Fun Food Friday — Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Be careful where you eat in Cairo. That’s no joke. When we took our children there in 1984, three out of the four of us got a severe case of Imhotep’s Revenge. From a salad bar, of all things. Making matters worse, there is only one toilet in a hotel room. First come, first served, and knocking on the door gets you nowhere. When you gotta go, you gotta runs, so to speak. By the way, did you know that diarrhea is hereditary? It runs in the jeans.

But is that warning still valid in 2025? I don’t know, but I was unwilling to test the premise. Also, as you’ll find out my upcoming 6 August article, you’re taking your life into your own hands if you even think of crossing the street in Cairo. So, heading out to dinner on foot is a real adventure. Fortunately, we found a very acceptable restaurant on-site at our hotel, Mar Charbel. As for the hotel, it was very well appointed, quite comfortable, and relatively quiet save for the street noise, which you get everywhere in Cairo. Our only quibble was during check-in, as the desk staff could not find our reservations. But the wait just gave Ursula time to set up a tour, which you’ve seen already.

Fortunately, dining in your hotel means you needn’t brave crossing the street, and in a reputable hotel you won’t be subjected to The Wrath of Colon (William Shatner, Ricardoo Montalbuns, Paramound Sphincters, 1982). So, with those enticements in mind, up we traveled to the Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant.

Being a rooftop restaurant offers up some nice views of Cairo, especially as the Sun sets:

In the mood for Egyptian cuisine? You’ll find it here. Not all that adventurous? You see French, Italian, and even Mexican dishes on the menu. Looking for something really basic? Yes, even sandwiches, burgers & fries, pastas, and pizzas await you. But, when in Cairo…

Is spicy your thing? Got you covered:

The tables are nicely appointed here:

Worried about eating raw vegetables? That’s what got us back in 1984, as the veggies were “washed” in the local tap water. If you’re worried (we had no problems here this trip), then just make sure you forego the salad, tell the waiter to leave off the parsley, and order your veggies cooked:

Don’t forget dessert. You’ll even find milkshakes on the menu. But the dessert we kept coming back to was the lava cake:

Next week draws to a close our Cairo adventure, after which it’s time to head south for a Nile cruise.

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