Egypt Guide
The Nile Valley
Eating
1 1896 Restaurant Winter Palace Hotel, Corniche el-Nil 
095/238-0422 Its grand colonial decor and starchy silver service are more alluring than the pallid Continental cuisine (Price: three-course dinner for €20). Reservations and smart dress required (they'll lend men a tie if needed). Serves alcohol.
2 Abou Ashraf Sharia al-Mahatta Brightly lit take-away and sit-down diner, serving roast chicken, kofta, shawarma and kushari, with a counter of sweet pastries for dessert. Inexpensive, but prone to creative accountancy. Opening time: Open till midnight
3 Abu Hassan el-Shazly Sharia el-Manshiya A kerbside kofta joint with indoor seating in the spice and hardware souk. Authentically baladi; if you enjoy bazaar-watching and badinage, it's worth trying. Abu Hagger, almost next door, serves similar fare at similar prices.
4 As-Soury Corniche el-Nil, near the Iberotel A spacious Nile-side retreat that's less polluted by cruise boats than other places on the Corniche. Come to drink chilled wine rather than eat; most of the dishes on the menu aren't available.
5 Bombay Sharia Khalid Ibn Walid 010 665-9505 Aimed at curry-loving Brits, with a good value lunchtime set menu for two (£E80). Sells beer and wine.Price: Main dishes cost £E25–40
6 El-Zareem Sharia Yussef Hassan A busy sitdown diner and takeaway serving taamiya, kofta or shrimp sandwiches, kushari and other Egyptian staples, all freshly cooked and inexpensive. Opening time: Daily 24hr
7 
Kebabagy Nile Shopping Centre, near Luxor Temple At the southern end of the mall below the Corniche, this popular bistro serves kebabs, seafood, pizzas, stuffed pigeon, wine, beer and ice cream on a terrace beside the cruise-boat moorings, with big screen TV sports indoors.
8 La Mama Sheraton Luxor Resort, Sharia Khalid Ibn Walid 095/237-4544 For those with kids, this Italian restaurant is a good choice, with a tame pelican for amusement, and pizza and pasta dishes served on a spacious terrace.
9 Lotus Sharia al-Souk. Overlooking the bazaar, with a/c, the Lotus has Egyptian, Continental and even a few Dutch/Indonesian dishes on its menu, at fairly reasonable prices.
10 Metropolitan Café Nile Shopping Centre, below Luxor Temple Like Kebabagy, it has a view across the Nile and breezes from the river (which may be spoilt by diesel-belching cruise boats). Serves pizzas, club sandwiches, ice creams and beer on outdoor wicker tables.Price: Pizzas £E25–35
11 Miyako Sonesta St George Hotel, Sharia Khalid Ibn Walid 095/238-2575 Luxor's only Japanese restaurant is worth a splurge. Price: Set meals of meat (£E125) or seafood (£E180), à la carte grills (£E55–120), sushi (£E25–40) or sashimi (£E40–100). Smartish dress expected. Serves alcohol. Most cards accepted. Opening time: Daily 5–11pm
12 Oasis Café Sharia Labaib Habachi 
www.oasiscafeluxor.com A restful retreat (think Casablanca) with recorded jazz and 1940s vocals, exhibitions and foreign-language magazines, smoking and non-smoking sections. Tuck into a muffin and a latte, a steak platter, the chef's Nepali specials, or the all-day brunch. No cards. Opening time: Daily 10am–10pm
13 Pink Panda PyramisaIsis Hotel, Sharia Khalid Ibn Walid 095/237-2750 One of Luxor's poshest restaurants, serving a bland approximation of Szechuan cuisine. Price: Appetizers £E20–26, soups £E10, main dishes from £E35 Sells alcohol. Most credit cards accepted. Opening time: Daily noon–11pm
14 Pyramids Sharia Yussef Hassan A small eatery devoted to fiteer, savoury or sweet, prepared to order.
15 Seven Days Seven Ways Sharia Khalid Ibn Walid, near Midan al-Salam, 095/236-6264 A haven for expat Brits, serving cafe food and Sunday roast (5.30pm, 7.30pm & 9pm; £E30; reservation required).
16 Shams el-Aseel Sharia el-Kmarr, off Television Street If you're dying for a tasty doner, this nearly round-the-clock shawarma, burger, salad, fuul and taamiya takeway fits the bill, and has a few tables upstairs. Opening time: Daily 6am–2am
17 Sofra Sharia Mohammed Farid 095/235-9752 www.sofra.com.eg A sofra is a round brass table, which typifies the decor of this romantic restaurant in the backstreets, serving delicious mezze and other Middle Eastern specialities. Enjoy a sheesha on the rooftop terrace, or reserve a private room for an intimate dinner. Opening time: Daily 11am– midnight
18 Alf Leyl w Leyl Television Street With its private booths hung with Arabesque tent-fabric, its fresh juices and big choice of sheesha flavours, the "Thousand and One Nights" is popular with Egyptian newlyweds and families.
19 Nile Valley Sharia el-Karnak Recognizable by a large portrait of the singer Umm Kalthoum, this shabby if tranquil coffee house is well used to the odd tourist seeking a break from the bazaar. Try helba, the bright yellow tea made from fenugreek.
20 Nubian National Coffee Sharia al-Souk This funky tearoom decorated with blankets and fake boulders is the place to hear Nubian sounds and meet guys from Aswan. Try the coffee spiced with cardamom or the juices.
21 Victoria Lounge Winter Palace Hotel, Corniche el-Nil The pleasure of being served cucumber sandwiches, fruit cake and tea here, as if the sun had never set on the British Empire, was restricted to hotel guests at the time of writing – but might not be in the future. Price: £E35 per person Opening time: Daily 4–6pm