Egypt Tourism: Tips On Dining

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Tips On Dining

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Dining hours -- Egyptians eat breakfast either in the morning before going to work, or in mid-morning at their desk. Lunch, the main meal, is usually served at home, between 3 and 5pm when everyone is home from work or school. Dinner can start anywhere from 7pm until 9 or 10pm. If you're eating out, expect lunch to be served between 1-3pm, and most restaurants close their kitchens by around 1am.

Tipping -- In restaurants and cafes, it's customary to leave a 10% tip, even if a service charge is already included in the bill.

Local Dishes -- Egyptian food is varied and flavorful, taking advantage of a wide range of fruits and vegetables indigenous to the region. Some cooked meals can get a bit greasy because a lot of ingredients are deep fried, but in general it's easy to eat fresh and healthily. Some of the most popular dishes are made with beans, grains or rice. Ful is probably the most ubiquitous specialty, consisting of fava beans cooked with a variety of condiments such as olive oil, lemon, butter, cumin, garlic, onions or tomatoes. Falafel -- known as ta'miyya in Egypt -- are also popular and cheap, as is koshari, a filling combination of rice, lentils and macaroni topped with fried onions and a spicy tomato sauce. Kebab in Egypt is yummier than any meat by that name sold anywhere else in the world. Marinated, charcoal grilled and served with salad, tahini and pita bread, it's a real carnivore's delight. Other local dishes worth trying are molokhiyya (a garlicky green sauce served with rice and meat), roz b'khalta (rice with nuts and raisins), hamam (grilled pigeon) and mahshi (grape leaves, peppers or tomatoes stuffed with spiced rice).

Local Beers -- Al Ahram Beverages pretty much has a monopoly on the beer market with Stella, Stella Premium and Stella Export, all differently priced versions of a perfectly drinkable lager. At most upscale establishments, common imports like Heineken are readily available. Delivery is available from Drinkie's toll free at tel. 0/800 100-1001.

Local Customs (also see Eating & Drinking in the Etiquette) -- If you're invited to someone's house for a meal, it is customary to bring a gift. Pastries or cake will usually suffice, and you'll find shops specializing in these goods scattered everywhere you go; they do excellent business. If you're visiting a family with kids, you might also want to bring along candy, coloring pens or small toys.

Once you're in someone's house, you'll be waited on with the utmost grace and generosity. Egyptians consider hospitality one of the most important virtues, and it's considered an honor to dine guests in style.

Don't be surprised if your hosts continue to offer you food and drink after you've declined it repeatedly. It's customary to decline an offer the first time around, and then accept the second or third time. If you don't want to eat any more, just keep declining politely. If your'e absolutely stuffed but keep having more food heaped onto your plate, don't feel badly about not eating it.

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Egypt Tourism: Tips On Dining

Tips On Dining

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