Ultimate Guide to Egyptian Street Food: What to Eat and Where to Find It

# Ultimate Guide to Egyptian Street Food

Egyptian street food is delicious, affordable, and safe - if you know what to order! Here's your complete guide to eating like a local.

## Must-Try Egyptian Street Foods

### 1. Koshari - Egypt's National Dish

**What it is:** Layers of rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas topped with spicy tomato sauce, crispy fried onions, and garlic vinegar.

**Taste:** Comfort food at its finest - filling, flavorful, and surprisingly satisfying.

**Price:** 15-30 EGP ($0.50-$1)

**Where to get it:**
- **Abou Tarek** (Cairo) - Most famous, 3 floors of koshari!
- **Koshari El Tahrir** (Cairo) - Local favorite
- Any koshari shop (they're everywhere!)

**Ordering tip:** Say "wahid koshari sagheer" (one small koshari) or "kabeer" for large.

### 2. Ta'ameya (Egyptian Falafel)

**What it is:** Fried balls made from fava beans (NOT chickpeas like Middle Eastern falafel), herbs, and spices.

**Taste:** Greener, more herbaceous than chickpea falafel. Crispy outside, fluffy inside.

**Price:** 3-5 EGP per sandwich ($0.10-$0.15!)

**Where to get it:**
- Street carts early morning
- Any "ful we ta'ameya" shop
- Breakfast spots

**Serving style:** Usually in baladi bread (Egyptian pita) with tahini, salad, and pickles.

### 3. Ful Medames - Traditional Breakfast

**What it is:** Slow-cooked fava beans mashed with cumin, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

**Taste:** Hearty, earthy, perfect morning protein.

**Price:** 10-20 EGP with bread

**Where to get it:**
- Breakfast carts
- Small ful shops (open 6-11 AM)
- Hotel breakfasts

**Eating style:** Scoop with bread, add your own pickles/veggies.

### 4. Shawarma

**What it is:** Marinated meat (chicken or beef) roasted on a vertical spit, shaved off and wrapped in bread.

**Taste:** Juicy, well-spiced, often with tahini and pickles.

**Price:** 25-40 EGP ($0.80-$1.30)

**Where to get it:**
- **Shabrawy** (Cairo) - Upscale chain
- Street shawarma stands
- Late-night food streets

**Safety tip:** Eat where you see high turnover (meat doesn't sit long).

### 5. Hawawshi

**What it is:** Spiced minced meat stuffed inside baladi bread, then baked until crispy.

**Taste:** Like a meat pie - crispy bread, juicy spiced filling.

**Price:** 20-35 EGP

**Where to get it:**
- **El Prince** (Zamalek, Cairo) - Famous for hawawshi
- Local bakeries
- Late-night food spots

### 6. Feteer - Egyptian "Pizza"

**What it is:** Flaky layered pastry, can be savory (cheese, meat) or sweet (honey, sugar, nuts).

**Taste:** Like a cross between pizza and pastry - buttery, flaky, delicious.

**Price:** 30-70 EGP depending on filling

**Where to get it:**
- **Feteer El Tahrir** (Cairo)
- Traditional feteer shops
- Tourist areas

**Recommendation:** Try "feteer meshaltet" (plain with honey) first!

### 7. Baladi Bread

**What it is:** Traditional Egyptian flatbread - a staple with every meal.

**Taste:** Fresh and warm = heaven. Slightly sour, chewy.

**Price:** 0.05 EGP per loaf (yes, 5 piasters!)

**Where to get it:**
- Every neighborhood bakery
- Look for lines of locals

**Local secret:** Freshest around 6-7 AM and 4-5 PM

### 8. Fresh Juice (Aseer)

**Popular flavors:**
- **Mango** (summer) - 15-25 EGP
- **Sugarcane** - 5-10 EGP
- **Orange** - 10-20 EGP
- **Strawberry** (winter) - 15-25 EGP

**Safety:** Generally safe! High sugar content and acidity kill bacteria.

**Where:** Juice shops everywhere - look for fresh fruit piled high.

**Tip:** Say "min gheir sukkar" (without sugar) if you don't want added sugar.

### 9. Stuffed Vegetables (Mahshi)

**What it is:** Vegetables (peppers, zucchini, eggplant, grape leaves) stuffed with rice, herbs, and sometimes meat.

**Taste:** Comfort food - slightly tangy from lemon juice.

**Price:** 30-50 EGP for a mixed plate

**Where to get it:**
- Home-style restaurants
- "Mahshi" specialty shops
- Hotels (more expensive)

### 10. Molokhia

**What it is:** Green soup made from jute leaves, served with rice and meat.

**Taste:** Unique! Slightly slimy texture (like okra), garlicky flavor.

**Price:** 40-60 EGP

**Where to get it:**
- Traditional Egyptian restaurants
- Home-cooking style places
- Thursday lunch special at many restaurants

**Note:** Either love it or hate it - worth trying once!

## Sweet Treats

### Om Ali
Traditional Egyptian dessert - bread pudding with cream, nuts, and raisins. Heaven in a bowl!
**Price:** 25-40 EGP

### Basbousa
Semolina cake soaked in honey syrup. Sweet and crumbly.
**Price:** 15-25 EGP

### Konafa
Shredded pastry with cheese or cream filling, soaked in syrup. Best during Ramadan!
**Price:** 30-50 EGP per serving

## Safety Tips for Street Food

### DO:
✓ Eat where locals eat (long lines = good sign!)
✓ Choose vendors with high turnover
✓ Watch food being cooked fresh
✓ Eat freshly fried foods (high heat kills bacteria)
✓ Drink bottled water, not tap

### DON'T:
✗ Eat salads from street vendors (tap water risk)
✗ Have meat that's been sitting out
✗ Eat seafood from street carts (except coastal areas)
✗ Use tap water ice
✗ Eat cut fruit sitting out in hot weather

### General Rules:
1. **Hot food:** Safest - heat kills bacteria
2. **High turnover:** Popular spots = fresh food
3. **Observe locals:** If locals avoid it, you should too
4. **Trust your instincts:** If it smells off, walk away

## Budget Planning

### Daily Food Budget:

**Ultra-Budget ($3-5 per day):**
- Breakfast: Ful sandwich (10 EGP)
- Lunch: Koshari (20 EGP)
- Dinner: Ta'ameya sandwiches (15 EGP)
- Juice: Fresh sugarcane (10 EGP)

**Budget ($8-12 per day):**
- Breakfast: Ful with eggs (25 EGP)
- Lunch: Shawarma (35 EGP)
- Dinner: Hawawshi (40 EGP)
- Snacks/drinks: (20 EGP)

**Comfortable ($15-25 per day):**
- Breakfast: Hotel or café (50 EGP)
- Lunch: Restaurant meal (100 EGP)
- Dinner: Nice restaurant (150 EGP)
- Snacks/juice: (50 EGP)

## Where to Find the Best Street Food

### Cairo:

**Downtown Cairo:**
- Around Talaat Harb Square
- Mohamed Mahmoud Street
- Alfy Street

**Islamic Cairo:**
- Khan el-Khalili area
- Al-Muizz Street

**Late Night (midnight-5 AM):**
- Qasr el-Nil Street
- Tahrir Square area
- University districts

### Alexandria:

**Corniche Area:**
- Fresh seafood
- Alexandrian-style liver sandwiches

**Mansheya:**
- Traditional Alexandrian sweets

### Luxor:

**Around Luxor Temple:**
- Tourist-friendly street food
- Higher prices but convenient

**Local Markets:**
- Better prices, authentic experience

## Useful Arabic Phrases

- **Bikam da?** - How much is this?
- **Wahid** - One
- **Etnein** - Two
- **Min gheir...** - Without...
- **Harr** - Spicy
- **Mish harr** - Not spicy
- **Sahha!** - Bon appetit!
- **El hessab, low samaht** - The bill, please

## Pro Tips

1. **Eat breakfast like an Egyptian** - Ful and ta'ameya before 10 AM
2. **Late lunch** - Egyptians eat lunch 2-4 PM
3. **Late dinner** - Dinner is 9-11 PM or later
4. **Share and sample** - Order multiple items to share
5. **Small bills** - Keep 5, 10, 20 EGP notes for street food
6. **Point if needed** - Language barrier? Point at what others are eating!

## Final Thoughts

Egyptian street food is one of the country's greatest pleasures. It's delicious, ridiculously cheap, and genuinely safe when you follow basic precautions. Don't be afraid to dive in - some of your best Egypt memories will be around street food stalls!

**Hungry for more?** Check out Egy360's verified restaurant recommendations for both street food and sit-down dining across Egypt!