Cairo doesn’t announce itself, it unfolds.
A city of layers, contradictions, and quiet intensity, Cairo lives through its senses before its skyline. The hum of the streets, the weight of history in the air, the rhythm between chaos and calm, it’s a place where ancient memory coexists with raw, everyday life. Nothing here is polished for effect, yet everything feels charged with meaning. Cairo doesn’t ask to be consumed quickly; it asks to be felt, observed, and slowly understood.
This week, KHAMSA takes you to Cairo with Anne Mehany (@annemehany on Instagram) the creative director and co-founder of Maison Mehany.
Anne approaches creativity as a sensory language one rooted in emotion, memory, and intention. Shaped by her time in London and guided by intuition rather than noise, she creates worlds instead of campaigns, translating abstract ideas into lived-in, immersive experiences.
Sitting between fashion, art, and experience, her work is deeply informed by culture, wellness, and how we move through life; always questioning before producing, and choosing resonance over spectacle.
Top must visit food spots?
I love trying new flavors and I’m always curious to taste something different, but there are also places and dishes I keep going back to because they carry memories for me. Food is one of the biggest parts of my life. It’s emotional, social, and deeply tied to moments I’ve shared with people. The list I’m sharing isn’t about what’s objectively “best” in Cairo. It’s my personal language, curated through taste, habit, and memory. Every place on it matters to me, and what I order from each one is part of that story.
Breakfast & Coffee Spots
Cake Cafe – “My orders are very specific and never change: a protein blended coffee with honey, tiramisu cake, and their labneh wrap with sriracha and arugula. It sounds like a strange mix, but it works perfectly for me.
Brown Nose – “Iced honey cinnamon oat-milk latte with a chocolate chip cookie, or sometimes an iced chai latte. Their coffee always tastes different in the best way.”
Floating Cups – “Almond swirl cake and an iced honey oat-milk latte. Calm, simple, and comforting.”
Foam
Iced honey latte with oat milk and their fig labneh toast. One of my favorite places for slow, grounded mornings.
Lunch Spots
Em Sherif – “Pretty much everything on the menu, but my favorites are the halloumi with hot honey kibbeh nayeh with onions, vine leaves, and Makanek.”
Carlos – “A constant for me. I usually order safayeh halloumi, their makanek with mustard sauce, hawawshi, hummus wasabi, and chicken hearts spicy with pomegranate molasses. If I want something lighter, I go for their local white fish with lemon, garlic, and steamed vegetables.”
Dinner Spots
8 Restaurant
I stick to noodles, fried vegetables, and dumplings. Simple and consistent.
Reif Kushiyaki – “Always reliable and satisfying.”
Kazoku – “My go-to for sushi.”
Authentic Egyptian Spots
Khufu’s – “Refined Egyptian food with a view of the Pyramids.”
Al Kabagui – “An authentic Egyptian grill by the Nile.”
Koshary Abu Tarek – “A must-try for traditional koshary.”
Mandarine Koueider
“A classic Egyptian pastry and ice-cream spot. I always get the blueberry yogurt ice cream and konafa with cream.”
Saber
“Rice pudding that holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I eat it whenever I can.”
Best Places for Sundowners / Rooftops
Pier 88
“I love going around sunset for drinks and a few appetizers by the Nile.”
Pyramids View
Especially during golden hour. It never stops feeling surreal.
Hotels – Four Seasons Nile Plaza or St. Regis Cairo.
Crimson
“Just wine and a couple of appetizers to watch the sunset.”
Estro
“Beetroot salad and wine. A simple, perfect sunset moment.”
Andrea
“Very nostalgic and always a go-to for me and my family. I order the chicken livers and hearts, extra spicy, with toumeya and baba ghanoush on the side.”
Best Places for Shopping
For Authentic Jewelry & Souvenirs
Khan El Khalili
You can find almost everything here, silver, gold, precious stones, vases, and traditional Egyptian pieces. It’s layered and overwhelming in the best way. You have to dig, take your time, and trust your eye. The best pieces are never obvious.
Darb 1718
“A space I always associate with pottery and tableware that feels raw, organic, and thoughtful. The pieces are practical but artistic, and you can feel the years of craft and experimentation behind them.”
For Local Designers & High-End Brands
Dina Shaker
Her work is built on philosophy, not trends. The cuts are strong and structured, and there’s a quiet power in how she designs for women. Her language always inspires me.
Okhtein
“I’m drawn to their storytelling. They translate culture, heritage, and identity into objects through art and craftsmanship in a very intentional way.”
Azza Fahmy
“Her jewelry always carries meaning. The history, symbolism, and experience behind the brand are deeply moving and inspiring.”
Rebel Cairo
“I love their authenticity. Their design language is distinctive, and it never feels forced.”
Dontanani
“They create pieces that feel thoughtful and rare. I’m drawn to their closed-edition, collectible designs, where each object feels intentional rather than mass-produced. Their work has character, originality, and a sense of permanence that makes it feel worth keeping.”
Ramla
“One of the strongest footwear brands when it comes to authenticity and design language. Thoughtful, grounded, and well made.”
Must-visit cultural spots?
Gayer Anderson Museum
The Gayer-Anderson Museum is a historic house museum in Old Cairo, made up of two Ottoman-era homes filled with collected objects, furniture, textiles, and artifacts from different cultures and periods. It doesn’t feel like a traditional museum, it feels lived in, layered, and deeply personal. That’s what draws me to it. Every room tells a story, and nothing feels overly curated or performative. The way the space holds memory, observation, and quiet detail reflects how I see creativity and life, allowing meaning to build naturally rather than forcing it.
Al Fustat
It is a raw place. It’s one of the few places in Cairo where craftsmanship, history, and daily life still exist in one place.
Adam Henein Museum
Adam Henein was one of Egypt’s most important modern artists and sculptors, known for his quiet, reduced forms and deep connection to ancient Egyptian art and nature. He believed in stripping things back to their essence, creating work that feels timeless rather than decorative. That approach reflects my own taste and philosophy. I’m drawn to restraint, meaning, and a calm presence that doesn’t need to be loud or over-explained. His work carries confidence, depth, and intention, which is exactly what I value in creativity and in life.
Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Center
The Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Center is a living space for creation, founded on the belief that creativity is instinctive and should be expressed freely. Artisans, many of them trained from a young age, weave without sketches or predetermined outcomes, letting intuition guide the process. That way of working resonates deeply with me. I’m drawn to creation that comes from instinct, trust, and lived experience rather than rules or perfection. The center reflects a belief I strongly share, that the most meaningful work happens when you allow yourself to listen, adapt, and let the process shape the outcome.
GEM museum
Worlds largest archaeological museum, housing over 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts including the complete Tutanckamun collection. The Grand Egyptian Museum is a vast, architectural space dedicated to Egypt’s ancient civilization, designed to hold and present history with clarity and respect. What makes it so powerful is what it triggers once you start observing closely. Seeing how the ancient Egyptians lived is incredibly inspiring and honestly mind-blowing, especially when you realize they didn’t have the knowledge or resources we have today. It makes you question how they knew what they knew, and whether in some ways they were more advanced than we are now. Even their sense of style feels intentional, their tableware looks like art, not just something functional, and it completely shifts how you think about culture, design, and progress.
Bayt Yakan:
Bayt Yakan is a restored historic house in Cairo that brings together architecture, culture, and contemporary life in a very understated way. The space feels calm and thoughtful, allowing the building’s history to coexist naturally with modern use. That balance reflects how I see creativity. I’m drawn to places that respect the past without being stuck in it, where old and new live together without forcing contrast. Bayt Yakan values atmosphere, intention, and quiet presence, which aligns closely with my approach to work and how I experience the city.
Best boutique hotels to stay in?
Numero Cinq:
Numero Cinq is a small boutique hotel tucked into Zamalek that feels intimate and thoughtfully designed rather than polished or loud. It has a quiet confidence to it, the kind of place that feels lived in from the moment you arrive. I’m drawn to it because it feels personal and calm, a space that lets you slow down and exist without distraction, which is rare in the city.
Villa Attuta in Maadi:
Villa Attouta feels more like staying in someone’s home than in a hotel. It’s warm, artistic, and surrounded by greenery, which instantly changes your pace. I’m drawn to it because it creates distance from the noise without feeling disconnected. It’s grounding and familiar, the kind of place that makes you breathe differently.
Immobilia downtown:
Immobilia sits inside one of Downtown Cairo’s most iconic buildings, carrying the weight of history while still feeling relevant. The space has a strong character, shaped by architecture, memory, and the city around it. I’m drawn to it because it holds layers, past and present existing together, which mirrors how I experience Cairo itself.
Mazeej Downtown:
Mazeej Balad is understated and intentional, blending local culture with contemporary design in a very simple way. I’m drawn to it because it feels aligned with the city, rooted yet modern, and allows you to experience Downtown Cairo in a quiet, thoughtful way.
Underrated places?
Bayt Al-Suhaymi El Moez Street
A historic house that gives you a real sense of how people lived. Calm, detailed, and often overlooked despite being central.
Aisha Fahmy Palace – Zamalek
A beautiful historic house that now hosts exhibitions. The building itself is as inspiring as the art inside.
Al Sayed Karim House in Maadi
One of the most consistent contemporary art spaces in the city, low-key but serious.
What should you avoid?
• Rush hours
• Crowded places
Must-pack items?
What I carry with me is about staying grounded and connected as I move through the city. I like to feel prepared without being weighed down, surrounded by things that have meaning rather than just function. There’s a mix of care, memory, and routine in it all, objects that remind me where I come from, the people I love, and the rhythm of my day. Between movement, work, music, and quiet moments, everything I carry supports how I think, how I feel, and how I move. It keeps me aligned, present, and comfortable enough to stay open to whatever the city brings.
Officine Universelle Buly Comb
Made with my best friend in Paris. The story matters more than the object.
Burgundy leather bag from Edou
An upcoming brand created by me and my best friend, Mayar Khaled.
Daily jewelry
My dad’s cross and a Cartier Trinity ring engraved with my family’s initials.
My playlist:
Love to always curate playlists depends on my mood.
Ipad & Laptop
My mothers Film Camera & Wired headphones
Portable Iscan:
For capturing textures, walls, and typography on the go.
Books:
One for grounding, one for inspiration.
Any tips and tricks to tackle the city?
How I Move in Cairo
I don’t plan Cairo. I move through it and let it guide me. I pay attention to the street, to people, to what’s happening around me. The city has so many layers and I allow myself to take them in. That’s honestly where a lot of my inspiration comes from.
I talk to people all the time here. I connect easily with strangers, joke with people I know in the street, start random conversations without thinking about it. It feels normal. Cairo is social by nature and people are open. I hear so many stories just by being present and they stay with me.
I move around the city listening to score music a lot. It helps me tune out the noise without disconnecting from it. Walking, driving, even sitting in traffic feels different. It feeds my soul in a way and keeps me grounded.
My days have a rhythm that feels natural. The baristas at my regular cafés know my order. They know when I’ve just finished Pilates or a workout. They know if I’m in the mood to chat or if I want quiet. Everything flows without effort.When you stop trying to control the city and just live in it, it starts working with you.
