The drinking and dining venues in Cairo are as diverse as its population. You can eat fuul and taameya sandwiches for 50 piaster each, a bowl of koshary (all good vegan food) for about LE1.50 or have an international three-course meal in a five star hotel for LE350 and upwards—the choice is yours.

Fuul (mashed beans) and taameya (fried bean patties) are traditional working-class Egyptian fare, and are common breakfast dishes. They are usually served in aish shami—the local equivalent of pitta bread. Some of the dirtiest, most unhealthy-looking eateries in Cairo serve the best fuul and taameya, although you just might feel as though you're taking your life in your hands by eating in them! Koshary is usually eaten as a lunch dish, and is the original Egyptian fast food. Its main ingredients are macaroni and rice covered with salsa (tomato sauce) followed by a sprinkling of fried onion, hoummos and lentils. If you're in a koshary restaurant and applying your own sauce, be sure to shake the bottle VERY well. The other optional extra is chilli sauce (the dark red stuff) and, yes, it is as dangerous as it looks.

A tub of take-away koshary costs anywhere from LE1 to LE2.50, depending on the establishment and the portion. According to the locals, the best koshary in town can be found at El Tahrir on Tahrir Street. One of the best (and certainly one of the cleanest) fuul and taameya establishments is Felfela, which has a sit-down restaurant, a take-away and a koshary restaurant. Felfela serves the cleanest and cheapest Egyptian food in town but be warned—during the peak season literally bus loads of tourists turn up so it does get a little crowded. There is, however, another branch in the Pyramids.

Other popular Egyptian dishes that can be found are kofta and grilled chicken—usually found in restaurants that serve just that - with a selection of salads, usually green salad, hoummos, baba ghanough (aubergine mashed up with tahina), torshi (pickles) and bread. Good places to try for these dishes are the family-friendly Andrea; the quaint Alfi Bey and the famous Rifai. There's also what Egyptians translate as "Egyptian pizzas," which should perhaps just be referred to as fiteer as they appear to bear no resemblance to pizza. Fiteer can be eaten sweet or savoury, and they're made while you wait. You order your fiteer and chose what you want in/on it from the ingredients in the bowls in the work area. Recommended fiteer eateries include the cheap and comfortable Al Omda or the lively and, even cheaper, Fatatri al-Tahrir.

Of course, Cairo offers cuisine from all over the world, not just Egypt. For Indian food, try the excellent Kandahar or Asia House. There is an impressive choice of Chinese restaurants: The Bird Cage, Peking and Zee are amongst the best. French and Italian eateries, once rather rare, now abound in the city. Of particular note are Le Grillon, Prestige and Rossini—all exclusive and rather expensive. Budget diners should try Sicilia.

If you're in need of an alcoholic drink, there are bars in all the five-star hotels, and plenty of local hangouts. Hot night spots include Cap D'Or, El Gato Negro, Cafe Curnosky and El Cinzano. Those who prefer a bit of Old World charm need look no further than the Barrel Lounge and Bar, and the Odeon Palace Bar. However, please do not get drunk and start rolling around the streets or drink on the streets—it won't impress the locals. There have been warnings issued by embassies telling people not to drink locally-manufactured spirits—this has apparently resulted in death for some people. Whether or not this is true, it perhaps isn't worth the risk. The local beer, "Stella," and her relatives, are fine though.

For non-alcoholic drinks and a varying amount of entertainment, the ahwa (coffee shop) is the place to go. Ahwas are everywhere and are usually indoors (though one of the best ones—a younger person's hangout, known as the Bustan Ahwa— can be found in an alley behind Cafe Riche on Talaat Harb). They serve tea (shay), coffee (ahwa), kakaow (hot chocolate), coke, sprite, fanta etc, a variety of fruit juices (depending on the season), erfa (cinnamon), ganzabeel, (ginger), helba (fenugreek), yansuun (aniseed), kirkaday (hibiscus), zabedee (yoghurt) and sahleb (a sweet milky drink/mini-meal with nuts and raisins floating in it.)

A very famous coffee shop that has been open for 200 years is Fishawy’s in Khan El-Khalili. You get all the usual ahwa drinks here with the added "advantage" that the world will come to you. This is only an advantage if you enjoy dead foxes, wallets, "cigarette shishas" and trinkets waved under your nose continuously. It's more expensive than most other ahwas though.