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Egyptian Streets Recommends: Our Team’s Favourite Cairo Coffee Spots

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Egyptian Streets Recommends: Our Team’s Favourite Cairo Coffee Spots

Photo credit: Specialty Bun Official Facebook page.

Whether it’s for a caffeine fix, a sweet treat, a cozy atmosphere for remote work, or simply to savour a good quality brew, coffee shops of all kinds are a popular haunt for millions of Cairenes.

The Egyptian Streets team got together to compile a list of coffee shops in Cairo that we recommend; from single branch hole-in-the-wall establishments to international mega-chains, we believe there will be something for everyone on the list.

30 North

Recommended by Mohamed Khairat and Mona Abdou

Photo credit: 30 North Facebook page.

This particular café is a popular one on our team. With multiple branches in New Cairo, Zamalek, Sheikh Zayed, and even the North Coast, its locations make it easily accessible to many. The menu at 30 North boasts expertly brewed coffee, a variety of other hot and cold drinks, as well as light food for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. The two branches Mohamed and Mona recommend are the Garden 8 branch in New Cairo and the Iconia branch in Zamalek, both of which are excellent spots to get some work done while you enjoy your brew.

Seven Fortunes

Recommended by Amina Zaineldine

Photo credit: Seven Fortunes Facebook page.

Another coffee shop of local origin that several members of our team are partial to is Seven Fortunes. Again, this particular chain has branches in Sheikh Zayed, New Cairo, and a brand new one in the North Coast. With a unique selection of beans from their own roastery, as well as experienced baristas, they offer coffee that is truly a joy to drink.

CAI.BREW

Recommended by Zeina Hanafy

Photo credit: CAI.BREW Facebook page

Zeina recommends this Korba jewel because of its pleasing designe and appealing aesthetic. The coffee at CAI.BREW is delicious, and it’s hidden, intimate location is one of Zeina’s favourite things, especially when you’re on a walk or running errands and you happen upon it on a corner.

PinkBlanketMama

Recommended by Nour Altoukhi and Mohamed Khairat

Photo credit: Mohamed Khairat.

Tucked away in Garden 8’s Maison 69 in New Cairo, PinkBlanketMama is all about the aesthetic. Though both Mohamed and Nour said that the coffee may not have been the very best they had tried in Cairo, the relaxed and cozy seating more than makes up for that. And there’s something special about drinking coffee out of pretty, blue ceramic mugs.

Specialty Bun

Recommended by Amina Zaineldine

Photo credit: Specialty Bun Official Facebook page.

If you’ve heard of the Cairo Coffee Collective roastery and their coffee subscription service, we would like you to put you up to the coffee shop owned by the same two brothers. Though Specialty Bun is only one tiny shop in Arkan Plaza in Sheikh Zayed, it is more than worth a visit for it’s specialty coffee, unique house blends, and seasonal menu of single origin coffee sourced by the owners themselves. And one of the best things about the shop is that you rarely leave the shop without having had at least one interesting conversation with one of the baristas, a complete stranger, or perhaps even another regular you’ve met there the last time you went.

Greco

Recommended by Sara Ahmed

Photo credit: Cafe Greco Facebook page.

Located in Maadi, Greco reminds Sara of a bygone era with its warm style, and the endearing sun in their logo. The wood work, the open space, the little coffee bar gives a feeling of intimacy that is not as easy to find elsewhere. A wall covered in pictures of their clientele adds a personal touch, and shows that they value all those who walked through their doors.

Alaa ElDin

Recommended by Fat’hia ElSisi and Shereif 

Photo credit: The Turkish Coffee Guy

Shereif is not much of a coffee drinker, and when it comes to Western-style coffee, Fat’hia only likes to grab and go. But when they wants to sit down and truly enjoy the atmosphere, they both like to frequent ahawy baladi, not cafés. Fat’hia particularly recommends Alaa ElDin, an ahwa, that is located in Qasr El-Ainy across from Garden City. To her, the familiar attitude of the staff, who recognise her and bring her her regular order as soon as she arrives, is unrivalled.

Sip

Recommended by Mohamed Abdel Mageed

Photo credit: Sip Egypt Facebook page.

A day in Zamalek is usually a day well spent, and one of the stops you could make is Sip, a café Mohamed recommends because of its good quality coffee and pleasant décor. The Lebanese specialty coffee franchise has several branches apart from the one in Zamalek: one in Tahrir, and two others in Sheikh Zayed.

Brown Nose Coffee

Recommended by Farah Rafik

Photo credit: Brown Nose Coffee Facebook page.

Matcha may be a polarizing drink that’s not too popular amongst traditionalists, but Farah thinks that if you want to try the best matcha latte in Egypt, you should go to Brown Nose in Maadi. Matcha is, however, not all they have. With another local roastery, they have their own unique coffee blends, and serve a wide variety of dairy free milk options for those steering clear of lactose. The fact that they don’t have different sizes for their coffee, but it does not faze Farah too much, and she recommends the quiet and calm atmosphere of the place.

Breadfast Coffee

Recommended by Nadine

Coffee counter in Madinatys Breadfast. Source: Youmna Maghraby

Apart from the home delivery option on its application, Breadfast Coffee has a flagship shop in Madinaty, which Nadine says makes her feel like she is at home. The coffee itself is made of high quality blends, and there is a wide variety of delicious baked goods to enjoy as well.

Starbucks Coffee

Recommended by Mirna Abdulaal and Marina Makary

Photo credit: Starbucks Egypt Facebook page.

We hate to state the obvious, but what can we do when nowhere else offers the famous white mocha? While there is simple and plain coffee in Starbucks as well, it is particularly popular amongst the members who enjoy the flavour of a dessert coffee. With a variety of flavours and toppings that are hard to find in other coffee spots, it’s likely to have something everyone would enjoy. Mirna particularly highlights the uniquely creamy texture of the coffee at Starbucks which taught her, who is not the biggest coffee drinker, to like coffee.

Caribou Coffee

Recommended by Nadine Khaled

Photo credit: Caribou Coffee Egypt Facebook page.

Another fan of dessert coffee is Nadine, who recommends Caribou, which also boasts a wide variety of sweet additions that turn coffee into a whole new and enjoyable experience. There is something extra special about going to Caribou during the winter, where it has a particularly warm and welcoming atmosphere.

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Senior Editor at Egyptian Streets and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo. Holds a master's degree in Global Journalism from the University of Sheffield, where she wrote a dissertation about the effect of disinformation on the profession of journalism. Passionate about music, story-telling, baking, social justice, and taking care of her plants. "If you smell something, say something." -Jon Stewart, 2015

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