Cairo restaurants
 

I'm going to have a week in Cairo in April accompanying Mrs Schmidt who will be there on business so looking for some decent restaurant recommendations. It's also going to be Ramadan so t realise that might complicate things a little and would prefer not having the mad buffet scramble experience as soon as sun goes down.

You might be best served by aiming for hotel restaurants, but even those will have some iftar pressure.

The Intercontinental is very central (just off Tahrir) and has well-established Thai and Lebanese restaurants I'm happy to recommend. Reassuringly expensive for Cairo, but there you are...

Yeah thanks, actually staying in the InterContinental and am aware of the hotel options - which I assume that we'll make use of - but was looking to see if there was anything else out there. By any chance have you eaten at the place on top of the Cairo Tower?

My restaurant choices are generally more day-to-day than the Cairo tower. Among those I know who have been they didn't rate it beyond its novelty value. But it's certainly one of a kind, so if it's open and if you are prepared to make a reservation (it's tiny), then go for it!

Zamalek is restaurant territory and I rate Abu el Sid (it's part of a small uppish-market chain), and a Syrian place i think is named Abu al Zouz. It's a risky and thankless task giving recommendations for eating places so I'll stick at those two :)

Beit Wared
 

Beit Wared, 33 كلوب 33 شارع, Abou El Feda, Zamalek, was excellent! Great food, great views, and in a quiet location away from the traffic and noise. Remember to make a reservation! Only 6 km from the Intercontinental; very quick and easy by Careem or taxi.

...just one more
 

I remembered Taboula, in Garden City, a very short walk from the IC. Caveat for the area is the overbearing security presence because of the embassies: it's on a street between the US and British missions.

Lebanese-Egyptian quite heavy in atmosphere (a positive from perspective of a visitor to Egypt) and reasonably priced from that visitor perspective.

Find myself back in Cairo this week and did lunch at Khufu's yesterday. For those that don't know, it's located inside the Pyramid Complex and the view as you dine is that of the Pyramids which is quite breathtaking. There are four menu options, one of which is vegetarian. All come with a range of appetisers and a single main course plus dessert. The food was excellent - it's essentially a chef who delivers a modern take on traditional Egyptian dishes. Because it's inside the Pyramid Complex, it's not open for dinner and it's obviously expensive by Egyptian standards - though by Western European standards, it is incredibly reasonably for what you get. Having previously eaten at Mena House and thought it overrated and overpriced, I thought Khufu's was everything that Mena House was not and would thoroughly recommend it. Be aware that you do need to purchase an entry ticket to the Pyramids to get to the restaurant and that you'll need to walk back to the main gate to get an Uber afterwards as they will not come inside to pick you up (they will drop you off but you'll need to pay the entry fee for the car as well).

I tried the J&G Steakhouse restaurant inside the St Regis Cairo Hotel.
J&G stands for Jean-Georges, a famous chef from France.
I would not go back, the steak was overcooked, the pepper sauce too sweet.