? There’s a certain kind of weekend morning that calls for pastry over a proper meal — something warm, fresh, and uncomplicated. Enter Slice by Nutcracker, a small-batch bakery that opened last month in New Cairo’s U Venues. The menu is split between sweet and savory — expect Roman pizza, focaccia, cinnamon buns, tarts, and cakes — all baked fresh.

We leaned sweet and tried a bit of everything. One thing we learned quickly: Slice takes pistachio seriously. None of the options had the artificial, neon green versions that have become the common signifier of the trend. But Slice has the real thing. The praline pistachio cookie hit the mark on all fronts — it’s a soft cookie that maintains its structural integrity, with a balanced sweetness from the praline, and a bold but not overwhelming pistachio flavor.

Battle of the pecans: The pecan tart had a solid crust, crisp without being brittle (that survived a night in the fridge), with powdered sugar that kept it on the lighter side. But the pecan cake took the… well, cake. Its dense consistency didn’t translate to heaviness, and the spices were perfectly balanced and perfectly suited to a winter morning. The caramelised edges kept us going back for more and more forkfuls until we were fighting over the last bite.

Don’t underestimate the cinnamon buns. They were generous in size, fluffy and light without being airy and unsubstantial, and the cream cheese was tangy enough to offset the sweetness without throwing off the balance. You’ll find a classic option and a pecan option, but the second only adds some crumbled pecan on top — not enough to justify choosing it over the plane.

But none of us are without fault, and Slice’s is their walnut and pecan cookies. They were dry, stale, and flavorless, and took us by surprise after bites out of an otherwise stellar cast of baked goods.

? Per person: EGP 300-400 per person

? Outdoor seating: Yes

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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