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

Many things define a good cup of coffee, but the quickest way to a coffee lover’s heart is using freshly roasted and ground coffee beans.              

Down Street 9, the busiest street in Maadi, this small café has been consistently serving quality coffee to a few generations now, resistant to the modern changes that have happened to most shops down the street. The inside is larger than the small entrance would give away. Trying to follow its name –which means Greek – the walls have Greek ruins painted all over, with the few seating options of the Apollo-sun-adorned steel chairs and marble-top tables.

Not only serving hot and cold drinks, Café Greco also sells a range of coffees by weight, and that includes Kenyan and Costa Rican, as well as a selection of decafs. The rest of the drinks on the menu are your average coffee shop items, like Cappuccino or Café au Lait, in addition to an array of pastries, which are subject to availability.

Our first choice was ideal; the Double Espresso Con Panna (30 LE), which, topped with fresh and smooth whipped cream, boasted an earthy aroma and a rich, balanced flavour. Despite being a little watery to our taste, the ice-blended Frappe Freeze Espresso (45 LE) is perfect for those who want to enjoy the mellow side of the coffee flavour. An Indian mix of tea, milk, and spices; the Sattwa chai (35 LE), although relaxing and soothing on many levels, cinnamon dominated the taste, which we expected to be a bouquet of flavours.

We wanted something to complement the coffee flavour, so we ordered a Chocolate Chip Cookie, and a Chocolate Éclair. While the first tasted odd, and was neither chewy nor crunchy, the latter was fresh; crunchy from the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside.

Our brief visit to Café Greco was enjoyable; it may not be the swanky coffee shop with state-of-the-art decoration, yet it focuses on what really matters to a coffee devotee –serving fresh, rich, and aromatic coffee.