Food, Water Safety & Egyptian Cuisine

Must-Try Egyptian Dishes

• Koshary: Egypt's national dish — lentils, rice, pasta, chickpeas, fried onions and spicy tomato sauce. Found everywhere, and incredibly cheap.
• Ful Medames: slow-cooked fava beans with olive oil, lemon and garlic. A breakfast staple.
• Taameya (Egyptian falafel): made with fava beans instead of chickpeas — lighter and greener than the Lebanese version.
• Molokhia: a green soup made from jute leaves, served with rice and chicken or rabbit. An acquired taste for some, beloved by locals.
• Grilled seafood: exceptional along the Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts, with the fresh catch of the day always on the menu.
• Konafa & baklava: sweet pastries soaked in syrup, ideal with Egyptian coffee or tea.
• Sahlab: a warm, thick drink made from orchid root, popular in winter.

Water Safety

Stick to bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth, and check that seals are intact when you buy it. Avoid ice unless you're confident it's made from purified water. Fresh fruit with a peel — bananas, oranges, mangoes — is generally safe, and cooked vegetables are a safer bet than raw salads for sensitive stomachs.

Street Food Tips

Street food in Egypt is delicious and safe if you follow a few basic rules: eat where locals are eating, since high turnover means fresher food; avoid raw vegetables from street vendors; make sure meat is cooked thoroughly and served hot; and carry hand sanitizer for the moments between stalls and your next meal.