Food+&+Drink

Local dishes (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Classic Egyptian dishes: The dish Ful Medames is one of the most common egyptian dishes; consists of fava beans (ful) slow-cooked in a copper pot (other types of metal pots don't produce the right type of flavor) that have been partially or entirely mashed. Olive oil is often an ingredient, and garlic is sometimes added. Ful medames is served with plenty of olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice, and typically eaten with Egyptian (baladi) bread or occasionally Levantine (shami) pita. Also sometimes seasoned with chili paste and tumeric.

One must try is the classic Falafel (known as Ta'miya in Egypt) which is deep-fried ground fava bean balls (but better known worldwide for the ground chickpea version typically found in other cuisines of the Middle Eastern region) that was believed to be invented by Egyptian bedouins. Usually served as fast food, or a snack. Koshary is a famous dish ,which is usually a mixture of macaroni, lentils, rice, chickpeas and tomato sauce. Very popular amongst the locals and a must try for tourists. The gratinated variation is called Taagin.

Egyptian cuisine is quite similar to the cuisine of the Arabic-speaking countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dishes like stuffed vegetables and vine leafs, Shawarma-sandwiches are common in Egypt and the region.

Vegetarian Tourists Options: Vegetarian tourists although have limited options for them to explore from but Falafel and Koshary are excellent choices for them.

Frommer's Food & Drink

 * **Koshari**,a distinctly Cairene specialty, is typical: a pile of rice and macaroni topped with lentils and garnished with hot sauce and fried onions. A big bowl of this will keep you going all day long.
 * Every truly Egyptian breakfast, meanwhile, includes a bowl of simmered fava beans. Known as **fuul**, these come cooked in a variety of ways, including spicy Alexandrian and the blander Cairene, but they should always be accompanied by fresh-baked loafs of flataish **baladi** bread.
 * **Molakheya,** unlike the generally well-liked //koshari// or //fuul// dishes, is an acquired taste. A green, gluey, soup-like dish made of Jew's mallow, it is usually served with rabbit or chicken and a side of rice.
 * If you're lucky enough to be in Egypt in the spring around the time ofShem el Nessim, you may find yourself invited to try **fessikh**, a cured fish dish made of raw-but-aged salt mullet. Prepared correctly, it is palatable. Prepared incorrectly, however, it is dangerously poisonous and can be fatal. There's no way to test it other than trial and error.
 * On a happier note, be sure to try **hamaam** (pigeon) or the somewhat meatier **samaan** (quail); they're delicious grilled and sprinkled with fresh lime, the same way they've been eaten since the time of the Pharaohs.
 * **Um Ali**, a flavorful mix of pastry, cream, coconut, raisins, and nuts, is the best-known Egyptian dessert. The origins of the name are subject to much friendly dispute. My favorites include an Irish nurse named O'Malley who, allegedly a mistress of Khedive Ismael, cooked him an Egyptian bread pudding.
 * Coffee, or **ahwa**, is drunk all day and all night long from little cups and is thick, black, and strong. Milk is not an option, and it comes at four main sweetness levels. No sugar at all is //sada//; //wasat//, which means "medium," will get you something moderately sweet; //hellwa//, which means "sweet," will get you a sweet dessert of a coffee; and //zee-yada//, which simply means "extra," will result in something that, for most people, is unbearably syrupy.
 * Tea, or **shai**, comes in an even greater variety. As a foreigner and a guest, you will generally be treated to **shai fetla**, which literally means "thread tea" but refers to the tea bag (which hangs from a thread). **Shai kosheri** is a rougher variant with a spoonful of loose tea at the bottom of the glass. You will be asked how many sugars you want in it. There may also be mint on offer. Tea with mint (**shai bi-nana**) is a popular variant, or you can have just straight mint in hot water (//nana//) if you want to avoid caffeine.
 * Another good decaf option is **yansoon**, which is anise, or **urfa**, cinnamon.
 * You are also sure at some point to be offered **kirkadeh**, which comes either hot or cold. This is a bright red drink made from hibiscus. It has a pleasingly tart taste when left unsweetened and is said to lower blood pressure, so don't stand up too quickly after a few glasses on a hot day.
 * Finally, there is the ubiquitous **haga sa'**, which just means "something cold" and refers to cans or bottles of refrigerated soft drinks.

Exotic fruits (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Egypt is one of the most affordable countries for a European to try variety of fresh-grown exotic fruits. Guava, mango, watermelon, small melons, ishta are all widely available from fruit stalls, especially in locals-oriented non-tourist marketplaces.

Water (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Bottled water is available everywhere. The local brands (most common being Baraka, Siwa, Hayat) are just as good as expensive imported options which are also available:Nestle Pure Life, Evian, Dasani (bottled by Coca-Cola), and Aquafina (bottled by Pepsi). A note on the local brand Baraka: while it is perfectly safe to drink this brand of bottled water, some may notice a very slight baking soda aftertaste, due to the high mineral content of its deep well water source. No matter where you buy bottled water from (even hotels are not entirely reliable), before accepting it check that there is a clear plastic seal on it and the neck ring is still attached to the cap by the breakable threads of plastic. It is common to collect empty but 'new' bottles and refill them with tap water which drinking a bottle of will make you ill. Not all brands have the clear plastic cover but all the good ones do.

Juices (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Juices can be widely found in Egypt - kasab(sugar cane); erk soos (licorice); sobiia (white juice); tamr and some fresh fruit juices(almost found at same shop which offer all these kind of juices except erk soos may be which you can find another places). Karkadae is also famous juice specially at Luxor and it is hibiscus tea which is drunk hot or cold but in Egypt it is preferred to drink it cold.Should mention also that hibiscus tea is known to lower blood pressure so be careful.

Alcoholic drinks (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Egypt is a predominanty Muslim nation and alcoholic drinks are forbidden (haram) for strictly observant Muslims. That said, Egyptians tend to adopt a relaxed and pragmatic view towards alcohol for non-Muslims and foreigners. It is tolerated by the vast majority of Egyptians and consumed by a sizable number of them (including less strict Muslims - you may even be asked to "procure" drink for someone!) Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks are readily available throughout the country (especially in larger towns and cities, as well as tourist centers). Please note, however, that public drunkenness (especially the loud and obnoxious variety) is definitely not appreciated - without caution, you may end up drying out in a police cell. Try to be a good ambassador: if you must get "tipsy", confine it to the hotel or very nearby! (It's actually quite rare to see drunken tourists, even in the most intense tourist areas...) Stella (not artois) is a common beer in Egypt. Other local brands are available, most with higher alcohol variant that have claimed levels of 8% or even 10%.

Restrictions on Alcohol (reference: Wikitravel - Egypt)
Egyptian laws towards alcohol are officially quite liberal compared to most Islamic countries, except for the month of Ramadan when alcohol is strictly forbidden. During Ramadan only holders of foreign passports are allowed to buy alcohol, by Egyptian law. However, the enforcement of this law is by no means consistent. In tourist areas like Luxor, alcohol is sold even during Ramadan, and those who look like foreigners will not be asked to show passports or other documentation. During Ramadan alcohol is often sold only in Western-style hotels and pubs/restaurants catering especially to foreigners. A few days of the year, as the day of the full moon the month before Ramadan, alcohol is completely banned. Also some hotels and bars catering to foreigners will stop serving alcohol during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan - phone ahead to make sure alcohol is still being served in order to avoid disappointment.