Egyptian Food in Sharm El Sheikh — A Local's Guide

Try authentic Egyptian food during your stay in Sharm El Sheikh. From koshari and ful to grilled meats and Egyptian sweets — a local's guide.

Most tourists eat at international restaurants and miss the best food in Sharm — traditional Egyptian dishes. Here's what to try.

Sharm El Sheikh is surrounded by international restaurant chains, hotel buffets, and tourist-facing menus that could be anywhere in the Mediterranean. But beneath that layer, the real food of Sharm is Egyptian — and it's some of the most flavourful, honest cooking you'll find in the region. Here's a local's guide to what you should actually eat while you're here.

Essential Egyptian Dishes in Sharm El Sheikh

Koshari

Egypt's unofficial national dish and arguably its greatest contribution to world cuisine. Koshari is a layered bowl of short-grain rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas, topped with crispy fried onions, a tangy tomato-vinegar sauce, and chilli oil on the side. It's 100% vegan, enormously filling, and costs around 40–80 EGP. Dedicated koshari shops can be found throughout Hadaba and around Naama Bay.

Ful Medames

Slow-cooked fava beans with olive oil, cumin, garlic, and lemon juice. It's the Egyptian breakfast dish par excellence, though locals eat it at any time of day. Often served with pita bread, chopped tomatoes, and a boiled egg on the side. One of the cheapest and most nutritious meals you'll find in the city.

Ta'meya (Egyptian Falafel)

Unlike Lebanese falafel (made from chickpeas), Egyptian ta'meya is made from fava beans mixed with fresh parsley, dill, and spring onions, giving it a bright green interior and an earthy, herby flavour. Eaten in pita bread with salad and tahini as a sandwich, or as a starter alongside mezze.

Grilled Meats (Mashawi)

Egyptian grilled meat restaurants — mashawi joints — are a staple of the Sharm El Sheikh food scene. Chicken kofta (minced seasoned chicken on a skewer), lamb kofta, mixed grills, and chicken breast marinated in Egyptian seven-spice blends are all popular. Served with rice, salad, pita, and tahini.

Egyptian Sweets

Konafa (shredded pastry stuffed with cheese or cream and soaked in sugar syrup), basbousa (semolina cake with syrup), and Om Ali (Egyptian bread pudding with nuts and cream) are the most popular Egyptian desserts you'll encounter in Sharm. Try them at least once.

Where to Find Egyptian Food in Sharm

Authentic Egyptian food is concentrated in Hadaba, where the local resident population is higher. The Naama Bay strip has it too, but often at inflated tourist prices. For the real experience at fair prices, venture a few streets back from the main promenade.

Egyptian Food Delivery via Bringit

Several traditional Egyptian restaurants on Bringit deliver koshari, ful, mashawi, and Egyptian sweets across Sharm El Sheikh. This is the easiest way to try authentic local food without navigating an unfamiliar neighbourhood.

Try real Egyptian food delivered to your door in Sharm — browse local restaurants on the Bringit app.