Hurghada Street Food — The Best Local Eats for Every Budget
Hurghada's local food scene is one of Egypt's great underrated pleasures — extraordinary flavour, extraordinarily cheap prices, and a genuine window into Egyptian daily life that no hotel restaurant can replicate.
Koshary — Egypt's National Dish
Koshary is Egypt's national dish and Hurghada has good koshary restaurants in the Ad Dahar area and throughout the local residential zones. What is it: rice, brown lentils, macaroni, chickpeas, crispy fried onions, and two sauces — a vinegary tomato sauce and a spicy garlic sauce. Mixed to order at the table. Sounds simple; tastes extraordinary. Price: £1–£2 for a large portion. Nutritious, filling, and genuinely delicious. Finding a koshary shop: look for small local restaurants with pictures of the dish in the window — typically in Ad Dahar and away from the tourist marina.
Ful Medames and Feteer
Ful medames (spiced fava beans served with olive oil, cumin, and bread) is the traditional Egyptian breakfast — eaten at dawn by construction workers and at 09:00 by everyone else. Available from street carts and small cafés from £0.50–£1 for a generous serving with bread. Feteer meshaltet is Egyptian layered pastry — made by stretching the dough impossibly thin, layering it with butter or ghee, and baking until flaky. Available sweet (with honey and powdered sugar) or savoury (with cheese or egg). Price: £1–£3.
Shawarma and Grilled Meats
Egyptian shawarma (Lebanese-influenced spiced meat in bread) is on every street corner. Chicken or meat options, served with tahini, pickles, and tomatoes. Price: £0.50–£1.50 per wrap. Grilled meats: small restaurants throughout Ad Dahar offer grilled chicken, kofta (spiced minced meat on skewers), and lamb chops at prices of £2–£5 per meal with bread and salad.
Fresh Juice Bars
Hurghada has exceptional fresh juice bars — not smoothies, not blended, but single-fruit juices pressed fresh. Mango juice in season (May–September): extraordinary. Sugarcane juice: sweet, refreshing, unique. Strawberry, pomegranate, and mixed fruit. Price: £0.50–£1 for a large glass. The best are in Ad Dahar and near local markets.
Where to Find the Best Street Food
Ad Dahar district: the highest concentration of local food. The area around the fish market and the main market street has koshary shops, falafel stands, and juice bars within metres of each other. Along the main Hurghada city roads (away from tourist strip): local restaurants serving full Egyptian meals for £2–£5. Near mosques: the areas around local mosques typically have the best local food — these communities eat before and after prayer and the food quality reflects local standards, not tourist expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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