Cafeography
Cairo · Zamalek

Cafés in Zamalek

Gezira Island's coffee bars: Brazil Street, Bahgat Ali, Hassan Assem and 26th of July.

Photo: Mohamed Usrii, Pexels License

Zamalek covers the urbanized northern third of Gezira Island, a district of Art Deco villas, embassies and some of Cairo's highest property prices; the greener southern two-thirds, still called Gezira, hold the Gezira Sporting Club, founded in 1882, and the Cairo Opera House.1 Only 14,946 people lived in Zamalek's four shiakhas (wards) at the 2017 census.1

For its size the island has Cairo's largest cluster of specialty bars, from Rotto and STMP to Social Specialty Coffee and Amor Perfecto, plus Zee Lounge and Walm. Bakery cafés gather on Sheikh al-Marsafi Street, and several places stay open until midnight or later.

Local tip: Buy beans to take home at Sip on Kamal Khalil Street, which sells 200 g bags, or at Amor Perfecto on Salah El-Deen Street.6

At a glance

45Cafés listed
8With opening hours
07:00Earliest opening
02:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: روتو, from 07:00 (Daily 07:00–02:00).
  • Most listed streets: شارع احمد حشمت (2), شارع الشيخ المرصفي (2), شارع السيد البكري (2).
  • Most common features: specialty (18%), open late (16%), laptop work (13%).

Nothing matches those filters here. See all cafés in Cairo.

Coffee chains in Zamalek

Getting onto the island and along 26th of July Street

Metro Line 3's western branch, opened in October 2022, stops at Safaa Hegazy station on Zamalek before continuing to Kit-Kat.2 Above ground, cafés line 26th of July Street: Rotto at No. 177, Coffee Island at No. 157, Qa'da Arabi (قعدة عربي) at No. 140 and Simonds at No. 112.

Rotto serves single-origin specialty coffee with pastries baked in-house, brews V60 pour-overs and cold brew, and lists its hours as 07:00 to 02:00 every day; it has a second branch in New Cairo.3 Coffee Island is a dependable choice for laptop users who need Wi-Fi and refills, Cairo 360 said in May 2026.4

Brazil, Bahgat Ali and Hassan Assem streets

STMP calls its café at 2 Bahgat Ali Street, in the Al Masri Towers, the first flagship of a specialty brand that now operates in Egypt and the Gulf.5 FIKA is at No. 6 on the same street and Daily Dose at No. 28. Social Specialty Coffee, at 9 Brazil Street beside Four Fat Ladies at No. 8, is a calm favorite of freelancers and students.4

Osten Coffee Bar, at 23 Hassan Assem Street, suits people who work best before noon, and Oroblanco a quieter session, according to the same 2026 guide.4 Amor Perfecto, at 18 Salah El-Deen Street, is a branch of a Bogotá specialty coffee company with awards going back to 1997; its baristas help you choose a cup, and it sells beans.6

Sheikh al-Marsafi Street and the bakery cafés

Holm Café describes itself as a neighborhood potluck café, with baked goods, one outdoor table and a second floor whose windows look onto trees.6 It is on Sheikh al-Marsafi Street, has Wi-Fi and opens 08:00 to 22:30. FOAM, on the same street, opens 08:00 to 21:00 with outdoor seating, and Fornalia, an artisan bakery on Mohamed al-Marashly Street, opens 08:00 to 01:00.

Sip, near the Marriott at 18 Kamal Khalil Street, came from Lebanon and sells house blends and 200 g bags of beans from Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Ethiopia.6

Second floors and late tables

Antique Khana occupies the second floor of a residential building and is run by a family that collects music, books and antiques.6 It opens 10:00 to midnight. Auntie Loulou on Ahmed Heshmat Street opens 08:00 to midnight with outdoor seats, Gramophone on Kamel Mohamed Street 09:00 to midnight, and Granita 07:00 to 23:00 on weekdays.

Sufi Bookstore, at 12 Sayed al-Bakry Street, pairs books with coffee and made Cairo 360's 2026 list of calm places to read or write.4 2GO shares its address.

Sources

  1. Zamalek, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Cairo Metro Line 3, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  3. Rotto Coffee, Rotto (official site), accessed October 2026
  4. Remote Work Cafés in Cairo: Zamalek & Downtown Edition for Your Next Work From Home Day, Cairo 360 (Nouran Awny, May 10, 2026), accessed October 2026
  5. STMP Coffee, STMP (official site), accessed October 2026
  6. 8 Best Cafes in Zamalek for Coffee, Work, or Just to Chill, Local's Guide to Egypt, accessed October 2026
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In Zamalek, also browse: Wi-Fi Outdoor seating Open late Specialty coffee

FAQ

Zamalek cafés: questions

Where are the specialty coffee bars in Zamalek, Cairo?

Zamalek's coffee bars sit a few streets apart: STMP at 2 Bahgat Ali Street, Social Specialty Coffee at 9 Brazil Street, Amor Perfecto at 18 Salah El-Deen Street, Osten Coffee Bar at 23 Hassan Assem Street and Rotto at 177 26th of July Street. Rotto serves single-origin coffee and V60 pour-overs; Amor Perfecto is a branch of a Bogotá coffee company.

Which metro station serves Zamalek in Cairo?

Safaa Hegazy station on Cairo Metro Line 3 serves Zamalek. The line's western branch opened in October 2022 and continues to Kit-Kat. On 26th of July Street are Rotto at No. 177, Coffee Island at No. 157 and Simonds at No. 112.

Which Zamalek cafés in Cairo suit laptop work?

In May 2026 Cairo 360 named Social Specialty Coffee on Brazil Street as a calm favorite of freelancers and students, Osten Coffee Bar on Hassan Assem Street for morning work, Oroblanco for quiet sessions, Coffee Island for Wi-Fi and refills, and Sufi Bookstore on Sayed al-Bakry Street for reading and writing.

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