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

Having burst onto the Cairo restaurant scene out of nowhere with its first branch in Mohandiseen, Butcher’s Burger has recently made its way to the island of Zamalek, and can be found in the Om Kalthoum building towards the end of Abou El Feda Street.

Competing with leading burger spots such as Burger Factory, Gourmet Burger Cairo and Mince, expectations were naturally high following a very respectable four star review for said Modandiseen branch.

The small two-story restaurant looks the part and has warm a interior accented with brick walls and dark woods. On the ground floor, a chalkboard behind the cashier presents hungry diners with diagram of a cow, dissecting its body to identify the different cuts of meat. Heading up the stairs, where there is more seating, we settled on a table looking out onto the street and began to survey the menu.

Apart from burgers, they also offer steaks (85LE-105LE), chicken dishes (49LE) and a variety of sides with options such as nachos (42LE), chilli cheese fries (42LE), and mac n’ cheese (29LE). But despite the range of options, it’s that very simple combo of bun and patty that Butcher’s Burger has made its name on.

Among the choices of Milano Burger (49LE), with pesto and mozzarella, the Tahini Burger (42LE), and the Double Trouble (69LE) – a burger that comes with a caution of being messy – we opted for a Gorgonzola Burger (55LE) and a Pastrami Burger (49LE).

Served with a side of coleslaw and fries, customers are advised to go against the usual Egyptian custom of of cooking meat to death and order their burgers medium or medium-well to avoid drying the burger out. The Gorgonzola on the first burger was generous, accompanied by sweet pickles and ranch dressing. Though covered with ingredients that are full of flavour, the burger was ultimately a bit bland. Faring better, the pastrami burger was hearty and satisfying, with added cheddar cheese and grilled onions.

While the beef itself was lean and the patty dense, there was nothing that stood out in terms of flavour. On the other hand, the side order of BB’s cheese balls was near perfection; soft, warm and crispy, served with a ranch dipping sauce.

The overall experience at Butcher’s Burger was a pleasant one, with a comfortable setting, efficient service and a menu piled with all sorts of burger variations, as well as side dishes. Although there was little left to be desired, the burgers themselves did little to suggest that the restaurant can separate itself from the pack.