Cairo Kitchen.

There's people who think that it's outright crazy to pay double or triple the price for something that can easily be had at a much lower cost a few block down the street. But then, these are probably people for whom food is all about affordability and taste. For us who also value attentive and friendly service, a homey atmosphere, beautiful design and clean tables, some savvy entrepreneurs invented Cairo Kitchen, the contemporary (and yes, somewhat posh) answer to Cairo's food carts that can be seen around town selling tamia, fool and grilled vegetables. Around town, four outlets welcome hungry guests with their signature mix of white-against-colour interiors and Mondrian-esque facades. Colourful light bulbs add to the quirky look and feel and you can easily pretend you've stepped into a never-ending summertime street festival. Charming! At the food counter you can choose between warm meals from molokheya to koshary and an array of salads, dips and appetizers, all served in rustic enamelware and oh-so delicious. Don't forget to try their great, bottomless juices and cordials! They also do deliveries (of course, this is Cairo!) and cater for smaller and larger functions.

Tired of eating out or ordering in? Thankfully, the guys behind Cairo Kitchen recently also developed a cookery book of the same name, wrapping Egypt's most beloved recipes into a gorgeous layout with pictures so heartbreakingly beautiful in its description of profane daily life in the city you might forget Cairo tends to look like a grey, Soviet-era nightmare way too often.

http://www.cairokitchen.com