Egyptian Food and Culture

What to eat, what to bring home, and how to behave while you are there

Egyptian food is street food at heart — koshary, ful, taameya — and it is worth arriving hungry. The guide to seventeen dishes is the place to start, and the shopping guide will keep you from paying tourist prices for cotton and spice in Khan El-Khalili.

Culture matters as much as cuisine here. The etiquette guide covers dress, photography and the small courtesies that open doors, and if your trip falls during Ramadan the rhythm of the day changes completely — usually for the better, if you know what to expect.