Coffee houses and patisseries
Coffee houses and patisseries like Athineos and the Trianon have accumulated a heavy load of mystique, and even if you couldn't give a toss about Cavafy or Durrell, their opulent interiors and cakes should not be missed. For nocturnal types, there are expensive 24-hour coffee shops in the Cecil, Montazah Sheraton and Ramada Renaissance hotels.

Traditional Arab cafés ( ahwas) are another world from the European patisseries, and a male preserve not recommended for women on their own. If you're into sipping tea or karkaday surrounded by guys slapping down backgammon counters or dominoes between lung-charring tokes on sheeshas, there are loads of places around Midan el-Gumhorriya. You can always locate them by the sound of coughing, audible above Koranic recitals or Umm Kalthoum sobbing from the radio.

Athineos , Midan Ramleh. Decorated with classical motifs and mirrors and frequented by eccentrics; beware of the pushy waitress, eager to boost your bill. Check out the gilded friezes and columns in the restaurant upstairs - the entrance is around the corner. Daily 8am-midnight.

Brazilian Coffee Stores , on the corner of Nabi Daniel and Sa'ad Zaghloul streets, near the tourist office. This popular stand-up breakfast spot features antique coffee mills, a glass map of Brazil and other period furnishings. Great coffee - espresso only costs £E1.20 - and greasy pastries. Daily 7am-11pm. There's also a, sit-down branch on Sharia Talaat Harb.

Délices , between Midan and Sharia Sa'ad Zaghloul. Rather uninviting since they smartened it up, junked the teak bar and installed air-conditioning. Sells cakes, soft drinks and beer. Daily 7.30am-midnight.

Pastroudis , 39 Sharia Horriya, 100m from Vienous. Established in 1923, this dark-panelled café features in The Alexandria Quartet, and was another haunt of Cavafy, but is now a sad parody of itself. Half the place has been converted into a dubious and overpriced French restaurant, with the entrance now round the corner from Sharia Horriya. Daily 9am-midnight.

The Trianon , corner of Sa'ad Zaghloul and Ramleh. Redecorated and air-conditioned, the swankiest of Alexandria's patisseries boasts gilt columns and a splendidly ornate restaurant; Cavafy used to work upstairs. The patisserie serves light meals, pizzas, beer, creamy cakes and beverages (£E8 minimum charge). It also serves a wide range of wines by the bottle; Egyptian at £E32, French £E180 and champagne £E450! If you want to splurge, try the flambé dishes.

Vienous , on the corner of Nabi Daniel and Horriya streets. Faintly chintzy with its cream and gilt Art Deco salon, but very restful. Daily 10am-9pm.

Restaurants and cafés
The following restaurants and cafés more or less represent the culinary and budgetary spectrum. Most of them are downtown, in the area delineated by Ramleh, Safiya Zaghloul, Nabi Daniel and Horriya streets, but there are also some recommendations far along the Corniche. Phone numbers are only given where reservations are advisable.

Al-Ekhlas , 49 Sharia Safiya Zaghloul (tel 482-3571). Join the haughty bourgeoisie supping fine Egyptian dishes in the restaurant upstairs, or go for pizzas and a salad bar in the Papillon Coffee Shop on the ground floor. Quite expensive. Daily 24hr.

Bella Vista , Abu Qir beach (tel 560-0628). Though its decor is less agreeable than that of the Zephyrion, its fresh seafood is just as good. Sells alcohol. Daily noon-1am.

Cafeteria Asteria , 40 Sharia Safiya Zaghloul. Sandwiches, macaroni, pizzas, ice cream and hot drinks at reasonable prices. Walk through the outer room to find a nice glass-roofed annexe, popular with lovers. Friendly, English-speaking Greek proprietor. Daily 8am-11pm.

Denis , 1 Sharia Ibn Basaam, off Ramleh. 1930s-style Greek fish bar where you select your samak or calamari from the freezer. Fish with chips, salad, tahina and beer costs around £E35. Sells wine too. Daily 10am-midnight.

Elite , 43 Sharia Safiya Zaghloul. Old-fashioned bohemian place decorated with Chagall and Picasso prints; owner Madame Christina enjoys reminiscing about the artists and writers she has known. Simple Greco-Levantine dishes: choose from the long menu on the wall rather than the short one given to tourists. Serves beer and ouzo. Moderate prices. Irregular daytime hours, but usually open till midnight.

Fish Market , on the 2nd floor of a waterfront complex that includes the Tikka Grill and a Wimpy (tel 480-5119). Spacious and snazzy, with a great view of the harbour. No menus; you choose from a mound of fish (£E45-80 per kilo) and crustaceans (£E105-120). The salad platter is a meal in itself. Wine and beer. Moderately priced, given the quality. Daily 1pm-1am.

Fuul Mohammed Ahmed , 17 Sharia Shakor Pasha, off Sharia Sa'ad Zaghloul. Simple family place serving excellent fuul, felafel, and other cheap Egyptian eats. Soft drinks only; takeaways. Daily 6am-1am.

New China Restaurant , in the Corail Hotel, Mandara beach (tel 548-0996). Established by Chinese Muslims who have since moved on, it still serves authentic meals; the wonton soup is especially good. Sells beer. Does deliveries (£E4). Moderately priced. Daily noon-midnight.

Santa Lucia , 40 Sharia Safiya Zaghloul (tel 482-0332). The plushest seafood place in Alex, awarded the Grand Collar in 1980 for being "one of the best in the world" - an accolade it certainly doesn't deserve nowadays. Reckon on paying £E50-60 for a meal; a lot more if you're drinking. Beer and wines; nightclub and pianist. Daily noon-4pm & 7pm-2/3am. Bar closed Wed & Sun.

Taverna , opposite Ramleh tram terminal. Popular chain restaurant with a shawarma and kebab takeaway downstairs. Does excellent Egyptian and Western-style pizzas (£E10-18), seafood, soup, and there's a salad bar (£E4). There's also a branch in Montazah Gardens. Both daily 7am-2am.

The Italian Restaurant , in the Corail Hotel, Mandara beach (tel 548-0996). Really great Italian food, served beside the hotel pool. Moderate prices and suprisingly Italian ambience with pizzas from £E15-25.

Tikka Grill , underneath the Fish Market (tel 480-5114). Plush surroundings and great service, though the chicken tikka is nothing special. Serves alcohol. Daily 1pm-1am. Has an outlet in the Montazah Gardens.

Zephyrion , Abu Qir beach (tel 560-1319). Popular seafood restaurant with a breezy terrace. Select your own fish (£E35-40 per kilo), shrimp (£E80), lobster (£E100) or octopus (£E10 per plate) from the freezer. Beer, wine and spirits. Daily noon-midnight.

Drinking
Although Alex is the centre of Egypt's wine and spirits industry (the vineyards are at Giancolis, near Lake Mariout), bars have a fairly low profile. Rather than the pricy Monty's Bar (noon-1am) in the Hotel Cecil, try some of the places listed below, mostly located on side streets near Midan Orabi. Thursday is the big night out for English teachers and other expats, who start drinking in the Spitfire Bar and finish up at the Havana Bistro. Imported booze costs less at the duty-free shop , 31 Sharia Salah Salem (daily 10am-7pm; Ramadan 10.30am-2.30pm & 8-11pm), which only accepts US dollars or Egyptian currency; there are other shops at the airport and the Maritime Station.

Al-Ahram , off Sharia Sa'ad Zaghloul. Split-level bar and coffee shop refuge for middle-aged sports fans. Upstairs, a beer will cost you £E7 and you can watch satellite TV while you eat - though it's often tuned to German stations. Not a place for women to feel relaxed. Closed Fri.

Cap d'Or , Sharia Adib, off Sharia Sa'ad Zaghloul. Art Nouveau gilded mouldings, carved teak and engraved mirrors. Dubbed "The Trapdoor" by expats, but mostly frequented by Egyptians. Sells shrimps and other snacks (check the price first); a pint of Stella is £E10. Daily noon-3am.

Elite , 43 Sharia Safiya Zaghloul. Simple blue-painted extension to the restaurant of the same name. Frequented by tourists, writers and oddballs. Sells beer, ouzo and brandy. Usually open till midnight.

Havana Bistro , Sharia Fouad. Tiny, cosy den known as "Nagy's", after its engaging manager. Popular with expats and locals alike; fine for solo women. Serves tasty food and stocks a wide range of spirits. Knock to be admitted. Open Mon-Sat noon-3.30pm & 7.30pm-1am (or later).

Spitfire Bar , off Sharia Sa'ad Zaghloul. Small, friendly hang-out covered in stickers from engineering companies and warships; all kinds of expats meet here. Owned by five brothers and their "adopted" British sibling. Sells imported as well as domestic liquor. Mon-Sat noon-midnight.