#cairo cafe

The Mohandessin branch of Arabeya is an oasis of calm in the bustling city of Cairo. Underneath the canopy, in the serene, leafy courtyard at Arabeya, is an ideal place to spread your books out and study, chat to friends and teachers, have a cup of shai in between classes. However, as lovely as it is, the Mohandessin courtyard isn't the only place that is an enticing learning and study space in Cairo.

Cairo, the city of cafes, has a never ending supply of spots to knuckle down with an aseer mango, qawha mazboot, or delicious snack to motivate you to get your books out. A hot cup of coffee in one hand. A new pen in the other. Quiet enough that you can hear your own thoughts, but not so quiet that you are afraid that everyone around you can hear breathe. Finding quiet nooks, green spaces, and a nice cup of coffee can make all the difference to your study habits and well-being.

Having studied at both Tahrir Square and Mohandessin branches in our time at Arabeya, here are a few of our favorite places to study and co-work in Cairo:

Diwan Bookstore  

Diwan is a classic study spot in Cairo and is high on everyone's list. It's quiet, calm and has a wide selection of coffee and snacks. It's by far one of the most famous and most beloved bookstores in Cairo, and studiers can browse through books in

Arabic, English and other languages on study breaks.

Wifi? No

Area: Zamalek  

Link: https://www.facebook.com/diwanbookstore/

 Cairo Opera

The Opera is not commonly listed as a good study spot, but it's one of our favorites. It's calm, filled with some of the best grass in town, and its small café has all the essentials. You can hunker down outside with your Al-Kitaab or Kallimini bi Arabi books, and then catch a show or an art exhibition at night.

Wifi? No

Area: Zamalek  

Link: http://www.cairoopera.org/?lan=En

Sufi Café

If you are into shabby chic vibes, with lofty ceilings and mismatched antiques, Sufi Cafe is the place for you. Usually never very busy during the day, the soothing background noise of gentle chatter and the soft light through tall windows makes Sufi cafe one of my favorite places to study and the internet is good too. Tucked away in a beautiful old building just off Brazil Street in Zamalek, it offers responsibility priced juice and coffee, traditional breakfasts, and a hearty bowl of pasta among other dishes on the menu.  And if you hang around long enough, the energy transforms from sleepy cafe to cool coffee shop, with neighbouring cafes beginning to spill into the street, serving coffee, tea and shisha late into the night alongside games of  backgammon when you’re ready to switch off egyptian style.

Wifi? Yes

Area: Zamalek  

Link: https://www.facebook.com/Sufibookstoreandmore/

Holm

Just down the road from Beano’s cafe and the Dutch Cultural Institute Library (both great study spaces!) in Zamalek, Holm is a small cafe a little different from your usual Egyptian cafes. Oozing more Scandi vibes,  with two floors, and a huge bay window seat (for those lucky enough to grab it) looking out onto leafy, green trees, Holm isn’t the cheapest option in Cairo, but definitely one with delicious food and a calm atmosphere. The menu serves healthy juices, beetroot lattes, date and coffee breakfast smoothies, salads and even has some vegan cake options! Maybe a little pricey compared to other cafes in Cairo, it’s worth the extra couple of LE for healthy food and a good spot to study once in a while.

Wifi: Yes, (not the most reliable however)

Location: Zamalek

Link: https://www.instagram.com/holm_cafe/?hl=en

Falak

Falak is a cute hipstery cafe in Garden City, with both indoor and outdoor seating. It has both a good bowl of pasta, a good cup of coffee and a wide juice selection. In addition to being a good open-air place to study, it’s also a bookstore, jewelry shop and stationery store. We highly recommend you check it out at night!

Wifi? Yes  

Areas: Garden City  

Link: https://www.facebook.com/Falakbooksandartworks/

Room Art Space

Room is a basement café tucked in a corner in Garden City. With a wide selection of hot and cold drinks, breakfast and lunch foods, including healthy options,  it's a great place to spend a day studying (then spend a night karaoke-ing or playing board games!). For the non-health conscious- make sure to check out their banana rolls- also known as banana bliss *drools* - which is a great reward for a long day of studying.  

Wifi? Yes  

Area: Garden City  

Link: https://www.facebook.com/roomartspace/

Bardo Clubhouse

A treehouse, guys, a treehouse!! Who doesn't want to study in a treehouse? Clubhouse is a cute, tiny greenspace tucked away in Maadi. It's blocks away from the metro station and worth the hike from Mohandiseen for a day of study in the grass and sun.  

Wifi? No

Area: Maadi  

Link: https://www.facebook.com/bardoclubhouse/

Oldish

Just around the corner from the Tahrir Square Arabeya branch and AUC bookshop, Oldish is a cafe/restaurant ideal for students. With a huge menu serving practically every drink and meal under the sun, the atmosphere is remarkably relaxed considering it being so near to one of the busiest squares in Cairo. While it has a small seating area facing the road, once you go through the entrance, continue into the back where a large courtyard offers plenty of seating and outdoor fans! Or if you’re looking for something a bit chillier, up the stairs from the courtyard is a cosy restaurant with great Aircon. Grab a seat immediately on your left by the window and the bookshelf for the ultimate study space.

Wifi: Yes

Location: Downtown

Link: https://www.facebook.com/oldisheg/

Other cafes and co-working spaces to check out in Cairo:

Here are a few honorable mentions of cafes and co-working spaces in Cairo that we haven't had a chance to check out yet!

- Dutch Flemish Institute, Zamalek (nice, cool library for studying without distractions)

-Antique Khan, Zamalek

-icecairo, Downtown/Tahrir  

-TBS, Maadi

-Greco Cafe, Maadi

-The District, Maadi  

-AlMaqqar, Heliopolis

Come study Arabic!

Whether you're an Arabic student or expat buckling down on your Arabic in cafes, or if you're a digital nomad just passing through, Arabeya has a language class for you!

From advanced fosha for the café-bound Academics, to beginner survival Egyptian colloquial for the backpacker/digital nomad- we have a class to suit every learning goal.