This Nasr City Bakery is Taking You to Uzbekistan

Hidden within the cramped alleyways of Nasr City, serenaded by the orchestra of busy streets and car honks, is a small bakery only noticeable due to the big red banners reading ‘Laziz’.

Contrary to the bold declaration, the bakery is actually named Uzbek, and while it looks like a regular everyday Egyptian ‘forn’, it is, in fact, anything but.

Uzbek is, you guessed it, a bakery owned by a group of Uzbek students in Egypt. Apparently, if you’re at a restaurant in Uzbekistan and you don’t order bread, the waiter looks at you like you’ve grown two heads. So, obviously, everyone at Uzbek takes their bread-making practices very seriously. Uzbek’s bread is served in a traditional circular form, close to that of a bagel, but with all the cotton-candy fluffiness of a hot fino loaf. If you pick one up at the bakery,  you’ll probably have it devoured before you’ve so much as stepped outside and back into Cairo’s scorching sun.

The little bakery also, oddly (or not) enough, makes small fried dumplings that are shaped like samosas, and are often stuffed with minced meat or shredded chicken. We recommend trying the beef dumplings, the filling’s seasoning practically dances across your taste buds.

While it is challenging to step into a space serving entirely unfamiliar food, it’s completely normal that you have no idea what’s going on. Thankfully, the staff, although not fluent in Arabic, are super helpful and will do their best to guide you through choosing some ultra delicious items.

While you’re there, make sure to take a peek at their oven, because their baking process is something else. Honestly, who doesn’t like watching bread rise in an open oven and let the comforting smell of baked goods carry them up into the clouds?