Sahel Bites Back: SceneEats’ Definitive List of Sahel’s Best Eats

Sahel is an overwhelming fever dream of sunburns, side roads, and 47 restaurant openings you swear you’ve never heard of. Every day brings a new menu, a soft opening, a delayed opening, a beach cart turned fine dining concept (we see you, Mango on a stick), and a friend calling a friend for a QR code. Add in no signal, 6 people with 12 opinions, and someone suggesting “let’s just eat at the gas station by Hacienda”, and suddenly, eating becomes the hardest part of your weekend getaway in Sahel.

That’s where we come in. We’ve tasted, tracked, and emotionally recovered from the full chaos of the Sahel food scene, so you don’t have to. Whether you're chasing beachside bites, group dinner peace treaties, or just a meal that makes sense after three hours in traffic—this guide has you covered.

From coffee to cake, beach bites to bougie dinners, we’ve organized every reopening worth your hunger. This is Sahel Bites Back—the SceneEats ultimate guide to where (and what) to eat this summer. It’s chaotic-good energy, but with Google Sheets discipline.

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

30 NorthAlamein, Diplo & Lasirena

Yes, it’s a coffee spot, but it’s also got one of the most underrated breakfast menus on the coast. Eggs, toast, croissants, smoothies, you can either grab-and-go or sit and pretend you're not eavesdropping on the table next to you.

Qahwa

Marassi

If you're a breakfast classicist, Qahwa delivers. The pancakes are genuinely excellent, the eggs never miss, and great for when you want something familiar but still coastal-core.

Koffee Kulture

Branches all over Sahel

Koffee Kulture is what you make of it. You can grab a canned cold brew and run, or you can sit and order a full-on breakfast with eggs, avo toast, and actual intention. It’s the caffeine constant of the North Coast.

Lychee
Seashell, Swan Lake, Almaza, Hacienda Red & Marassi

Lychee is the go-to for anyone trying to convince themselves that their Sahel trip is a wellness retreat. Bowls, smoothies, nut butters, protein add-ons, you can build the kind of breakfast that makes you feel like you’ve already worked out (even if you haven’t).

Mistiqa

MV Ras El Hikma, La Vista Bay & Amwaj

The rare spot that lets you have fool, ta’meya, and mana’eesh at 9 AM without judgment. It’s giving levant brunch meets Egyptian nostalgia with a tan. If you're in Ras El Hikma or La Vista and need something hearty before your sea dip, this is your move.

Ladurée

Marassi Marina

This is the kind of breakfast that comes with a side of posture. You’re getting eggs, maybe a croissant, maybe a tart, but definitely something that photographs well. End your meal with a pistachio macaron and pretend your summer budget isn't crying.

Cult

Hacienda White & Almaza

Bagels by the beach? Always a good idea. Cult keeps it simple with solid coffee, great service, and the kind of breakfast that fills you up without slowing you down.

Foufa’s

Masaya

For the breakfast crowd that needs quiet, good food, and a proper mazag. Whether you're going for eggs, coffee, or something sweet, Foufa’s is the kind of place where everything just feels like it's made with care. Small space, big soul.

Ratios by the Beach

Almaza Bay

If you know, you know, and if you're from Maadi, you’ve definitely been preaching about Ratios. Their Almaza beach outpost brings the same perfect sourdough, croissants, and bowls that made you fall in love in Cairo. It’s technically a bakery, spiritually a lifestyle.

1980

Seashell & Marassi

1980 has quietly built one of the most diverse breakfast menus on the coast. You can grab a coffee, a sandwich, a panuozzo, or something unexpectedly sweet—all in one stop.

Cake Cafe

Marassi Marina & Hacienda Red

Everyone knows Cake for, well, cake—but their breakfast is sneakily one of the best. Think fresh bakes, egg dishes, and all the brunch things that make you stay longer than you meant to. And yes, cake for brunch is always allowed here.

Ara

Telal, Seashell Hill, Amwaj

Ara doesn’t try to reinvent breakfast, it just does it well. Fresh ingredients, clean flavors, and that rare calm energy that makes you forget you woke up five minutes before arriving.

Eatery

Diplo 3, Seashell Walk, Marassi Marina & Solare Ras El Hikma

We need to talk about the feteer meshaltet. It’s crispy, buttery, flakey, and frankly might be the most important breakfast item on the coast.

Moxy’s

Marassi

Moxy’s is a bit of a sleeper hit. You go in and walk out slightly addicted to their paninis. If you’re in Marassi and want something fast but actually filling, this is your best bet.

Kazouza

Hacienda Bay

There’s always one person in the group who wants a real Egyptian breakfast—and this is where you take them. Fool, ta’meya, eggs, eskandarani vibes, and no fluff.

UPSCALE DINING

Reif Kushiyaki

Marassi Marina

If you’ve never had Japanese street food plated like fine art, Reif is your awakening. The skewers slap, the sand-colored interiors scream understated luxury, and it’s one of the few places where the hype is fully earned.

Sachi by the Sea

Almaza Bay & Marassi Marina

You already know. This is where you go when the group chat says “somewhere nice” and no one’s in the mood to debate. Sushi, seabass, soft lighting (on its own island), your parents will love it, your date will love it, and honestly? You’ll love it too.

Izakaya

Marassi Marina

Loud, moody, and somehow always fully booked. Izakaya brings the whole Nikkei vibe to Marassi with loud cocktails, louder music, and ceviche that disappears in under two minutes.

Esca

LYV Ras El Hikma

Esca’s new Ras El Hikma spot feels like a secret you kind of want to gatekeep. Mediterranean with flair, beautiful without trying, and everything tastes like it was plated by someone with immaculate handwriting.

The Lemon Tree & Co.

Hacienda White

The return of this OG coastal legend is for those who brunch like it’s performance art and dine like the soft launch is being filmed. Always theatrical, sometimes dramatic, never boring.

Galambo

Hacienda White

Seafood, sunsets, and that one friend who always orders oysters "for the table." Galambo is for those who want their dinner with ocean breeze and a side of maritime fantasy.

Stanley

Marassi Marina

Back for another round in Marassi Marina, Stanley has already earned its place as a comfort spot with just the right touch of cool. It’s nostalgic for the people who discovered it last summer, and still feels fresh enough to keep you coming back for more.

Bar G

Marassi Marina

New kid, big energy. Bar G is the new exclusive spot to impress everyone you know.

SAX

Marassi

Dinner-slash-live-show-slash-potential-core-memory. You’re not just eating, you’re clapping between bites and trying not to drop your fork during the sax solo.

The Smokery

Bianchi

A coastal classic that refuses to disappoint. Whether you’re there for the sushi or the seafood pasta, Smokery Bianchi is for people who eat dinner in white linen and mean it.

Scalini

Hacienda White

Now with a new coastal home, Scalini is back to remind you that no one does Italian comfort like they do—especially when it’s paired with sunset lighting and just the right amount of smug.

San Carlo

Marassi Marina After conquering London’s food scene, San Carlo has officially docked in Marassi Marina, bringing its polished Italian classics and signature Mayfair flair.

Pier88

Almaza Bay

Pier88 doesn’t change. It just relocates. Same energy, same menu, same DJ slowly transitioning from jazz to house while you’re halfway through your burrata.

Lucida Coast

Hacienda Red

At this point, Lucida is a Sahel classic, reliable, chill, and always a good idea. Whether you’re going for the seafood, the music, or just to catch your breath somewhere that actually makes sense, Lucida’s got you.

Andiamo

Marsa Baghoush

Road trip-worthy. Andiamo brings drinks, Italian plates, and an air of “how did we end up here but love it?” to Marsa Baghoush. Surprisingly great pizza, even better energy.

Kiki’s

Hacienda White

You already know what this is: the scene, the vibe, the giant salads and seared tuna that you only pretend to share. It’s loud, beautiful, and still somehow the place everyone wants to be.

Baia

Telal

There’s something about Baia that makes “just dinner” feel like the prequel to something you can’t fully explain. The food’s great, the energy’s high, and if you don’t post a blurry photo of the table mid-dance… did you even go?

Beef Bar

Almaza Bay

This one’s for the steak obsessives, the people who talk about cuts like they're birth signs. Fresh to Almaza Bay, Beefbar brings the kind of precision, technique, and melt-in-your-mouth moments that make meat feel like a love language.

FAMILY DINING

Eatery

Diplo 3, Seashell Walk, Marassi Marina & Solare Ras El Hikma

From molokhia to sushi to seafood pasta, Eatery is the Switzerland of Sahel dining. No matter who you bring, there’s something they’ll say yes to, and no one’s feelings will get hurt. It’s the ultimate group compromise, minus the compromise.

Le Flandrin

Marassi

Polished, calm, and quietly reliable. The food quality is high, the crowd is low-maintenance, and it’s where you take the family when you all agree on “somewhere nice” but don’t want to fight about what kind of “nice.”

Carlo’s

Marassi Marina & North Square Alamein

A family staple in every sense. The menu is broad, the portions are generous, and there’s always someone you know at the next table.

Villa Caracas

Marassi

Lebanese food with a view and enough mezze to keep the whole table happy. Bonus: it’s lowkey enough to feel relaxed but waterfront enough to feel special.

OvioMarassi

Ovio has mastered the rare art of getting every family member to nod at the same time. From their bakery corner to their comfort mains, it’s an “everyone wins” kind of meal.

Granita

Diplo

If you already love the Zamalek or Arkan branches, this one’s for you. Same menu, same vibe, same iced hibiscus with a pastry at 6 PM crowd. For people who don’t believe in seasonal personality changes.

Gigi’s

Ghazala Bay

Just opened last year and already feels like it’s been around forever. Gigi’s is the kind of classic that lets you order pasta, a salad, and a giant pizza to share—and somehow everyone ends up satisfied.

Ayadina

Marassi Marina

For the families that like their food flavorful but their ambiance lowkey. Lebanese food without the performance—just good fattoush and freshly baked markouk bread with zero stress.

Favilla

Hacienda Red

Quiet, tucked away, and great for when the group chat goes radio silent and you’re the one making the call. Comfort dishes and enough space to actually hear each other.

Gaby’s

Lakeyard Hacienda Bay & Telal

With locations in both Hacienda and Telal, Gaby’s is your go-to for casual, crowd-pleasing plates. It’s reliable, relaxed, and always has something for the one friend who only eats pasta.

L’Asiatique

Marassi Marina

Pan-Asian for the family that considers soy sauce a love language. Sushi, noodles, curries—it’s a flavorful break from the grilled-everything cycle.

Piccolo Mondo

Marassi Marina

Italian classics in Marassi Marina that won’t cause a family feud. Think pastas, pizzas, and that one seafood risotto that always disappears first.

Izmir Saray

Seashell

Turkish food in Seashell? Sign us up. but Great for shared plates and anyone who’s craving kebab over calamari.

Blaze

Marassi Marina

Easygoing and versatile, Blaze is the kind of place where lunch can turn into dinner without anyone noticing. Burgers, sandwiches, pastas—it’s all here, and no one will complain.

Umami

Lavista Cascada & Lavista Bay East

Lavista’s own family-friendly spot for when you’re craving variety but don’t want to overthink it.

BEACH BITES

BRGR

Branches all over Sahel

The OG burger truck that’s somehow at every compound and every memory you have of Sahel. Whether it’s 2 PM or 2 AM, BRGR is always there when you need it most.

Howlin Birds

Diplo

Diplo’s go-to for fried chicken that actually bites back. Spicy, crunchy, and messy enough to ruin your white beach outfit in the best way possible.

Dina Farms
Diplo, Mountain View Ras El-Hikma, Dunes Mall & Marina 5

Sweet, savory, stuffed, or plain—they’ve somehow made every version of Egyptian feteer available in one place. It’s giving roadside stop, but the kind that feeds your entire group and your childhood.

JJ’s
Marassi & Seashell

For when you want fast food that doesn’t feel like fast food. JJ’s hits the sweet spot between loaded, crispy, and “should we order one more?”

PicklSeashell & Alamein

A Dubai favorite that now lives in Seashell and Alamein—and let’s be real, it knows it’s hot. Smashburgers, nuggets, and fries so good they should come with a warning label.

Sandwich RoomAlmaza

One of Almaza’s best-kept secrets. Cold sandwiches, hot sandwiches, carb-on-carb action—it’s all built to be eaten standing, dripping, and completely satisfied.

Between the BunsLakehouse The Club & Marassi Beach Clubhouse

It’s the kind of burger you think about two days later. Juicy, unpretentious, and exactly what you want after swimming too far or socializing too much.

Maine Telal & Northed & Ceasar

Lobster rolls on the beach = elite behavior. Maine serves up seafood shack energy with coastal realness—no frills, just flavor (and fries, obviously).

CaizoNorth & Mountain View Egyptian

soul, beach setting. Shawerma, hawawshi, and all the hits your teta would low-key approve of—just with better packaging and a lot more garlic sauce.

Big DaddyLa Vista Bay, North Square Alamein & Seashell

The portions are huge, the fries are curly, and the energy is pure chaos. Big Daddy doesn’t do subtle—and that’s why we love them (and their surf and turf fries).

Holy BunsDiplo & Hacienda White

Their smashburger is exactly what you crave post-beach: juicy, melty, slightly sinful. Call it a guilty pleasure, but you’ll still post it.

Na2na2aLa Vista Ras El Hekma & Cascada

The name says Egypt, the food says soul. Who said kebda and sogo2 can’t be enjoyed on the beach?

Secret SocietyNorthed

You either know about it or you don’t—and that’s exactly the point. Burger, fries, and mystery sauces you’ll keep thinking about long after sunset.

COFFEE, MATCHA & THE WORKS

Seven Fortunes

Branches all over Sahel

At this point, they’re on every corner in Sahel—like a well-placed lifeguard, but for caffeine emergencies. Always good, always there, no overthinking required.

Brown Nose

Marina Marassi

Yes, it’s in the middle of Marassi chaos, and yes, the QR code drama is real—but it’s absolutely worth it. That cup hits like a reward for surviving five roundabouts.

Saints

BRGR, Locations all over Sahel

Found inside every BRGR and now kind of stealing the spotlight. If you’re ordering a Spanish latte with your burger, this is the reason you keep coming back.

30 North

Alamein, Diplo & Lasirena

At this point, 30 North is a caffeine infrastructure. Whether you’re iced, shaken, blended, or very specific about beans, this one’s always around when you need a fix.

Koffee Kulture

Branches all over Sahel The one with the sealed cans and cult following. You’ve either been seen holding one, or posted it like it was part of your personality. Still hits.

Cult

Hacienda White & Almaza

Yes, it's officially a coffee place—but the refreshers are the real main character here. They come with edible flowers, taste like summer in a cup, and somehow make you feel cooler just by holding one.

Frio
Amwaj

Ismailia's finest in Amwaj, and yes, they brought the coffee. Think cozy booth, frappe realness, and the kind of coffee that feels a bit like a reward.

Arabica

Marassi

Took Cairo by storm, now casually taking over Sahel one perfect latte at a time. Marassi’s location is sleek, efficient, and always gives you that “I know what I’m doing” energy—even if you don’t.

Social Specialty Coffee

Mountain View

True to the name—actual specialty coffee, not just vibes and syrups. A low-key gem in Mountain View for people who care about beans, brews, and not being handed lukewarm milk.

Dancing Goat

Marassi, Telal & Fouka Bay

This one will have you dancing—literally. Cold brew, lattes, matcha, and a name that already deserves a loyalty card. If you spot it in Marassi, Telal, or Fouka, follow the goat.

1980

Seashell & Marassi

Yes, they do sandwiches and pizza. But their coffee truck game? Also on point. A one-stop shop when you’re craving caffeine and carbs.

BAKERIES & DESSERTS

Dara’s

Seashell, Marassi & Almaza

Still the North Coast’s reigning queen of ice cream and cookies. If you’re not walking out with a cone and a second cookie “for later,” you’re doing it wrong.

Copa Açai

Hacienda White, Marassi & Northed

Technically healthy, emotionally dessert. Their bowls are stacked, freezing cold, and decorated like someone’s Pinterest board come to life.

Ratios by the Beach

Almaza

Maadi loyalists already know this is the best sourdough you’ll get in Sahel. Whether it’s the pastries, the seeded loaves, or the dangerously good PB toast—this is peak carb chic.

Moko

Almaza Bay & Diplo Specialty

chocolate with main character energy. Whether it’s truffles, bonbons, or tiny slabs of cocoa magic, Moko’s the place you go when your sweet tooth wants something a little... elevated.

Voila

Marina Marassi

This is your family ezooma hero. Think full gateaux, cream-filled everything, and just enough sugar to keep your relatives civil for one full evening.

Molly’s

El Abd Sidi Heneish

The kind of bakery that makes you say “we’ll just pass by” and walk out with a full box. Flaky croissants, buttery Danish, and old-school baked goods that are fully worth the drive to Sidi Heneish.

Cake Cafe

Marassi Marina & Hacienda Red

It’s in the name for a reason. The carrot cake has a fanbase, the brownies have no business being that good, and it’s the kind of place you end up in twice a day.

Tortina

Branches all over Sahel

No matter the branch, the vibes are always the same: shiny, sweet, and lowkey dangerous. Chocolate everything, mini tarts, and boxes you pretend you’re “bringing for the house” but end up eating entirely on your own.

Crepe 2000

Marina 5 A Marina classic. This is where Nutella met bananas and never looked back—best enjoyed at 1 AM, slightly sunburnt, and very happy.

Soufflé

Hacienda White

A true OG that’s been fueling sweet tooths and sugar highs since before “soft launch” was a phrase. Molten, chocolatey, and always a little dramatic.