🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Satisfy that street food craving with Kufta this Ramadan. This restaurant’s one-page menu keeps it simple, it’s either kofta or hawawshi and you can choose between four, eight or ten juicy sandwiches with topping(s) you fancy.

Their kufta are charcoal grillled on the spot. They also prepare their homemade sandwich bread on site — and the best part — their small loaf is just big enough for one skewer of the meat so you’re not eating excessive amounts of starch and have room for — you guessed it — more kofta sandwiches.

A piping hot kofta sandwich or hawawshi, spicy tahini, shredded onion with sumac, pickled tomato, baladi salad, and buffalo sauce is what you’ll expect to find if you get all the toppings in your meal box. We are purists, so we opted for tahini and it was glorious: The meat was tender and the flavor and scent of the charcoal tickled our senses.

We suggest you go for the four-sandwich option and try the hawawshi. Patrons had previously warned that their hawawshi was too spicy, but when we had a go we found the meat pleasantly seasoned and with no heat. Definitely a part of the finger-licking club. They also make their own crispy chips which comes in salt flavor only and goes fantastically in the sandwich.

The quality is everything. From the tender kofta to the homemade chips on the side — all the components are put together to recreate that original local street food flavor — but better. And it’s not just about the food — the cozy ambiance and friendly service makes for a satisfying experience.

Location, location, location: Since it’s ‘hot and fresh’ (pun intended) it has four branches in Cairo — in New Cairo, Sheraton, El Wahat Road, and Sheikh Zayed — the other branch is in Mansoura. But luckily enough they deliver, just use their hotline on their Instagram page.

NOTE- We don’t recommend kofta as a suhoor option as it will leave you very thirsty.

💵 Per person: EGP 200-400

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Friendship, Journey, and Transformation in the book Best of Friends. In Kamila Shamsie’s latest novel she explores the enduring power and complexities of friendship against the backdrop of social change.

The story begins in 1988 Karachi, Pakistan, where 14-year-old Maryam and Zahra navigate the challenges of adolescence together. Shamsie expertly captures the nuances of desire and the struggles of coming-of-age against a backdrop of cultural and political turmoil. As the narrative shifts to present-day London, both friends have achieved success in their careers, yet the threat of male power lingers, albeit in a different form.

Everything is compelling, from exploration of friendship, identity, to the impact of societal and political forces on personal lives. The novel excels in its vivid portrayal of adolescent bonds and the cultural landscape of Pakistan, especially its transition to the characters’ adult lives in the UK, which at times can feel somewhat forced and schematic. However, the book prompts deep thinking about loyalty, power, and lasting childhood bonds.

You can find Best of Friends atCherry Blossom Books and Diwan.

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