Cairo - Restaurants

Restaurants
Expensive

Aqua
Two large aquaria welcome you into this sleekly modern restaurant where a sushi bar complements delicious seafood, the recipes ranging from the traditional (lobster thermidor) to Pacific fusion (pan-seared salmon pagoda with foie gras and teriyaki sauce). Non-seafood and vegetarian options are also available. Homesick Americans may prefer steaks, with a traditional steakhouse menu from buffalo wings and Caesar salad to, of course, steak - in many guises.

Four Seasons, 1089 Corniche el Nil, Garden City, Roda Island
Tel: (02) 2791 7000.
Website: www.fourseasons.com/caironp

Khan El-Khalili Restaurant & Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop
Set in the heart of the Khan al-Khalili market, this is an atmospheric indoor restaurant that makes an ideal place for a midday break from shopping in Cairo's great bazaar. The food is traditional Egyptian, the service charming, the cleanliness excellentand the restaurant is blessedly air-conditioned. The coffee shop, which offers light meals and snacks, is named after Egypt's Nobel prize-winning novelist, who set many of his works in this area. The coffee shop continues to pride itself on its clientele of local artists and intellectuals. Booking advised for dinner.

5 El Baddistan Lane, Khan al-Khalili
Tel: (02) 590 3788 or 593 2262.

Revolving Restaurant
It is worth arriving early to admire the sunset from the cocktail lounge on the 40th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, before heading up one more floor to the Revolving Restaurant, with Cairo spread out at your feet like a tapestry of light. More suited for intimate dinners for two than large parties, as the tables are fitted round the central platform, the setting is incomparable and an inspiring French haute cuisine menu more than measures up. If you prefer staying at ground level, head down to the casual indoor and outdoor El Sakya terraces, with Japanese, Italian, Indian and seafood restaurants and tables right on the Nile's edge.

Grand Hyatt, Corniche el Nil, Garden City, Roda Island
Tel: (02) 365 1234.
Website: www.cairo.grand.hyatt.com

Andrea
Andrea, tucked out of the way in Giza, near the pyramids, is a traditional Egyptian grill with a shady garden terrace, indoor dining room and cellar bar. A popular lunch spot for local families, tempting the tastebuds from the moment you step out of the taxi with the smell of chicken, quails and kofte sizzling over a charcoal grill and fresh baked bread from the clay oven. The meats are backed up by a wide selection of meze. Wine and beer are served but there are no desserts. Friday lunch in the gardens is an Egyptian family tradition. On late nights in winter, the restaurant transforms itself into a chic nightclub. Make sure you get the right place - many imitations have borrowed the name. Reservations essential.

59-60, Maryutiya Canal
Tel: (02) 383 1133.

La'Aubergine
Billing itself as Cairo's only vegetarian restaurant (although you can find vegetarian dishes anywhere serving Egyptian or Middle Eastern cuisine), this British-owned Mediterranean-style establishment has become a popular meeting place for travellers and trendy Cairenes alike. Soups, salads and pastas are the staples of a regularly changing menu and there are a few fish and meat dishes thrown in. The atmosphere is intimate at night, lit by candles, while the upstairs bar also proves popular. Reservations essential.

5 Shar'a Sayed al-Bakry, Zamalek
Tel: (02) 332 0080.

Hotels
Cheap

Oasis Hotel
Near the airport and only 1km (0.6 miles) from the pyramids, this 300-room hotel is a friendly, affordable option in an upmarket residential area away from the noise and grime of the city. A palm garden with a pool and tennis courts is a delight, with the rooms all opening out onto a shady green with small pools. The rooms are comfortable, decorated in soothing pastel greens. Several restaurants include the open-air Palm Garden (Lebanese) and the 24-hour Bedouin Restaurant (Egyptian). Other facilities include a children's playground, spa, gym, live music in the Thirsty Camel Bar and a disco. Great value for money.

Cairo Alex Desert Road
Tel: (02) 3838 7333.

Sheraton Cairo Hotel, Towers and Casino
Sheraton is a trusted international brand that guarantees a good level of service, comfort and cleanliness.This one works effectively as two separate hotels, the slightly cheaper Sheraton and the Tower, with its separate check-in, private lounge with complimentary breakfast, tea and drinks, and butler service. The 650 rooms all have great views, either of the Nile or the city and citadel while the hotel is within walking distance of the city centre. Facilities include a pool (and children's pool), health club and spa, shopping arcade, several restaurants, bar and casino. There is a second Sheraton hotel in Heliopolis. Great value for money.

Galae Square, City Centre
Tel: (02) 3336 9800.
Website: www.starwoodhotels.com

Four Seasons
The Four Seasons has 365 rooms, including 77 suites, all with wonderful views either of the Nile or across the city and citadel. Facilities include in-room internet access, a business centre, a rooftop pool deck with adult and children's pools, and an excellent beauty and wellness spa. The hotel has six restaurants, headed by the seafood restaurant Aqua. Children are welcome, with special facilities, entertainments and meals, and children under 18 may stay free in their parents' room. Sightseeing and dinner cruises are fun on the hotel's distinctive boats (which resemble the Pharaohs' royal barges). There is a second Fours Seasons hotel at The Residence, Giza.

1089 Corniche el Nil, Garden City, Roda Island
Tel: (02) 2791 7000.
Website: www.fourseasons.com/caironp

Grand Hyatt Cairo
A huge international hotel with 714 rooms and suites, well located for the airport, business district and sightseeing, the Hyatt stands on the banks of the Nile with wonderful views across the river and city. The rooms are well appointed and comfortable, while the 27th to 39th floors are Club rooms, with private reception and concierge and a private lounge/bar with complimentary breakfast, cocktails and business facilities. The hotel has a spa, pool (10th floor), gym, business centre, shopping mall with a cinema, and no fewer than 12 options for eating and drinking, including the Revolving Restaurant, the Marquise - the hotel's private yacht, and a row of informal restaurants with outdoor dining right on the water's edge.

Corniche el Nil, Garden City, Roda Island
Tel: (02) 2365 1234.
Website: www.cairo.grand.hyatt.com

Mena House Oberoi
Originally the palace of the Khedives Ismail and set in 16 hectares (40 acres) of superb gardens with fabulous views of the pyramids, the Mena House is undoubtedly the most glamorous and romantic hotel in Cairo. Since it opened in 1887, it has hosted kings, emperors and movie stars. Its service is impeccable, the rooms and suites, some in the palace, some in more modern garden wings, beautifully furnished, most with views of the gardens and/or pyramids. Antiques, murals and tapestries add a lavish touch to the suites. Excellent facilities include a helipad, several restaurants, bars, a nightclub, disco, pool, tennis course and a nine-hole golf course.

Pyramids Road, Giza
Tel: (02) 3377 3222.
Website: www.oberoimenahouse.com