Where to eat in Alexandria

22 independent restaurants, bakeries and food spots in Alexandria. Chains are left out.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Eat
Abou Shakra
Popular Egyptian chain for shwarms, similar grills and set meals of kebab, kofta, fries and salad.
Daily 10AM-midnight
Eat
Athineos
The "Mermaid of Alexandria" is a local legend frequented by both Durrell and Cavafy, but alas, it has fallen far since its glory days. The views are still amazing, and the Greek motifs in the gilded friezes and stenciled frescoes give some character, but the food is, despite the Greek names on the menu, almost entirely Arabized: order souvlaki and you'll get kebab.
24 hrs
Eat
Balbaa
Popular place for Egyptian meat and seafood. Their outlet at Carrefour City Center has closed.
Daily 10AM-4PM
Eat
Chez Gaby au Ritrovo
Possibly the best Italian restaurant in town, serving pizza and pasta since 1979.
Tue-Sun 2PM-midnight
Eat
Chicken Tikka
Tikka Grill
Delicious Egyptian food, with views of the harbour and Fort Qait Bey. Try the shish kebab and the wara' el enab (stuffed vine leaves). There is a second restaurant of this chain in 426 El-Gaish Rd., Luran.
Daily 11AM-2AM
Eat
Foul Mohamed Ahmed
Legendary joint for fuul and falafel, clean, friendly and inexpensive. According to a personal memory by an Alexandrian lady it was in Jewish ownership and called Binyamin before the Revolution of 1952.
Eat
Ibn El-Balad Gleem
Two-storey restaurant, now part of THM chain. First floor has grilled meats featuring their famous Ibn al-Balad fattah. The second floor serves seafood. Both get great scores for food, service and ambiance.
24 hours
Eat
La Veranda
Very central downtown, near the Metropole, Cecil and Sofitel hotels. Within, most of the floor space is the cafe-patisserie Jardin Delices. About a quarter is La Veranda restaurant, with good European/East Med cuisine. Serves alcohol. Atmospheric with the old posters, but nowadays not a spy or dilapidated duchess to be found.
Eat
Ole Cafe
A reasonably priced restaurant with Spanish cuisine. Try the Beef Madrid.
Daily 8AM-10PM
Eat
Tawn Coffe Shop
Yes, "Coffe". Great place on the Corniche, with a decent pizza and chairs in front of the café for "enjoying" the traffic and view.
Eat
Trianon
Historic, posh cafe and restaurant in the heart of Alexandria dating back to 1905, this is where the creme de la creme of Alexandrian society like singer Om Kolthoum and Cavafy used to hang around. The glory days are long over, but Trianon remains famous for what is said to be the country's best om ali, a rich Egyptian take on bread pudding.
Eat
White and Blue restaurant
Greek Club
The Greek Club (ENOA: Ellenika Nautikos Olimnos Alexandria) is a private club but with two public restaurants, and something of an Alex institution. Ride the elevator up to Olive Island Restaurant on the third floor: the place is dark and piled high with old furniture. So ride back down to the second floor which has White and Blue Restaurant out on the terrace, overlooking the eastern harbour. A few civilities like "Kalispera sas" go a long way as they clearly don't speak Greek themselves. Traditional East Med specialities such as kebabs, stews, and lots of fish. Clean, and inexpensive by western standards.
Eat Not mapped
Fayrouz
Fast food restaurant with Levantine and Egyptian plates. Slightly more expensive than Gad.
Eat Not mapped
L’Apéro Bistrot
Café and restaurant of the French Institute (Institut français) serving alcohol. There is a larger quiet outdoor seating area and a small indoor area. In May 2022, the restaurant reopened under a new name after a change of operator and renovations.
Eat Not mapped
Mostafa Gad
Takeaway only branch of the Egyptian cuisine fast food chain.
Eat
Asmak Shabaan
Great place for seafood.
24 hrs
Eat
Hosny
Good fresh Middle Eastern food.
24 hr
Eat
Kushari Bondok
Well known kushari joint, value for money.
Eat
Meto
Fast food: pizza and its Arabic equivalent fateer.
Daily 9AM-midnight
Eat
Ottimo
Nice restaurant with veranda.
Daily 9AM - 1AM
Eat Not mapped
Elite
Eat Not mapped
Patisserie Délices
It is now part of La Veranda, see below.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Alexandria (CC BY-SA 4.0).