Heliopolis may be one of Om El Donia’s oldest districts, consistently proving to be a force of gastronomical excellence with its plethora of dining venues. Plenty of restaurants choose to open their doors and find a home for their establishments here, which is why Heliopolis has climbed the culinary ladder in such a short time. In this listicle, we scour Cairo’s eastern haven for all our favorite eats.
Nope, we’re not talking about its more popular sister in New Cairo, we’re talking about the OG branch which happens to be in Heliopolis. We didn’t necessarily want to start this list with a restaurant that is widely considered as fancy or bougie, but that’s exactly what you’ll get here — and you’ll get it in the best way possible. Whether you’re craving steak, octopus, salmon, they have all of it and more. Make sure to try out their impeccable winery (if you do drink that is) or any of their fresh juices.
If you’re a big fan of briskets, then you’ve come to the right place. Easy’s made our Sahel dreams come true a couple of years ago when it opened up its doors to the public. Fast forward to now, they’re available in Cairo, and we’re totally obsessed. We recommend having their Easy’s Brisket Sandwich that comes with a 12-hour smoked brisket, melted cheddar, dijon and gravy sauce on their infamous toasted sourdough. Make sure to pair it up with some Easy’s Fries (which is basically loaded fries with smoked beef brisket, melted cheddar cheese, and jalapeno). Their actual dine-in spots are in New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed, however, you can still order from them in Heliopolis.
Shaltata isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a lifestyle – a feteer meshaltet lifestyle. Anyone with a soft spot for feteer will automatically fall in love with this eatery, given that it’s fully dedicated to the iconic dish. Undoubtedly, the stars of their menu are anything from their Feteer Meshaltet range, Sojouk Feteer, and Oreo Feteer. Shaltata doesn’t have a physical location in Heliopolis, yet you can still order it through delivery.
Ya Allah! Lebanese food is, hands down, an experience that demands to be, well, experienced – especially if it’s with Ayadina. Although this restaurant may not be as popular as its other Lebanese sisters, we believe it deserves the spotlight, and you should give it a chance by ordering any of their breakfast items (Egg with Makanek, Grilled Halloumi, Lebanese Foul, or Falafel), mezzehs (Mouhamara or Hummus Awerma), and salads (Fattoush & Tabbouleh obvi). They also make a mean Kofta Bel Tahina and Ghazal Beirut.
Bun N’ Glaze // Horreya Street
Everyone’s fave Heliopolis brunch spot obviously made it to the list — thanks to them serving iconic dishes like Saffron Shakshuka, Smoked Salmon Benedict Croissant, Eggs Florentine, or Summer Pea, Avocado, and Mint Bruschetta. Bun N’ Glaze also focuses on homemade sourdough that is just…
Genuine Broaster Chicken // El Nozha
Think KFC but make it broasted. They have meals starting from 4 Pieces to 16 Pieces that come with wedges, hot rolls, coleslaw, and rice. For all the khaleej kids out there, this is the closest thing you’ll ever get to Saudi Arabia’s Al Beik. You’re welcome.
Okay so, Sennara specializes in all of the fruits of the sea. But, we’re not here to tell you about every single item, we’re here to tell you about the menu’s MVPs! Enter their Boneless Seafood Soup, and Lobster Special Plate (which comes with fried shrimp kofta, large grilled shrimp, fried calamari, fried fish filet, vegetables, rice, and salad) that will ruin other seafood places for you.
You’d have to be living under a rock to not know what Panda House is. If you’ve ever been inside any Egyptian food court, chances are you’ve eaten at one. Here’s the thing, you always needed to go to a mall to enjoy their food, but thanks to our recommendation and their brand-new app, they can just send you their entire menu via delivery. Their Chicken Sweet & Sour with Noodles frankly sets the standard for Chinese food for us.
New Cairo seems to be filled with all kinds of beef and chicken, and Chicken & Ribs is no exception. What makes this establishment pop is the fact that they serve southern fried chicken. Yup, like from the South. Nope, not our South – the United States of America’s South. All of their chicken comes with homemade mushroom gravy sauce. We also recommend having their Famous Southern Salad which is basically crispy tortilla strips, bacon, mixed cheddar cheese, red beans, sweet corn, and ranch dressing. Now that you know what to do, download any delivery app and get them to come to you.
If you’re from New Cairo, then you definitely swear by Broccar for having the best grilled chicken there is. It’s just a fact. However, what most people don’t know is that their Halloumi Cheese Manouche is just as good – or even better.
You might know this iconic shawarma spot, but what’s hidden about this place is that they make Shawerma Pizza along with Shawerma Pasta. We don’t know about you, but we’d gladly ask them to take our money. You should do the same, but first, order from them through their number or your app-of-choice.