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

The humble toastie is quick and relatively easy to make, but most importantly, it’s delicious and has long been a lunchtime favourite. Although it’s evolved over the years, the basics stay the same – bread and cheese heated until it’s slightly crispy on the outside, with the melted cheese oozing out. The art of putting fillings between bread and cheese is experiencing a deserved renaissance courtesy of the creativity of new concepts emerging around our beloved capital – and one of these concepts is Toasted. 

Nestled in the left corner of Qubix in Sheikh Zayed’s Dahshour Road, Toasted has made quite the name for itself so far. We went there once before, but the queue was unbelievably long and the wait time was about two hours. Luckily, we were the only ones there this time around, so we had the whole place to ourselves. We took a seat in front of the container restaurant and browsed through the extensive menu. Our server advised us to get the Philly Cheesesteak (89 LE), and so we did – sourdough bread, beef fillet, melted cheese, onion jam, and spicy mayo with BBQ relish dip. The toastie was tasty, and the beef was adequately seasoned and cooked, yet the meat portion was tiny in proportion to the toast; in most of the toastie, it felt we were eating mayo, cheese, and bread only. But, the fries were crunchy and made a great side dish. 

We also decided to try the Spicy Grilled Cheese (67 LE) – sourdough bread, butter, mixed cheese served with basil tomato dipping sauce and mixed salad. This sandwich excelled in texture but needed a bit more flavour because the dipping sauce was fairly creamy and dense, so it didn’t complement the sandwich; the toastie either needed a light-textured sauce or more flavour inside. But in all cases, we enjoyed our quick sandwiches and the casual atmosphere.

It is important to note that Toasted serves up an array of sandwiches made with a sourdough loaf or white bread. They also have salads, chips & dips, and delicious looking desserts. Toasted is definitely a place to keep in mind when you’re in the mood for a quick light grab. The open-air, fair prices, and laid-back ambience make for a great meet-up spot with friends.