So you want to enjoy a meal with one of the best views the entire world can offer you: the Pyramids of Giza. Who can blame you? (Pst: here's our full guide to the Pyramids). One small issue though: the tourist trap restaurants in that area can be a nightmare; underwhelming at best and inedible at worst.
So we’re here with our local guide of which restaurants are worth both your money and your appetite, without having to give up on that once-in-a-lifetime view.
139 Pavilion
Cuisine: International
Serves: 24/7
Serves alcohol: yes
This open-air restaurant in the iconic Marriott Mena House hotel is a breath of fresh air from the crowds and bustle of Giza. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner fountain-side, surrounded by flowers and greenery and, you know, THE PYRAMIDS. What a view!
There’s an a la carte menu, but also the option of an all-you-can-eat buffet. At night you lose some of the Pyramids view because they’re not always lit up, but there’s something peaceful and serene in the darkness.
Khufu's
Cuisine: Egyptian
Serves: breakfast, brunch & lunch
Serves alcohol: yes
Brought to you by the culinary minds of one of our favorite restaurants, Pier 88, Khufu's is at the King Center on the Giza Plateau, making it one of only two restaurants you can eat at while being inside the Giza Pyramid Complex (the other is 9 Pyramids Lounge, below).
Khufu's serves 'upscale Egyptian' cuisine, ie. more gourmet versions of Egyptian classics (you choose between two set menus). The view is obviously spectacular, but keep in mind that it's not cheap and closes at 5 pm. Reservations needed.
9 Pyramids Lounge
Cuisine: Egyptian
Serves: breakfast, lunch and early dinner
Serves alcohol: no
9 Pyramids Lounge is the 2nd of only two restaurants to actually be on the same Giza plateau as the Pyramids themselves -- so the unobstructed views of all three pyramids plus the smaller queens' pyramids are OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Serving Egyptian food, 9 Pyramids Lounge is open from 8 am to 5 pm, but last entry is 4 pm.
A local tip though: their food is average so don't have super high hopes; here it's all about the view.
Moghul Room
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: lunch and dinner
Serves alcohol: yes
Also found in the Marriott Mena House is one of Cairo’s best Indian restaurants, the Moghul Room. This restaurant has been a firm Cairo favorite for decades now, and it never falters when it comes to quality, taste, ambience… oh and that view isn’t anything to sneeze at either.
Cheristo
Cuisine: seafood
Serves: lunch and dinner (noon to midnight)
Serves alcohol: yes
One wouldn't expect Cairo's oldest seafood restaurant to necessarily be at the foot of the Pyramids, but there you are. Cheristo, located across from the Marriott Mena House, has spectacular Pyramid views to enjoy from their second story outdoor terrace (in colder months, try to nab a table by the window instead).
Felfela Village
Cuisine: Egyptian
Serves: breakfast, lunch and dinner (10 am to midnight)
Serves alcohol: no
Felfela is another restaurant that’s stood the test of time for years; its Downtown Cairo counterpart first opened in 1959. This is the place to hit up if you want some authentic Egyptian fare to match your authentic Egyptian view; make sure to try their fuul, taameya, shawerma and other local Egyptian favorites. They have an outdoor terrace and shisha.
Pizza Hut
Cuisine: fast food I guess?
Serves: lunch and dinner (11 am to midnight)
Serves alcohol: no
Strange, but true. If you want to have an open-air, world-class view of the Pyramids over lunch/dinner but want to avoid the exorbitant prices at hotel restaurants, then look no further than the nearest Pizza Hut to the Pyramids. This is perfect for people on a budget or those who have picky kids.
This famous chain is on the 2nd floor (above KFC) and has an outdoor balcony with one of the best views in the city. During the day, you can see the ancient giants in all their glory, and at night you can witness them lit up during the Sound & Light Show.
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