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

The beauty of fiteer lies in the fact that it conjures up a level of
comfort and satisfaction like no other treat in Cairo. Tebesty has been around in Egypt for ages and with branches all over the
capital ranging from Nasr
City to Maadi; it’s hard
to find someone that hasn’t taken a stab at their mouth-watering fiteer. This reviewer’s favourite location is at the busy intersection towards the end
of Gamaat El Dowal Street in Mohandiseen.

Open twenty-four hours a day, Tebesty is a hopping little joint. While
there’s little room for waiting in the restaurant itself, there’s plenty of pavement
space for you to wait patiently for your order. It’s a no-frills restaurant with
an efficient ordering process; so have your pick and place your order with the
cashier.

Tebesty serves up hot fiteer fresh out of the oven and in a matter of
minutes. With plenty of options on the menu ranging from sweet to savoury, one
of our favourites is the vegetarian pizza. For 16LE, peppers, onions and tomatoes
as well as olives and cheese delicately cover the flaky baked bread, providing
a sufficient amount of texture and taste.

Other toppings available include basterma, shrimp, squid, anchovies and
sausages, while cheeses range from Kiri to Romano. A large basterma fiteer will
run you 24LE, including basterma, Romano cheese and tomatoes as well as green
peppers and olives. Combos are also available including the addition of French
fries and a soda for just a few LE more.

When it comes to sweetness, we can’t get enough of Tebesty’s simple
custard fiteer. For just 5LE, a medium fiteer is served with custard and sugar
stuffed in the middle accompanied by warm milk poured over the top; making for
a soggy and delicious mess. A more decadent option is the kahramana hazelnut fiteer
with raisins, coconut, milk, sugar and custard.

Tebesty also serves sandwiches (5LE to 20LE) including fajita and pané
as well as pastas, fatta dishes, meat platters and mana’eesh as well as regular
pizzas.  

So, next time you get hit by the 3AM munchies and you don’t know where
to turn, we dare you to order a little Tebesty and let it work its magic; stick
with the fiteer and you won’t be disappointed.