A suhoor worth staying up for at Babbo’s

? Babbo’s Ramadan pop up is a worthy booking. Babbo’s Fi West El Balad — the same folks behind Babbo’s Taverna — bring traditional Egyptian cuisine to their Downtown pop-up this Ramadan, offering a suhoor experience that will leave you satisfied, minus the food coma that usually accompanies food as good as this. Their concept blends classic dishes with Mediterranean influences — think Turkish-inspired flavors — served in a setting fit for a sultan. Draped in rich fabrics and adorned with ornate decor and paintings, the venue will transport you straight to an Ottoman-era palace.

Dealer’s choice: We put our trust in the set suhoor menu, and two things stood out: first, the flavors, and second, the generous portions. Everything is crafted in-house, from the baladi bread, to the dips, to the spreads that amp up every bite.

It’s not suhoor without the drinks. People who eat with one hand gripping a cup will be happy to know that the sobia, tamarind, and hibiscus deliver on the classic, refreshing flavors we know and love.

The suhoor spread: The feast started with baladi salad and taamiya, the latter having the perfect balance of crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, offering a textbook execution of Egypt’s beloved suhoor essential. Then came the eggs with sujuk, which included six eggs cracked sunny side up, topped with generously-spiced slices of sujuk — though a pinch of salt and pepper made it even better. Next up, foul with boiled eggs and foul with sujuk slices — both silky smooth to the point that we might have to crown it the creamiest, butteriest foul we’ve ever had.

For meat lovers, the maqaneq with pomegranate molasses and the chicken liver both brought rich, deep flavor to the tables. While both were solid, the maqaneq was a clear favorite with its slightly sweet glaze and smokey meat pairing beautifully with the selection of dips.

Speaking of dips, this was hands-down the highlight of our suhoor experience. They serve the crowd pleasers: white cheese with tomatoes, labneh with green olives, tahina, and beetroot hummus — but they also introduced some bold newcomers: white beans with turmeric hummus, and red bean hummus. These hummus concoctions were not just unique in flavor, but utterly addictive. In fact, choosing a favorite became an impossible task, with the labneh, beetroot hummus, and red bean hummus all vying for top spot.

No suhoor is complete without something sweet. We suggest that you leave enough space for the kunafa mix cheese or kunafa with dates. In the spirit of Ramadan, we recommend the Kunafa with dates. The dessert was sweet and rich without being too heavy, hitting all the right notes and offering the perfect end to our experience.

This is more than just a meal — it’s a full-fledged Ramadan experience. The venue was once a 1930s paper factory, and has been transformed in collaboration with Egyptian artisans into a warm, welcoming, and carefully curated space that can also accommodate large parties. Reservations are a must, but can be made online — just try to snag one before all the spots fill up. If you’re in the mood for a little adventure before or after your meal, take a stroll around the shops nearby.