Alexandria eats like the port city it is. The Mediterranean provides the fish, the Nile delta provides the vegetables and grain, and the streets provide a long tradition of cheap, quick, flavourful food. This guide explains what to look for, how ordering works and how to choose well without relying on a particular restaurant name.
Seafood by weight
The classic Alexandrian meal is fish, and the system is simple. Restaurants display the day's catch on ice or in a counter, you choose by pointing, the fish is weighed and the price is set by weight, and then it is grilled or fried to order. Agree the price before it is cooked, ask whether the quoted figure includes cooking and sides, and keep an eye out for what is in season. Typical choices include sea bream, sea bass, mullet, sole, sardines, prawns, calamari and crab. Many places serve a set of side dishes with the fish, such as salad, tahini, bread and rice. A busy restaurant with a fast turnover is nearly always a safer and better choice than an empty one with a beautiful view.
Sayadiya and seafood rice
A well-known coastal dish is sayadiya, fish served over spiced rice darkened with onions. It is hearty, aromatic and worth ordering if you see it on a menu. Seafood soups, shrimp cooked in clay pots and grilled calamari are also common. If you prefer a lighter meal, ask for grilled fish with salad and lemon.
Street food and everyday classics
For the cheapest and often most interesting meals, eat where the locals do. Falafel in Alexandria is made with fava beans rather than chickpeas, which is why it is green inside and soft, and it is served in bread with salad and tahini. Ful medames, slow-cooked fava beans seasoned with oil, lemon and cumin, is the breakfast standard. Koshary combines rice, lentils and pasta with chickpeas, fried onions and a spiced tomato sauce, and it is filling enough for a full meal. Alexandrian liver, seasoned and cooked with peppers and spices, is a local speciality, often served in sandwiches. Hawawshi, a spiced meat filling baked in bread, is another favourite. Pick stalls that are crowded and where the food is cooked in front of you.
Sweets and bakeries
Egypt's sweet tooth is on full display in Alexandria. Look for feteer, the flaky layered pastry that can be sweet or savoury, basbousa, a semolina cake soaked in syrup, kunafa and baklava, rice pudding and fresh juices. Many older bakeries and patisseries date from the era when Greek, Italian and French communities lived in the city, and they still sell pastries in that tradition. Sweet shops are a good place to buy a small gift box to take home.
Tea, coffee and cafes
Cafe culture is a big part of Alexandrian life. Old downtown cafes serve strong Turkish-style coffee, sweet tea with mint, hibiscus drinks and fresh juices, and nobody will hurry you away from your table. Sugar levels are a matter of preference, so ask for less if you do not like sweet drinks. Tamarind and sugar-cane juice are popular cold options in warm months, and they are best from busy stands where the fruit is pressed to order.
How to order and pay
Menus may be in Arabic only at small places, so point, smile and ask for the house favourite. Check the bill before you pay and keep small notes for tipping, as a service charge is not always included. Cards are accepted in larger restaurants and hotels, but cash is preferred at stalls and small cafes. Bottled water is widely available. If you have a sensitive stomach, favour cooked dishes served hot, peel fruit yourself and avoid ice in places that look unreliable.
Etiquette and timing
Lunch is often late and dinner later still, especially in summer, and restaurants on the seafront stay lively into the evening. During Ramadan, many places close during the day and open at sunset for iftar, when the whole city sits down to eat, and some places adjust their menus. It is polite to be discreet about eating and drinking in public during daylight in that month. Alcohol is available in some hotels and licensed venues but is not part of everyday street culture, so do not plan your evenings around it.
A tour as a shortcut
If ordering feels daunting, a private food tour is a quick education. A guide takes you to eateries you would not find alone, explains each dish and adjusts the route to your tastes, and it helps to do it early in the trip so that you can eat with confidence for the rest of your stay. Pair a food day with a Corniche walk or a sunset at the Citadel, and plan one proper fish dinner on the water.
