🍴 Out of all the places serving special iftars and suhoors this season, Mazeej Balad was one we had high expectations for. With its glamorous rooftop overlooking Downtown Cairo and its lavish, culturally rich decor, the restaurant feels like a perfect fit for Ramadan’s warm spirit — and it was. In the unusually chilly weather of a late night in March, we took our seats under the warm, moody lighting of the boutique rooftop and settled in for a suhoor that was nothing short of exceptional.

Mazeej kept it simple and opted for a set menu, with all the staples covered. Their suhoor was an assortment of dips — alongside a basket of fresh baladi, shami, and focaccia breads — featuring ful tahini, your choice of eggs, ful-filled taameya, white cheese with vegetables, and hummus. Spring feta salad, Alexandrian sujouk potato pie, crispy potatoes, and roumi & mixed cheese feteer balls were also part of the traditional Egyptian spread.

We made our choices for the eggs, ordered some tea, munched on the delectable olive tapenade starter, and waited for our order to make its way to our table. And then we waited some more — until over an hour had passed and the cold was starting to bite. When the dishes finally started gradually landing at our table, we were relieved. No sooner had we taken our first bite than we realized it was worth the long wait.

The classic Egyptian suhoor spread, perfected to a T. You don’t know what you’re missing in a tried-and-true suhoor until you taste a flawless one — like Mazeej’s. We couldn’t find a single gripe with the food; it was 10s across the board. That said, there were standouts: the cheese balls were mouth-watering — just the right amount of cheesy and elevated by a drizzle of sweet sauce. The spring feta salad was as fresh and tasty as can be, and the Alexandrian sujouk potato pie was a succulent addition to the spread.

We were pleasantly surprised by how quickly we felt full, with plenty left over. We walked away with satisfied taste buds, full stomachs, and a rooftop view that was a visual feast to remember.

WHERE TO FIND- You can find Mazeej Balad at 11 Mahmoud Bassiouny, Downtown Cairo. Suhoor on their rooftop is open from 9pm-3am. Reservations can be made through this link.

💵 Per person: EGP 1.8k

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🦽 Accessibility friendly: No

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