Its most beautiful buildings and streets began to suffer under Nasser’s rule. In an effort to erase traces of aristocracy and redistribute wealth, the outcome was far from balanced. It contributed instead to a massive economic collapse. Many of those architectural treasures still stand, though some just barely.
Thankfully, restoration efforts are now emerging, with organizations like Ismailia for Real Estate Investment leading preservation projects. New legislation is also expected to address the long-standing rent control laws that discouraged landlords from maintaining historic properties. Many simply let buildings collapse to reclaim ownership.
Garden City, where I live and work when not at workshops or factories, is home to many of these crumbling but majestic structures. This once breezy residential area along the Nile, its air cooled by the northern Bahri wind, has been partly suffocated by the towering Four Seasons Hotel, ironically Cairo’s finest. The influx of banks overtaking villas and homes has turned once-walkable streets into urban obstacle courses. Sidewalks have disappeared under parked cars, and self-appointed valets now claim public space. Layered, patchy asphalt and unchecked development have made the pavements difficult to navigate.
If you’re lucky enough to be staying at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza, an evening walk in Garden City offers a completely different experience. Quiet, unhurried streets at your disposal, lined with some of the most beautiful Art Deco and classical architecture you’re likely to see anywhere.
For a deeper understanding of this layered, vanishing world, I highly recommend the book Cairo Since 1900 by Mohamed Elshahed. It is a meticulous and heartfelt inventory of the city’s architectural legacy, both lost and still standing.
Just a short walk away, Downtown Cairo is also worth exploring. Start at Tahrir Square, which has undergone a striking renovation, complete with a relocated obelisk of Ramses II and a beautiful lighting scheme by night. Walk toward Talaat Harb Square. Look up at the buildings rather than into the shops. The architectural detail is where the true magic lies. New venues like Baboo’s , Tamara Haus, a remarkable concept store, and the stylish boutique hotel Mazeej, with its superb rooftop bar and restaurant, signal the renewal I mentioned earlier. And if you look closely, you might spot some treasures in the area’s antique shops. A bit farther out, for the more adventurous, Attaba Market offers a vivid glimpse into the most chaotic and massively crowded version of Cairo. It is not for everyone, and definitely not ideal for a solo, first-time visitor. But from a sociological or anthropological perspective, it is an intense and unforgettable experience of density, sound, improvisation, and human flow. Of course, no visit is complete without Old Cairo, Khan El Khalili Bazaar, Muezz Street, the exquisite Beit El Razzaz, the Citadel of Mohamed Ali, and a wide array of mosques. Many of these I’ll list separately. Heliopolis, to the east, is a suburb born in the early 20th century under the ambitious vision of Belgian industrialist Baron Empain. His grand villa is open to visitors. The nearby Korba district, with its arched arcades, arguably reminiscent of Paris’s Rue de Rivoli, is another worthy architectural sight.
On the southern side of this bank of the Nile, Maadi, where I finished high school, is a suburb long popular with foreigners. With charming cafés and now, arguably Cairo’s best UK style bakery and coffee shop, RATIO, it once felt like a long drive from Downtown. Today, it all seems close, relatively speaking, given the enormity of Greater Cairo. Across the river, between Downtown and Giza, you’ll find Dokki, home to the excellent craft gallery Nagada. This discreet but stunning establishment has had more impact on the local scene than often credited. When Lebanese fashion designer Sylva Nasrallah joined the Swiss Michel Pastore, Nagada was born. Pastore alongside Evelyne Porret had chosen Tunis, a small village in the Fayoum Oasis, to establish their pottery workplace and school. The former students of their pottery school have opened numerous workshops spreading a style and color scheme that has barely evolved but pervaded through time to the point that it’s now just perceived as Fayoum pottery. It is found in a multitude of venues with varying degrees of quality. I’m not sure that Fayoum pottery as it’s known today is often associated with Evelyne and Michel, a Swiss couple who had moved to Egypt.
Adjacent to Dokki, a neighborhood called Mohandessin, with its largely unremarkable architecture had nonetheless become one of Cairo’s happening neighborhoods after seemingly fading to endless traffic and impossible infrastructure. I won’t be surprised if it manages a comeback someday.
Between the two banks of the Nile, lies the leafy island of Zamalek, where I arrived at 16. Then, as now, it remains one of the city’s more gracious enclaves, although I was appalled to hear that a new development is planning to destroy its most precious garden and Banyan tree. Near that tree, the Gezira Club is an iconic members’ institution. Once Cairo’s answer to Europe’s posh country clubs, it barely carries traces of the British colonial era with its Rolex public clock and elderly croquet players but it remains a cherished reminder of what Cairo can still be. If you manage to secure an invitation, it’s well worth a visit, not least for a taste of what I consider amongst the best taameyya in town (Egypt’s juicier version of falafel, made with fava beans and coriander instead of chickpeas).
Further down the west side of the Nile, Giza, with its lovely corniche, zoo, and Cairo University, has somewhat been abandoned by the upper classes who once lived there. But it still features beautiful buildings and hosts another Four Seasons Hotel, though the location is far less compelling than its Garden City counterpart.
Of course the Pyramids of Giza and the new GEM will be visited by any Cairo visitor in their right mind notably during the remarkable events revolving around Art d’Egypte. The pyramids in Saqqara, Dashur and other lesser known premises have to be seen as well. The Egyptian countryside is particularly beautiful. All of Ancient Egypt’s immeasurable treasures and heritage obviously deserve many trips. I won’t get into extensive complaints on how preserved the whole area around the Pyramids is with now a Parisian pastry shop opened in its most prime location.
Fortunately, a unique gastronomic Egyptian restaurant called Khufu saves the day a few meters above. I’m glad to have some of my work on its walls thanks to one of Egypt’s most prolific and kind architects Hisham Ghorab and to its creative mastermind Giovanni Bolandrini who brings much needed gastronomic contributions to Cairo.
The French are famously good at complaining, and I, guilty as charged, have come to appreciate that more than ever, especially in an age obsessed with the tyranny of constant positivity.
How can light exist without shadow? How can we meaningfully celebrate and cultivate what’s good if we can’t name what’s broken?
So yes, the frustrations I often express about Cairo come from a place of deep love. An urgent desire to reveal its potential, repair what can be repaired and prevent further waste.
It already offers so much to those willing to look beyond the obvious. It’s a fascinating place if you know how to see it. Like most cities it requires means to be left very frequently too.
Om El Donia
Before I leave you with the meat and potatoes of this month’s journal, my selection of shops, hotels, museums, and restaurants, I want to briefly address something that often comes up in private conversations: the international perception of Cairo’s food scene. Many feel it’s been unfairly judged. But if I’m honest, while there is truly exceptional food to be found in some private homes, and Egypt’s beloved koshary remains a street food triumph, the overall standard of gastronomy tends to be quite underwhelming. There are, of course, notable exceptions, and I’ll be sharing my favorites, but they remain just that: exceptions. Of course being raised in France raises the bar for gastronomy impossibly high, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why Egypt with its incredibly rich history, doesn’t stand out gastronomically.
One theory lies in a deeply rooted social dynamic: in many privileged Egyptian households, domestic tasks have long been the exclusive domain of live-in help. Children often grow up without learning to cook, clean, or even make their own beds. It’s something I have witnessed in all social classes. While social media is beginning to challenge this pattern, Egypt’s abrupt shift from monarchy to nationalism didn’t unfold through the kind of slow, organic evolution seen after some European revolutions. Instead, it was followed by economic collapse and widening education gaps. The transition was sudden, and the social contract has yet to fully recalibrate. Without strong models to aspire to, standards slipped, and with them, a host of motivations and skills were quietly lost, an observation tangible in every aspect of life. Instead, a new order is establishing itself with standards that don’t really come from within nor from Europe as they once did but from a developing part of the world, the Persian Gulf. There, these standards become a processed and distorted version of American ones taken outside their context to fit a world that’s not organically theirs. Yet, when I see how Gulf nations have skillfully elevated cultures rooted in Bedouin traditions and survival in harsh climates, into engines of national identity and soft power, I can’t help but wonder how they might have handled a civilizational legacy as vast as Egypt’s. It’s hard to imagine them sidelining it in favor of Gulf-style urban models and imported aesthetics, as has too often been the case in contemporary Egyptian development.
How Cairo reveals itself to someone who both belongs and doesn’t is a lifelong process. The city is very welcoming to foreigners and tougher on its own. But whether you’re a newcomer, a returning local, or someone caught between identities, my advice is simple: Approach Cairo with confidence and curiosity, like a child. Let it pull you into its intoxicating chaos. Because like a mother, she never runs out of lessons, especially about ourselves.
And when you land or leave the plane doors, pay attention to the distinct smell of scorched earth. It reminds you that you’ve arrived in om el donia, the mother of the world. Ahlan wa sahlan…welcome,
Omar
MY CAIRO (hyperlinks)
ART
Adam Henein Museum
One of my favorites. Dedicated to the work of the Egyptian master. I hope the authorities manage to clean the area surrounding the beautiful site of the museum.
Al Masar Gallery
Bahaa Amer’s Atelier
A little known nook in Mukkatam where Bahaa showcases his masterful works alongside art that he restores. Send him a DM on Instagram and pay him an inspiring visit, off the beaten tracks.
Gypsum Gallery
Contemporary Art Gallery, exceptionally well curated by family friend Aleya Hamza, Don’t be fooled by the casual premises. An always-inspiring visit for contemporary art collectors and lovers. Huda Lutfi and Dimitra Charamandas are favorites.
Le Lab
First of its kind collectible design and art gallery founded by longtime friend and collector Rachid Kamel showcasing some of Egypt’s greatest as well as yours truly.
Tintera
A gem of a gallery specialized in fine art photography. Meticulously run and curated by friend Zein Khalifa and her partner Heba Farid.
Ramses Wissa Wassef Museum
Incredibly beautiful tapestry weaving school by world renowned architect Ramses Wissa Wassef in Harrania near the Pyramids. The center features a pottery and sculpture museum. Everything is beautiful here. A must see followed by a visit to the adjacent and equally unique Adam Henein Museum I mentioned earlier.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
Al Azhar Park
My favorite public park in Cairo is the only one I know, Al-Azhar Park. It is largely overlooked by the upper classes, perhaps because it remains a public park with only a symbolic entrance fee. Commissioned by the Aga Khan to honor his Fatimid ancestors, founders of Cairo, the park is a remarkable example of thoughtful urban planning and landscape design. What was once a centuries-old garbage dump has been transformed into a lush green space that seamlessly blends Islamic architectural heritage with sustainable infrastructure.
It is a gem in both its landscaping and its civic impact. I often wonder why more developers don’t take inspiration from its near-perfect execution. Most new developments in Cairo feel like copy-paste versions of projects from the Gulf or elsewhere. Al-Azhar Park proves that it is possible to create something rooted in local history, socially inclusive, and environmentally sound if the intention is there.
While the main restaurant’s service and kitchen don’t quite match the park’s incredible surroundings, there is now a promising addition. My longtime friend and wonderful entrepreneur Nazli Shahin has just opened her nostalgia-infused cafeteria concept, Granita, on the park grounds, offering a fresh experience and bringing new attention to this urban oasis.
Al-Azhar Mosque
Al-Rifa’i Mosque
Commissioned by Khedive Ismail’s mother, Hoshiyar Qadin, the Al-Rifa’i Mosque was built as a replacement for a much smaller 12th-century Fatimid mosque that became a Sufi Zawiya (Al Bayda Zawiya) after Rifai’s grandson, an important member of the Rifai Sufi tariqa was buried there. It stands adjacent to the incredibly beautiful 14th-century Mosque of Sultan Hassan, creating a striking contrast between Mamluk and more modern Islamic architecture. Although construction began in the mid-19th century, the mosque was not completed until 1912, after Hoshiyar Qadin’s death. The mosque also serves as a royal mausoleum. Inside is the green onyx tomb of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. When I first visited as a teenager, I had never seen so much onyx marble before, let alone green onyx, at the same time. It left a lasting impression. The mosque also houses the tombs of King Farouk, Egypt’s last monarch, and other members of the Muhammad Ali royal family. Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i offer powerful journeys through Cairo’s religious, political, and architectural history.
Ben Ezra Synagogue
Old synagogues are always worth a visit as witnesses of time and history and spiritual connection. Inside Coptic Cairo, this will follow or precede a visit of the Hanging Church.
Cave Church (Monastery of Saint Simon the Tanner)
The largest church in the Middle East was carved by garbage collectors in 1975 with inventive architecture inside the caves of the Mokattam hills. A sight unseen worth a visit.
Egyptian Museum
Beauty everywhere. A must.
Gayer-Anderson Museum
This one offers a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of affluent Cairene families during the Ottoman empire. It was one of my inspirations for reviving Egyptian Alabaster. Made of two Ottoman-era houses later inhabited by a British army officer and antiquities collector from 1935 to 1942. Fun fact: Several scenes from 1977 James Bond The Spy Who Loved were shot there.
Grand Egyptian Museum
I still have a soft spot for the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square with its rusty, chaotic charm and amazing collection, but the Grand Egyptian Museum is definitely a must-see. No matter how huge and spectacular Henegangh Peng’s architecture is, what always mesmerizes me is the incredible quality of the artifacts. The never-before-seen wooden soldiers from Mesehti’s tomb, the statues of Meyre and his wife, the alabaster statue of King Menkaure, or Metri, the overseer of scribes, with his piercing glass eyes. No words can describe the next level craftsmanship, even more so when remembering how these godly objects are thousands of years old. No words. By the way check out the main light pendant I created for the beautiful Nakhla museum jewelry shop.
Hanging Church
Located above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, its nave is suspended over a passage. One of the oldest churches in Egypt dating back to 3rd century AD. A visit to Coptic Cairo is a must for history lovers.
Ibn Tulun Mosque
Iconic classical Abbasid architecture, a must see for history and architecture lovers.
Manial Palace Museum (Prince Mohamed Ali Palace)
Mohamed Ali Mosque (The Alabaster Mosque)
Already then the local industry of Egyptian Alabaster was in decline in spite of ancient Egyptian traditions. So much so that Mohamed Ali Pasha insisted on the use of alabaster, a material not really suited for buildings (especially not for outdoors as it can be seen by the looks of the stone today in the courtyard.). A Neo-Mamluk style initially crafted by
French architecture Jacques Costes to merge with Cairo’s indigenous Mamluk and Fatimid styles was last minute declined by Mohamed Ali who wanted Ottoman architecture. The result is not as subtle or refined as earlier Islamic styles .
Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan
A monumental masterpiece of Mamluk architecture built between 1356 and 1363. Incredible vaultings and overall splendor. My favorite in Egypt.
Museum of Ancient Civilization
Maybe not the most memorable display or architecture considering how exceptional a sighting it is but the Mummies Hall is absolutely insane. Ramses II, Hatshepsut and Seti I in the “flesh” or “bones” rather. I go say hi to them whenever I can. Just crazy. Don’t miss it.
Om Kalthoum Museum
I’m not sure what to make of this one. Om Kalthoum’s house was demolished after her death in 1975. It was sold (probably by one of the beggars I mention in my preface) to an investor who replaced it with a mediocre residential complex and an even worse hotel. No statue or renamed roundabout can undo that loss. The museum dedicated to her is housed near the Manasterli Palace, but not even inside its most majestic rooms. An Ottoman era building with no real connection to her life or career does not come close to matching her legacy. I share it only because the objects on display such as her sunglasses, handwritten lyrics, and iconic shawls are genuinely touching. Also the Palace with its Ottoman Baroque decayed beauty is tucked away on the southern tip of Rawda Island, which is a rare pocket of calm in a neighborhood that has long slipped into neglect. But just beside the museum stands the historic and architecturally fascinating Nilometer, built in 861 AD to measure the Nile’s water levels.
Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
STYLE
Alef Gallery
I first stumbled on this treasure trove when I was 17, and by 22, I received my very first artisan piece as a birthday present, a stunning hand painted metal tray. It’s traveled with me everywhere and now brightens my sister’s living room in Beirut, ever since I went nomad in 2016. My first adult Parisian roof was filled with small finds from Alef Gallery, the only ones I could afford back then. I even used their trays to decorate several clients’ apartments, giving them that exotic yet elegant East meets West flair that felt daring at the time. Now it’s classic. Honestly, I dare anyone serious about shopping to walk in and leave empty handed. Alef is a rare gem, run by my wonderful and ever knowledgeable distant cousin Loulia and her mother Naguiba. For over 30 years, they’ve been sharing their unique take on Egypt, Phoenicia, and Mesopotamia, all crafted by local hands. Mabrouk.
Anūt
The be-all in Egyptian crafts. Run by my dear friend of over 30 years, Goya and her dedicated team, the shop creates or curates a stunning array of handmade pieces by artisans from across Egypt. From the earthy pottery of Fayoum to the intricately woven bedspreads of Akhmim, once Ancient Egypt’s renowned textile hub, and delicate, handembroidered table linens crafted by women’s cooperatives they proudly support. Goya’s creations are loved and sold around the world, but when I’m in Egypt, I always come to the source.
Asfour El Nil
Multitalented it-girl and family member Rasha El Gammal’s long time running Zamalek concept store features colorful, locally crafted gifts and home accessories. Her summer tote bags are much sought after objects of affection. She designs the most stunning appliqué Khayameyya caftans.
Au Fil Du Nil
Created and run by my French sister in Cairo, Marie Luce, Au Fil Du Nil is a delicately elegant brand that celebrates the traditional Egyptian Fouta made from Egyptian cotton that’s light as air but potent. Whatsapp or Instagram them for orders.
Azza Fahmy Jewellery
A national and international pride. Egypt’s first jewelry name.
Crystal Asfour
I’m here for a Crystal Asfour revamp.
Diwan
Quintessential Cairo bookstore founded by longtime friend Nadia Wassef. A madeleine de Proust.
Ebony & Ivory
Mahmoud Said founded this landmark design studio in 1997. Great locally made furniture too.
Eklego
One of the first modern architecture, interior and furniture design firms in Cairo. Established 25 years ago by family friend Hedayat and her partner Dina now featuring a remarkably tasteful creative director, Emma James.
Esraa Badawy ceramic studio
A beautiful take on traditional ceramics.
HAF
HAF is a furniture design and manufacturing studio founded by friends Hassan Abouseda and Jihan El Touny in 2020 with focus on local artisans and crafts.
Huwa Design
For years people have asked me where I get the beautiful pins I proudly wear on my jackets around the world. Hisham is the guy. A talented, adorable entrepreneur.
Kahhal looms
Longtime friends Hend and Mohamed Kahhal are fully invested in bringing their family’s carpet business to new heights.
Kahhal 1871
More beauty from the Kahhal family.
Kelos
Classic handmade glass artisans since 1988. Nelly is the soul of the operation.
Living In Interiors
The ultimate temple (literally) of high end imported luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren Home, B&B Italia and Baker. More importantly, its most elegant mother and daughter duo Alia and Tamara Tanani are behind collectible design brand Don Tanani. Exciting collaboration on the way.
Madu
Eco minded sustainable home products, home of exquisite embroidery by Threads of Hope
Mahinez El Messiry
Meticulously crafted and thought out by dedicated creative Mahinez El Messiry this is a beautiful little brand that celebrates Egyptian heritage through a meticulous and personal approach that’s often missing in Egypt. I hope they don’t run out of their delicious Chamomile home spray which deserves a glass bottle version.
Mamlouk
Love this old school little crafts and souvenir shop in Zamalek.
Mounaya
Beautiful Ghada Abdlehak founded this little levantine sanctuary 18 years ago. A classic Zamalek concept store where fashion meets craft and design.
Museeum
Taking museum store to the next level.
Nagada
Read about Nagada in my preface.
Nakhla
Classic Heritage Jewelry with a stunning flagship in the GEM.
Nihal Zaki
Nihal’s decorative visions have brought a distinctive mix of maximalism mixed with gothic and islamic styles to many Egyptian homes. Her showroom offers a selection of new and antique pieces.
Nuniz
High end and truly made in Egypt. A pioneering leather goods brand created by close friend Nadia Zorkani.
Okhtein
Witnessing Mouna and Aya build an empire from their first little shop in Zamalek to being chosen by Beyoncé and going global has been quite the treat. Modern Egyptian success story at its finest.
Rania Fahmy – R’kan
Rania’s style is her very own. She works with a wide array of the best craftsmen in Egypt to create original pieces. Something to salute on a scene where few create genuinely personal works.
Randa Fahmy
Masterful, exquisite metal works and Islamic furniture by Azza Fahmy’s equally talented sister. A favorite.
SAL
Award winning lighting company ran by my friend Salsabeel.
Shewekar
Interior Design powerhouse family member and co-author of the best selling cookbook Bilhana. Shewekar is one of the pioneers of modern interiors in Egypt. Check out her Gala plate set.
Siwa Creation
A small glimpse of the most incredible endeavor that is Adrere Amelal ecolodge in Siwa. Here a few of its best homegrown products under the direction of the stylish Laila Neamattalla.
Tamara Haus
Read about this exciting new venue in my preface.
Tanis
Longevity speaks for itself. Masterful silk screening printing on textiles. I hope they can come up with a full comprehensive sample catalogue someday from their many iconic styles.
Villa Magenta
Beautiful collectible design showroom in Heliopolis.
Ultra Design
One of the first design galleries in Cairo still going strong after several decades.
FOOD
Abou Tarek
Egypt’s best koshary.
Andrea
Iconic hospitality figure and cousin, Omar Rateb has been running Andrea for decades. It has since become a household name among true Egyptians, perhaps the only genuinely authentic Egyptian restaurant in Cairo. Now perched atop a hill in the New Giza compound, it still retains its original spirit. His signature dishes include free-range boneless chicken, Egyptian rice, kofta, beetroot salad, and delicious freshly made Egyptian bread. His feteerah, a traditional Egyptian pastry pie layered with ghee and typically enjoyed for breakfast with black honey and white cheese, is a rich and indulgent delight. His is the very best. Traditional bread and feteerah were normal to come across on nearly every street corner just 10 years ago. Today, local bread is made without salt, and feteerah has become rubbery and bland. Meanwhile, western or more specifically British-style sourdough bread spots are sprouting up everywhere. They cater to a wealthy minority, but given Egypt’s population of over 120 million, that still means millions of people. Andrea’s Egyptian bread and feteerah are all the more treasurable.
Avec Karim
Uber talented chef who caters to the hostesses with the mostest and creates Egyptian tuna basterma, Egyptian duck fois gras (Egyptians invented fois gras), and makes killer bottarga spaghettis.
Baboo’s
Omar Rateb’s nephew Abu Bakr follows in his uncle’s footsteps with great talent and more vegan and healthy orientations.
Bascotta
Multi talented entrepreneur, brand architect mogul and friend Amir Fayo has managed the impossible feat of creating an incredibly large and varied menu of ready to go sandwiches, pastries and cakes that are actually delicious. This place is the moment.
Dara’s Ice Cream
Esca
Beautiful, high end intentional cuisine. Ahmed Sakr we love you Habibi.
Khufu’s
Award winning gastronomic Egyptian menu. One of a kind dining with surreal views given away by its name.
Khalifa Maadi
Ok so this is a personal oddball. Popular with the real streets, this place in Maadi looks at best like a prison cell from Midnight Express but they sell the best milk products including the most delicious rice pudding I ever tasted. Don’t be scared (I think) by the looks of the place.
Madarine Koueider
Iconic pastry shop in Zamalek (this branch) with the most delicious yogurt and red plum ice cream. The Baklawa, Basboussa and most desserts are sinful in an unrefined way but I think all that stuff isn’t worth the insane calorie count. Only in extreme cases of munchies and post clean eating months.
Mazeej
Great venue with a much welcome Egyptian menu that includes national favorites you can’t usually find in restaurants : Sharkaceyya and Molokheyya.
Moko
Admirable local brand of seriously good chocolate.
Pier 88
Local institution serving the best Italian food in town.
Ratio
Pioneering sourdough bread and London style bakery in Cairo. A blessing for those of us who live in Cairo.
Sachi
The happy few’s favorite. Incredible venues and high end international cuisine founded by university friend turned hospitality mogul Ayman Baki. Well done.
Tahrir Koshary
Killer koshary. A Delicious meal for 1 euro.
What The Crust
Award winning local pizza.
HOTELS
egyptbeyond.com
Immobilia is an iconic building in Downtown Cairo that has been admirably refurbished to welcome the most nostalgically stylish venue in the heart of Cairo.
Four Seasons Nile Plaza
More in my preface
Four Seasons First Plaza
Situated in Giza.
Marriott Zamalek
This has been my favorite hotel for years.
The Gezirah Palace was built at the request of Khedive Ismail and designed by Carl von Diebitsch to accommodate French Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie for the 1869 celebration marking the opening of the Suez Canal. Ismail instructed the architect to model it after the Palace of Versailles. In 1880, the palace was taken over by Ismail’s creditors and later leased to the Compagnie Internationale des Grands Hotels, which opened it as The Gezira Palace Hotel in October 1894. During World War I, it served as the No.2 Australian General Hospital when the Mena House couldn’t handle the large number of wounded from the Battle of Gallipoli. In 1919, Syrian businessman Habib Lotfallah purchased the hotel and turned it back into a private home. Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the palace in 1952, and it was eventually converted once more into a hotel, reopening in 1962 under the name Omar Khayyam Hotel. Major renovations in the late 1970s added two large towers and completely rebuilt the facility. President Hosni Mubarak led the grand reopening in 1982, when it became the Cairo Marriott Hotel. With such a rich history, I was so disappointed when they repainted the entire hotel in a wrong shade of ochre signaling its decline. The hotel has deteriorated in many ways. It now exemplifies my concerns about the invasion of beggars in unwelcome places, offering mediocre food and generally poor service for anyone who doesn’t bribe the staff very generously. A pity. The outside promenade remains a relative delight for a summer evening fresh mango juice or friday afternoon people watching.
Mazeej
Long time brother Ahmed Ganzoury and his partner Karim Nabil have done it. A cool, unique boutique hotel in downtown Cairo. Only a few rooms and a great rooftop.
Sofitel Gezira
The view and pool on the Nile are nice.
Mena House Marriott
This one is also another case of endless potential gone sour. I once spent an afternoon with cinematic master Roman Polanski and his beautiful family there. The conversation and view from their suite in the midst of a sandstorm at the foot of the great Pyramids is one of my life’s highlight. The palace hosted Agatha Christie, Winston Churchill, Sinatra, Chaplin and many others. The extraordinary interiors were recently dismantled and sold at auction. All the more reason to admire the remarkable effort that was done to renovate the Parisian Ritz hotel in its exact original design. Marriott hire me as creative consultant for the next renovation!!
President Hotel
Maybe the only location with the Marriott that allows for real street wandering without the use of a car in a nice neighborhood. Good value for money for business or short stays.
That’s all for now folks. Now I won’t have to send you the endless WhatsApp list on your next trip. It’s all here! You’re welcome!
More cities coming in a distant future.
Have a fantastic summer! See you in September!
Omar