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This is our culture corner. Your weekly Egyptian cultural compass.
Egypt’s food business is growing because, quite simply, Egyptians love food, and eating is much more than just satisfying hunger; it is part of the Egyptian lifestyle and culture. From family gatherings and Friday lunches to late-night koshary, breakfast with friends, coffee dates, and spontaneous restaurant outings, food brings people together.
With Egypt’s population reaching approximately 109 million in May 2026, the market has an enormous consumer base and a continuous demand for food. This creates opportunities for everything from traditional Egyptian restaurants and street-food concepts to modern cafés, bakeries, healthy food brands, and innovative dining experiences.
According to Mordor Intelligence, Egypt’s foodservice market is estimated to reach US 11.83 billion in 2026 and is projected to grow to US 25.82 billion by 2032, representing an estimated annual growth rate of 13.84% between 2027 and 2032. The rise of food delivery, online ordering, cloud kitchens, specialty cafés, and changing consumer preferences is creating new ways to enter the market without necessarily investing in a large traditional restaurant. Egyptians are also becoming increasingly interested in discovering local brands, unique food concepts, and affordable experiences.
With the right idea, good quality, smart pricing, and a strong understanding of customers, young Egyptians have the opportunity to build brands that start locally and potentially grow into successful businesses across Egypt and beyond.
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Feature
MIMA’S Food Truck
Who said meatballs had to be boring? Tucked away in Skyline Plaza, Sheraton, Heliopolis, MIMA’S is putting a fun, modern spin on a classic comfort food, mixing Lebanese and Egyptian flavours with a little international flair.
Behind the concept is Mariam Safa, affectionately known as MIMA, who traded her career in finance for a passion project built around food, family, and creativity. Inspired by childhood summers in Lebanon, her grandmother’s recipes, and the warmth of home-cooked meals, Mariam set out to give the humble meatball a whole new identity.
And she's definitely not playing it safe! At MIMA’S, meatballs take centre stage in dishes that are anything but ordinary. Think fluffy mashed potatoes loaded with juicy beef meatballs, melted cheese, rosemary, crunchy crackers, jalapeños, and a drizzle of their signature Hot Firecracker sauce. More of a sandwich person?
Their Beef Meatball Sub brings all that goodness together with a rich marinara sauce. There's even a playful selection of sauces, including Cherry Jelly, for those who love experimenting with flavours.
Of course, getting here wasn't an easy ride. Introducing a meatball-focused concept in a market where traditional street food favourites usually steal the spotlight came with its challenges. But Mariam's determination paid off, helping MIMA’S build a loyal following that appreciates its quality, authenticity, and unique concept.
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Opening a Food Truck
Who says you need to travel across the world to experience a new culture? Sometimes, all it takes is a food truck! Meet Hazem Salama, the founder of Los Tacos Amigos, a Mexican food truck that brought a fresh taste of Mexican street food to the streets of Egypt. Having lived in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Canada, Hazem grew up surrounded by different cultures, experiences, and cuisines. But it was in Canada that he discovered something that would eventually change his career path: the world of food trucks.
After teaming up with his Costa Rican friend Steve, Hazem got hands-on experience running a food business at festivals, starting with a simple kitchen tent before eventually moving up to a food truck. Along the way, he also learned the secrets of authentic Mexican cooking from Steve's Mexican mother! When Hazem returned to Egypt, he saw an opportunity to bring that experience home. Inspired by the growing food truck scene, he decided to launch his own Mexican street food concept.
What to Read
Three Daughters
Elif Shafak’s Three Daughters of Eve is a compelling exploration of womanhood, identity, faith, and belonging in the Middle East, told through the lives of three women whose experiences and worldviews are shaped by very different relationships with religion, culture, and modernity. At the heart of the novel is Peri, a Turkish woman caught between conflicting ideas of faith and secularism, tradition and progress, and the expectations placed on her as a woman.
Through her relationships with Shirin, a confident and outspoken Iranian woman, and Mona, an Egyptian-American woman whose faith is central to her identity, Shafak presents three distinct ways of navigating womanhood in a region often spoken about as though it were culturally and socially homogeneous. Their friendship highlights the tensions, contradictions, and shared questions that emerge when women negotiate their identities within societies shaped by complex histories, political realities, and religious expectations.
The novel challenges simplistic binaries between the religious and secular, the traditional and progressive, and the liberated and oppressed, reminding readers that these categories rarely capture the full complexity of women's lives. It is a particularly insightful book for understanding the region because it places women's individual voices, struggles, ambitions, and contradictions at the centre of the narrative, offering a more nuanced and empathetic perspective on the many ways womanhood is experienced across the Middle East.
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What to Listen to
Jaubi
Blending the sounds of jazz, Indian classical music, and spiritual influences, Jaubi create a deeply immersive and soulful listening experience that feels both timeless and completely unique. Their music takes you on a journey, weaving together beautiful melodies, intricate rhythms, and moments of pure reflection. Whether you're a jazz lover or simply someone who appreciates discovering music beyond the ordinary, Jaubi are definitely worth your time.
What to Watch
Qafla
Qafla is a captivating short film that promises suspense, emotion, and an unforgettable cinematic journey. Starring Jehan El Shamashergi and Sedky Sakhr, the film follows a family whose grandfather suffers a sudden medical emergency at dawn. When the men leave to find a doctor and mysteriously fail to return, the women and children are left waiting.
But the arrival of a young girl and a mysterious boy sets unexpected events in motion, turning an ordinary morning into an extraordinary chain of events. Featuring Malek Emad, Yara Gibran, Naglaa Younes, Shaimaa Farouk, and Youssef Driss, Qafla is written and directed by Ahmed Mostafa El Zoghbi and produced by Hend Metwally. After being screened in the Egyptian Cinema Panorama section at the Cairo International Film Festival, the film is now set to premiere on MBC Shahid on October 22.
What to Eat
Luuma
If you’re looking for the ultimate cool-weather hangout in Cairo, Luuma in Zamalek is an absolute flex. Perched right on the edge of the Nile, it hits that sweet spot between aesthetic boho chic and ultra-cozy winter dining. When the Cairo evening breeze sets in, Luuma lights up with warm ambient illumination, moon-inspired decor, and riverside outdoor heaters that make sitting by the water completely magical.
You can warm up from the inside out with piping-hot truffle pasta, sizzling grilled meats, or modern spins on Egyptian savory feteer, then end the night passing around shisha and sipping rich hot white chocolate or spiced winter drinks while watching the city lights shimmer over the river. It’s not just dinner; it’s an entire winter scene you’ll want all over your feed.
What to Visit
Mazaher
Led by powerful women’s voices and pulsating layers of percussion, Mazaher brings this extraordinary musical tradition to life. Blending the sounds and rhythms of Upper Egyptian, Abu Gheit, and Sudanese Zar, the ensemble delivers an electrifying experience filled with hypnotic beats, soulful vocals, and infectious energy. Expect an evening that’s rich in culture, full of rhythm, and impossible to sit still through!
Saint Levant
Saint Levant is landing at Zed Park on December 5th for a night that’s set to be pure, unadulterated energy. Switch seamlessly between Arabic, English, and French as the Palestinian icon blends smooth R&B, hip-hop, and pop hits live on stage. Expect nothing short of main-character vibes, raw emotion, and a crowd screaming every single lyric back to him. This isn't just another concert, it's the moment of the season. Grab your crew, grab your tickets, and don't miss out.
