10 Best Restaurant & Bars For Dinner and Drinks in New Cairo

A few years ago New Cairo was a neighborhood known for its malls, not its pubs or alcohol-serving restaurants. Residents who wanted dinner and a drink would usually have to seek them out in greener pastures in Zamalek and Maadi - but rejoice eastern Cairenes! Things have been picking up recently when it comes to New Cairo; there’s now more than a handful of really good restaurants that also serve alcohol, so gone are the days when you'd be stuck with either a mall restaurant or a bar with dubious food.

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Our local favorite places in New Cairo to get dinner and a drink are the following, in no particular order:

Lemon Tree & Co

If you’re looking for really gorgeous aesthetics, then head to the Lemon Tree in One Ninety in New Cairo (local tip: this is different from the Lemon Tree Bistro in Katameya Heights, which is also a great restaurant and bar but not the same one we’re talking about now -- more about TLT Bistro below).

Lemon Tree serves upscale international fusion in a massive venue, and they have DJs and music on weekends and certain nights. They're also open for lunch if you want to have a sunny meal with a breeze.

Good for: nights out with friends

Location: One Ninety, New Cairo

Call to reserve: 01120999290

Cucina

This long-loved Italian restaurant at the JW Marriott hotel in New Cairo has been a crowd favorite for decades now. Split into two storeys around an open rotunda with a ceiling that’s painted to look like you’re outdoors, it’s a bit kitsch but we can’t be too mad at it when Cucina has been delivering great service and great food forever.

Good for: dates, family lunches, business dinners

Location: JW Marriott Hotel

Call to reserve: 02 24115588

The Smokery

Overlooking the green expanse of the golf course in Katameya Heights, The Smokery is hard to beat when it comes to dinner and drinks with a view in New Cairo.

They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and serve a variety of upscale international dishes, with everything from sliders to seabass quinoa to sushi. The Smokery became so popular that it opened other branches in Palm Hills, Heliopolis, El Gouna and Marassi.

Good for: family lunches, business lunches, dinner dates

Location: Katameya Heights

Call to reserve: 0102 601 9175

Kazoku

Kazoku, a contemporary Japanese restaurant is a firm favorite when it comes to sushi in Cairo. Their menu doesn’t start and end with sushi though - their signature dishes are miso glazed black cod and Chilean sea bass, and they have an array of cold and hot starters, gyoza, Kushiyaki (skewers) and a handful of main dishes if sushi isn’t your thing.

With both indoor and outdoor seating, Kazoku works as a fine-dining lunch spot during the day (they open at 1 pm) and a dinner & drinks venue at night (they have a full bar).

Good for: family lunches, dinner with friends

Location: Swan Lake Compound

Call to reserve: 0127 000 4877

TLT Bistro

TLT Bistro is an upscale restaurant and bar by The Lemon Tree Concepts is known for its inimitable interior design, cocktails and overall vibe. It's a smaller, cozier version of The Lemon Tree and Co.

Good for: lunch and dinner dates, dinner with friends

Location: Katameya Heights

Call to reserve: 02 27592599

Lexie’s

This chic but still relaxed Italian restaurant is a mix of bar and indoor/outdoor dining. Their pastas are all homemade and not your basic penne or spaghetti - here you’ll find scarpinocc, tortellini, caramelle and mafaldine. They also serve pizza as well as main courses like veal Milanese, salmon confit and pan-roasted chicken.

Good for: business and family lunches, dinner dates

Location: Lake House Club, next to Dusit Thani

Call to reserve: 0128 581 8590

Tao

In the Dusit Thani LakeView Hotel you'll find Tao, a multi-Asian restaurant and bar. They serve Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Indian cuisine and pride themselves on their native chefs in the kitchen as well as their expert sommeliers. They also have a live teppanyaki station, and who can resist that! They're open from 1 pm to 1 am daily, and on Thursdays and Fridays they're open to 3 am (but 1 am to 3 am is bar service only).

Good for: an upscale lunch or dinner when you're in the mood for Asian classics

Location: Dusit Thani LakeView Hotel

Call to reserve: 02 2614 0080

Osteria

This 'modern European bistro' is tucked into a corner of the Square One commercial center, so it's hard to spot unless you're looking for it. It has indoor and outdoor seating, a bar, and most importantly - great food. They have a different menu for all times of day: a 'brunch and lighter bites' menu, a 'snacks' menu and a main course menu for dinner.

Good for: family weekend lunches, dinner with friends

Location: Square One, New Cairo

Call to reserve: 01103991537

Esca Terrenal

Esca Terrenal is a fine dining restaurant and bar that serves an eclectic Mediterranean menu as well as sushi. They have indoor and outdoor seating and a great industrial aesthetic unlike anywhere else in Cairo.

Good for: early dinner or music with drinks later on. On weekends there’s a DJ in the later evening and the music gets significantly louder.

Location: 5A by the Waterway, New Cairo

Call to reserve: 01006056055

Babel

There’s no other restaurant in Cairo with the same striking interior design that Babel has – from its dramatic pendant lighting and soaring ceilings to the grand piano, Babel’s ambience immediately elevates your lunch or dinner experience. It’s a Lebanese restaurant with a handful of locations around the Middle East, and its 5A branch in Cairo has been impressing diners since its opening. 

Good for: upscale Lebanese lunch or dinner in a spot that also serves wine and shisha

Location: 5A by the Waterway

Call to reserve: 01103888972

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