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

It’s been a busy 2016 for Cairo’s dining scene; we’ve lost old names, seen favourites change and newbies impress. There are several factors that come in to play when we assess a restaurant – it goes beyond just the food in front of you.

But if we were just to take the food alone, as this list has, we have a whole different ball game. You’ll find the likes of Mezcal, Mori and Nola on the list – restaurants that are at the top of their game. But you might also be surprised by some of the other entries. Without further ado, we give you the best new dishes we’ve tried this year.

Hot Panko Roll @ Mori Sushi

Already a favourite on Mori Sushi’s new menu, the panko-coated Uma Maki roll is made of shrimp tempura, cream cheese and asparagus, all lavishly topped with caviar and a drizzle of lemon mayonnaise.

Grande Brisket Burrito @ El Chico

Soft tortilla bread filled with a generous amount of slow-roast beef brisket, rice, frijoles rancheros and cheese – not drooling yet?  El Chico’s Grande Brisket Burrito also comes with a drizzle of sour cream and your choice of either chipotle or ranchera sauce.

Fourno Kotopoulo @ Garbi

Garbi’s Fourno Kotopoulo is a tajine filled with pieces of tender grilled-chicken cutlets smothered with creamy spinach mixture with bold garlic, olives, and red onion – in short, an explosion of flavour.

Mushroom Burger @ Salt

Take on perfectly-seasoned beef patty. Top it with sautéed fresh mushrooms, American cheese and Salt’s Big Mac-like tangy sauce. Pop it into a soft-potato bun, and voila! This how you make a flawless old-school burger.

Coriander-infused Sausage @ Battaw

Battaw’s entry on the list is not your average oriental sausage. Mixed with cherry tomatoes, sautéed onions, pine nuts and coriander sauce, who would’ve thought that sausage could be so Instagrammable?

The Tenderloin in the Wood @ Tavolino

There’s plenty of creative dishes on Tavolino’s ‘New Italian Cuisine’ menu, but few as delicious as The Tenderloin in the Wood. This fantastic steak is bursting with Italian herb flavours, laying on a phyllo-like pastry filled with sautéed mushrooms, spinach and onions, and served with sweet garlic sauce and an exquisite sweet and savoury blueberry-and-onion jam.

Flank Steak @ Mo Bistro

Proving that good things come to those who wait, Mo Bistro’s flank steak is cooked for 8 hours on low heat, precisely sliced and drizzled with teriyaki sauce. It’s simple, but it’s brilliant.

Mushroom Risotto @  Flambe

It’s not easy to find a good risotto in Cairo, but Flambe’s creamy mushroom risotto is as close to perfect as you’ll find. Garnished with grana padano tiles, the exquisitely earthy-flavoured risotto boasts a blend of shiitake and white mushrooms, with a hint of truffle oil.

Shrimp & Bisk Espuma @  Kazlak

A flavoursome mix of baby shrimp and caramelised onion with a hint of shrimp bisque, all covered with smooth potato mousse and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top, Kazlak’s shrimp & bisque espuma is another impressive item introduced to the menu in 2016 that shows the restaurant’s unique identity.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta @  Crave

Spaghetti Pasta tossed in a creamy sauce with tasty Cajun spiced shrimps, red bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and served with fresh basil on top – this is one of the highlights of Crave’s new menu.

Chicken Wings @ Chili Buzz

Tender chicken wings with a scrumptious crust coated with your favourite choice of sweet spicy BBQ, Molotov sauce, BBQ sauce, or Sweet Sriracha Sauce; Chili Buzz might be a burger restaurant, but their chicken wings might actually be better.

Gorgonzola Mela pizza @ Il Loft

Il Loft launched a new menu with loads of new items, but the Gorgonzola Mela Pizza definitely stood out the most; the puffy-edged pizza is topped with tomato sauce and gorgonzola, whose sharp salty flavour balances the sweetness of the green apple slices on top.

Pizza Bomb @  Chillax

A pool of pizza sauce topped with pepperoni and melted cheese, surrounded by ten pizza dough balls filled with more cheese. Who needs to follow Tasty’s recipe when you can easily go to Chillax and order this bae?

Chocolate Chip Lava Cake @ Crave

Crave’s Chocolate Fondant once the poster boy of desserts in Cairo – but not anymore. The chocolate-chip Lava Cake is taking over as Cairo’s go-to dessert, because who would say no to a chewy cookie cake with a chocolate explosion?

White Chocolate Volcano Cake @ Nola

Nola has expanded its repertoire beyond cupcakes this year, but the White Chocolate Volcano Cake takes the, well, cake. It’s a moist white chocolate cake filled with a pool of white chocolate pudding and topped with more white chocolate shavings. Drool.

Deconstructed Cheesecake @ IL Loft

Before you roll your eyes at the word ‘deconstructed’, listen to this: crushed biscuits topped with cheese-infused whipped cream, fresh strawberries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and then drizzled with strawberry sauce.  Sounds pretentious coming out of your mouth, tastes delicious going in.

Tres Leche @  Mezcal

Mezcal was named one of Cairo 360’s Top New Restaurants of 2016, and it’s heavenly dessert, Tres Leche proves exactly why;  a super moist sponge cake soaked in a mixture of three types of milk, surrounded with mixed berries, chocolate chips, and topped with whipped cream and a dust of cinnamon. Drool.