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

We often lament the state of Italian cuisine in Cairo restaurants. While it is of course in no short supply across both specialist Italian restaurants and other eateries that carry the maddeningly vague ‘international cuisine’ banner, few places in the capital deliver when it comes to authenticity.  

Located in Downtown Cairo, Grazie, located on the second floor of the Hilton Ramses Annex, makes a good go of it. Despite being in the centre of Cairo, the restaurant has a rustic elegance about it; modestly chic décor; delicate displays of spaghetti alongside cooking oils and musical instruments, are as charming as the waiters who deliver excellent service.

There is a menu outside the restaurant so guests can look before entering and it displays many of Italy’s most iconic dishes such as Lasagne, Spaghetti Bolognaise and Penne Arrabiata.

After being seated, we were given a complimentary ‘shot’ – a green, mint-flavoured hot beverage – then, but a few moments later, the waiter arrived with another complimentary snack; a small plate of black pepper crackers with an additional tangy, tomato sauce.

For starters we ordered the Italian Salad (33.25LE), which consisted of a generous bed of fresh lettuce topped with chicken breast, tomatoes, cucumber and green peppers drizzled with an Italian dressing.  It was delightfully fresh and the dressing gave it a nice, aromatic kick.

To follow we opted for Spaghetti Bolognaise (33.25LE) which was very generous in portion and very nicely presented, too.  The edge of the plate was decorated with fresh finely-chopped parsley, framing the mound of spaghetti and meat/tomato sauce, and garnished with cherry tomatoes, a cracker and asparagus.  The addition of grated-parmesan cheese topped off what was a top-notch tangy tomato sauce and basil, though the meat was meager in amount

Italian tradition dictates that one finishes a meal with a coffee or espresso and Grazie have provided a large variety of coffees on their menu, though there are also a range of soft drinks, cocktails and hot chocolate.  We ordered a small espresso which was strong and robust and the perfect finish to this heavy meal.

Despite advertising itself as an Italian restaurant, Grazie also serves a large variety of Middle Eastern dishes such as Shish Tawook and Kofta with Rice.
But despite this, its location and its relative modesty, Grazie offers a pleasantly simple dining experience complete with good food at affordable prices.