Hurghada is good for
eating out , with a wider choice of cuisine than anywhere else in Egypt but Cairo or Alexandria. Besides the places listed below there are dozens of restaurants in holiday villages, mostly upmarket and with
music in the evenings. The
Aladdin Restaurant in the
Sindbad Beach Resort deserves an honourable mention for its
oud player. It is also home to the only Russian restaurant and bar in Hurghada. For cheaper meals, check out the many (sometimes nameless) places in Ed-Dahar and Sigala, where new ones are opening every week.
Opening hours are generally mid-morning until 11pm or midnight (maybe later in high season), though the choice of food dwindles after 10pm. Almost everywhere adds 10-12 percent in
service taxes to the bill - at some holiday villages they bump things up by as much as 21 percent.
If you're keen on saving money it's worth tracking down some street stalls . There are two good fuul and felafel stands on the street running south of, and parallel to, Sharia Sheikh Sebak; juice bars and nut stalls are scattered around the bazaar, and there are kushari stands near the bus station. In Sigala, there's a pair of felafel stands on Sigala Square near the police station, and a place with refrigerated carcasses outside that does tasty kebab, kofta and pizzas. Don't miss the two excellent cake shops inside The Market mall, on the strip. For the less adventurous there are the ubiquitous Pizza Hut and KFC opposite Sindbad Beach Resort, and McDonald's in downtown Sigala.
Unless stated otherwise, all of the places listed below are in Ed-Dahar; most places close around 11pm-midnight.
Abo Khadega , in Sigala. Small workers' café where you can get a tasty meal of soup, rice, salad, beans and grilled meat for £E6.
Baron , in the bazaar. A small, simple local eatery serving chicken, beans, bread and salad for £E5.
Bella Riviera , opposite Shakespears Hotel. Friendly café serving tasty lentil soup, spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and salads at low prices. No alcohol.
Chez Pascal , in Three Corners Empire shopping centre. Belgian-managed pizza (£E12-20) and steak (£E30) restaurant, which offers good food and service in a soothing atmosphere. Sells alcohol.
Egyptian Corner , near the Bella Riviera. A few tables in a garden, good for a fuul, tomato and feta cheese breakfast (£E5), chicken with rice and salad (£E7), or tajine (£E8). No alcohol.
El-Masri , near the Joker. Offers kebabs, traditional Egyptian food and chicken at very reasonable prices (around £E10).
Joker , near the police station in Sigala square. Excellent seafood restaurant with generous portions at very good prices (£E10-15). Try the calamari soup. Recommended.
Far East Korea , Redcon Mall, Sigala (tel 065/445-207). Good value Chinese-Korean restaurant with friendly staff, also offers takeaway.
Felfela's , (tel 065/442-410) Sigala, between Holiday Inn and Sheraton. Branch of the famous Cairo restaurant chain serving decent Egyptian food at reasonable rates. Lots of space, nice atmosphere and great view of the harbour. Sells beer. Good for vegetarians. Does takeaway.
Mahyma , Giftun Island. A bar and restaurant for tourists visiting the island, open till 10pm. As you might expect, not terribly cheap and a limited menu. Pizza £E18, Stella £E10, coffee £E5.
Omar Inn , (tel 065/446-166) Sigala, opposite the Golf hotel. Strictly speaking a coffee shop, but serves pizza, seafood, snacks and fruit juice. Good place for people watching. Does take-away.
Red Sea , in the bazaar, off Tariq en-Nasr. One of Hurghada's classiest seafood places, with a rooftop garden and A/C downstairs. Main dishes cost £E20-50. Sells alcohol; takes most credit cards.
Rossi's , opposite the Aquafun waterpark, Sigala. Popular Italian joint with standard pizza, pasta and ice cream options.
Scruples , on Tariq en-Nasr and the Corniche. Two branches of an A/C steak house serving pub food and booze at moderately expensive rates with bouts of Oriental dancing. The same firm runs Scruples Billiardeni, a pool hall on the corner of Sharia Abdel Aziz Mustafa.
Spaghetti , near McDonald's in Sigala. Newish seafood restaurant with large outdoor seating area. Good value and popular with families.
Taco , in Sigala, near McDonald's, and also one in Ed-Dahar. Popular fast-food outlet, famous for its shawarma.
Tarboush , Sharia Abdel Aziz Mustafa. Small, simple pizzeria, with about fifteen not so different-tasting varieties (£E8-18) on the menu. No alcohol.
Young Kang , Sharia Sheikh Sebak. Reasonable Chinese-Korean restaurant, with fair-sized portions at moderate prices. Sells beer.
Drinking
As you'd expect in a major resort, lots of
drinking goes on in discos, restaurants and hotels - though the number of actual bars isn't that large. Most restaurants don't sell alcohol during Ramadan and before 1pm on Fridays, but holiday villages are exempt from these restrictions. There are
duty-free shops in the AKA mall near the
Royal Palace in New Hurghada, or next to the
Ambassador Hotel on the road to the airport. Egyptian beer and wine can be bought to take away at the
1001 Nights. If your taste for intoxicants runs in other directions, be warned that Hurghada is less of a smoking town than Luxor or Dahab - which isn't surprising given that
bango costs at least £E50 a
talga. The following
bars are open till midnight.
Juke Box Pub , next to Shedwan on the Corniche in Ed-Dahar. Tacky bar but has good views from its rooftop beer garden. Serves food and you might be subjected to an oriental belly-dance show.
Papa's Bar , next to Rossi's in Sigala. Hurghada's most popular bar for foreigners, mainly because it's Dutch-run and full of diving instructors.
Peanuts Bar , in the Three Corners mall, on the strip. A lively hang-out, packed with tourists and peanuts. Serves Stella (£E8.50), draught Bitburger (£E18) and cocktails (£E12-22).
1001 Nights , in the Shedwan Golden Beach on the Corniche. Late night café-cum-bar serving the cheapest Stella in town (£E7.50); take it away for £E7 a bottle. Omar Khayyum wine is £E27 - stick to the red and rosé versions, and avoid the white altogether. Obelisque is a good bet if available.
