The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

When it comes to Cairo’s hidden gems, Maadi is a gold mine. Small shops and cafés, where you can grab a cup of coffee on the go, or have brunch are abundant. One of them, with its unique French airs, is Miette, so we went to explore.

Tucked away beneath ground level on Street 209, you take a few steps down before you walk into the small place with a couple of outdoor tables and some comfortable seating inside. In contrast to its physical size, Miette has an extensive menu comprising various pastries, desserts, and, of course, a selection of coffees.

From the hot beverages, the Mocha After Eight (40 LE) caught our eye, while we opted for a Mojito (35 LE) and a Peanut butter frappuccino (40 LE) from the cold ones. As we mentioned above, there are many desserts and pastries on the menu; however, we decided to opt for what was on display at the time of our visit, which were the Vanilla Mille-Feuille (45 LE) and the Biscuit cake (50 LE).

Starting with our drinks, the mojito’s sweetness was on-point, with the zesty lemon flavour complemented by a mild soda fizz. The peanut butter frappuccino was also very well made; sweet and nutty, with a foamy texture. The Mocha After Eight was the star of the show; the bitterness of coffee was the first thing we could taste, but once we stirred the drink, the chocolate smoothly kicked in to balance the overall taste that had a hint of mint, which we found a bonus.

As for the desserts, with its biscuit and chocolate layers, the biscuit cake pretty much resembled a lazy cake. Unfortunately, it had a very stiff texture, and the flavour wasn’t the best. While the mille-feuille’s presentation was outstanding, it was nowhere near fresh.

It seems that it wasn’t our day at Miette when it came to desserts, however, with its uniquely delightful French atmosphere, and delicious drinks, we highly recommend trying the place out. Perhaps next time we’ll order some of their freshly baked goods, which happen to be the talk of the town.