The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

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This is the final article written by our talented colleague, Malak Gharib. She wrote these words while on her hospital bed, courageously fighting her illness with the same determination and passion she brought to her work. Writing was her strength, her voice, and her way of resisting the fatigue. It is with pride and heavy hearts that we publish her final piece. We kindly ask all who read this article to keep her in their prayers.

When Dessert Turns Into a Cairo Debate

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Cairo has a talent for turning everyday habits into full-blown cultural conversations, and dessert was never going to escape that fate. Somewhere between a family outing and a late-night food run, El Malky and B.Laban became symbols of two very different ways Egyptians experience food today.

This isn’t an official rivalry, yet it lives loudly in conversations, car rides, and group chats, where ordering dessert somehow becomes a subtle statement about who you are and how you choose to indulge.

El Malky and the Comfort of What Never Changed

El Malky has been part of Cairo’s rhythm for decades, operating as a family business long before food brands needed storytelling to survive. For many Egyptians, it isn’t about craving something new; it’s about returning to something familiar.

The flavours are steady, predictable, and emotionally reassuring. El Malky doesn’t chase attention because it doesn’t need to. Its strength lies in trust built over generations, where dessert is less about spectacle and more about comfort.

When Legacy Isn’t Loud Enough

That same quiet confidence, however, comes with a limitation. In a city where food culture now lives online, El Malky can feel almost invisible to younger audiences. It is respected, rarely criticised, but also rarely talked about.

Nostalgia doesn’t go viral, and legacy doesn’t automatically translate into relevance. El Malky stayed rooted, while Cairo’s food scene became faster, louder, and driven by visuals and reactions.

B.Laban’s Loud Entrance Into Cairo’s Food Scene

B.Laban arrived at exactly the right moment — when desserts stopped being simply something you eat and became something you experience and share. It understood early on that Egyptians were no longer discovering food through word of mouth, but through screens.

Oversized portions, dramatic presentations, and visually chaotic bowls transformed familiar dairy desserts into instant content. You don’t casually stumble upon B.Laban; you go because everyone is talking about it.

Dessert as Entertainment, Not Memory

What B.Laban sells is excitement. It thrives on first impressions, exaggerated reactions, and the constant pull of trying the next trending item. It is not built on nostalgia, but on novelty.

You go with friends, not necessarily family, ready to film, rate, and react. The experience matters as much as the taste — and sometimes more. It is dessert designed for the moment, not the memory.

Same Desserts, Different Emotional Payoff

Despite offering similar core products, El Malky and B.Laban deliver completely different emotional experiences. El Malky feels rooted and dependable — the kind of place you return to instinctively. B.Laban feels impulsive and exciting — the kind of place you try because it is trending.

One offers comfort, the other offers spectacle. Egyptians understand that both have their place, depending on mood, company, and timing.

How Egyptians Actually Choose

The truth is, Egyptians rarely pick sides — they pick moments. El Malky fits into family gatherings, quiet cravings, and situations where trust matters more than surprise. B.Laban fits into social outings, curiosity-driven decisions, and nights when the experience becomes part of the entertainment.

Loyalty shifts easily, because food choices in Cairo are emotional rather than ideological.

Who’s Really Winning the Battle?

If the measure is attention, B.Laban is clearly winning right now. It dominates conversations, screens, and trend cycles. If the measure is trust, El Malky still holds strong ground.

Trends come and go quickly in Cairo, but legacy moves slower and lasts longer. This battle isn’t about replacing one with the other, but about which one understands the moment better.

Legacy, Trend, and Cairo’s Sweet Balance

In the end, this isn’t about desserts at all. It’s not about dessert; it’s about Cairo balancing past and future. El Malky represents continuity and emotional inheritance. B.Laban represents immediacy and cultural relevance. And in a city that refuses to let go of its past while constantly chasing what’s new, both will continue to exist, compete, and quietly shape how Egyptians eat, talk, and argue over dessert.