If you’re currently in Gouna, then a) lucky you, and b) it’s most likely that at some point you’ll be scouting for your next big breakfast. After all, you need fuel for the beach day ahead and sometimes a sad self-made sandwich just ain’t going to cut it!
El Gouna has tons of restaurants, but most don’t open until lunchtime, so what are the early birds amongst us to do?
Local tip: if you’re just looking to grab some coffee, you can hit up Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Abu Tig Marina.
But if you’re looking for something a tad more substantial than just a coffee and pastry, here are some of our favorite breakfast spots in Gouna:
1. The Bagel Tree
Location: New Marina
Opens: 9 am
Ah, the bagel. You’d think at first that a bagel doesn’t have what it takes to be a full-on breakfast, but you’d be wrong. The Bagel Tree has a whole range of bagel sandwiches stuffed with everything from smoked salmon to burger patty to Philly Cheesesteak. Each bagel sandwich is named after a different international city and on your choice of plain, sesame, multigrain or poppy seed bagels. And if on the off chance you’re still not full – well then just round out your breakfast with one of their homemade donuts.
They have indoor and outdoor seating in the New Marina Piazza as well as delivery and takeaway.
The Bagel Tree’s menu.
2. Zomba
Location: Kafr El Gouna (Downtown)
Opens: 8 am
Gouna is a great mix of international and fusion when it comes to the different restaurants they have, but sometimes you just want something familiar and comforting – like a traditional Egyptian breakfast, for example. Zomba in Downtown Gouna has been open for years now, serving up classic Egyptian breakfast staples in both sandwich and plate form – all kinds of fuul, falafel, eggs, potatoes, eggplant, you name it. And for Gouna standards, they’re also very wallet-friendly.
Zomba’s menu.
3. Malu’s Deli
Location: New Marina
Opens: 9 am
One of the most popular breakfast spots in Gouna for the past few years, Malu’s Deli can be packed if you go at peak times (weekend mornings and early afternoons). The good news though is that they serve their all-day breakfast until 6 pm, so if you’re a late riser, you won’t miss out.
They serve all sorts of power smoothies, green smoothies and a myriad of other healthy drinks. They also do sandwiches, eggs, quiche and have their own bakery. They’re a bit overpriced in our humble opinion, but the quality of the food is good and they always strive to serve fresh ingredients.
Malu’s Deli menu.
4. Seventh Star
Location: Abu Tig Marina
Opens: 8 am
Seventh Star - the real breakfast restaurant OG of this list. For as long as we’ve been going to Gouna (which is closing in on 20 years at this point), Seventh Star was one of Gouna’s oldest and most popular restaurants. They have all the usual breakfast staples like eggs and hot and cold sandwiches, but are most famous for their bakery - try their almond croissant, you won’t regret it. It’s also a nice outdoor spot on the marina, but gets pretty crowded on weekends.
Seventh Star’s menu.
5. Eish Baladi
Location: New Marina
Open: 9 am
Another good option if you’re looking for a classic Egyptian breakfast. Right next to The Bagel Tree in the New Marina Piazza, Eish Baladi has different fuul, falafel, egg and cheese options served either as a sandwich or a plate. They also have feteer as well as breakfast ‘bundles’ – a mix of different breakfast dishes, like the ‘Eish Baladi Breakfast’: fuul of your choice, falafel, eggs of your choice, roomy cheese, white cheese, tomatoes, jam/halawa and bread.
Eish Baladi’s menu.
6. Makani Beach Club
Location: North Beach
Opens: 9 am
If you’re looking to have breakfast on the beach (or just away from the crowds of the marinas and Downtown), then head to Makani Beach Club. It’s a kitesurfing and water sport center, but they also have a beach bar and restaurant that serves breakfast (with a lot of healthy varieties like acai bowls and other ‘bowls of power’ as they call them) before you start your beach day.
7. Maritim
Location: Abu Tig Marina
Opens: 9 am
Although Maritim is a Scandinavian seafood restaurant, over the past decade or two they’ve also built a reputation as a solid breakfast spot on Abu Tig Marina, with really nice views. Their menu is small but to the point (different types of eggs, English breakfast, sausages, etc).
Maritim’s menu.
8. Daily Dose
Location: Abu Tig Marina
Opens: 8 am
Need a morning shot of coffee straight to your veins, ASAP? Then look no further than Daily Dose, a specialty coffee shop brought to you by Cafe Younes, a Lebanese artisanal coffee roaster that's been brewing since 1935. Besides their large coffee menu (with a slew of other beverages as well for the non-coffee drinkers, like vegan smoothies), Daily Dose also has a breakfast menu of eggs, sandwiches, toast, pancakes, wholesome bowls and salads.
Daily Dose's menu.
You might also like: El Gouna, Egypt: A Local’s Guide