Food · Sharm El Sheikh · Egypt
What to eat in Sharm El Sheikh
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Sharm El Sheikh, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tanya Dedyukhina, CC BY 3.0
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Quick answer
Start with Grilled Red Sea fish, Sayadeya and Bedouin tea. Choose fish and seafood from the ice display, agree the price by weight, and eat it grilled with salads and rice at an outdoor table. Confirm the price per kilo and the weight before fish is cooked.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Grilled Red Sea fish
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: small notes for boat crews, dive guides, drivers, porters and…
- Food experiences
- 3
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Grilled Red Sea fish
Fresh fish such as grouper, sea bream or red snapper, chosen from a display, weighed and grilled or fried, served with rice, salads, tahini and bread.
Where: Fish restaurants in the Old Market, where you pick the fish and pay by weight.
Dish
2.Sayadeya
A fisherman's dish of fish baked with rice cooked in a dark, caramelised-onion and spice broth, popular along Egypt's coasts.
Where: Seafood restaurants in the Old Market and Naama Bay.
Drink · Vegetarian
3.Bedouin tea
Sweet black tea brewed over a fire with wild desert herbs such as sage, served in small glasses as a gesture of welcome.
Where: Bedouin camps on desert trips and in Dahab and St Catherine.
Bakery · Vegetarian
4.Bedouin flatbread
Thin unleavened bread kneaded and baked over a fire or on a domed metal griddle, often served at Bedouin camps with honey or dips.
Where: Bedouin dinners on desert safaris.
Dish · Vegetarian
5.Koshari
Egypt's national comfort food: rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas with spicy tomato sauce, garlic vinegar and crispy fried onions.
Where: Local koshari shops in the Old Market and Hay El Nour.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
6.Ful and ta'ameya
Stewed fava beans and fava-bean falafel served with bread, salad and pickles; the standard Egyptian breakfast.
Where: Local cafés around the Old Market; resort breakfast buffets often include them too.
Snack
7.Fiteer
A flaky, layered pastry folded around savoury fillings such as cheese and minced meat or sweet ones such as honey and cream.
Where: Fiteer shops in the Old Market and Naama Bay.
Dish
8.Kofta and grilled meats
Spiced minced lamb or beef grilled on skewers over charcoal, served with tahini, salads and bread.
Where: Egyptian grill restaurants in the Old Market and on Naama Bay's promenade.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Om Ali
Warm baked pudding of pastry, milk, nuts and raisins, served hot from the oven.
Where: Egyptian restaurants and resort dessert buffets.
Food experiences
Pick-your-fish dinner in the Old Market
Choose fish and seafood from the ice display, agree the price by weight, and eat it grilled with salads and rice at an outdoor table.
Bedouin dinner under the stars
Desert trips end at Bedouin camps with tea, flatbread and grilled dishes eaten on carpets by a fire, far from resort lights.
Shisha café evening
The cafés of Naama Bay and the Old Market serve mint tea, Turkish coffee and fruit-flavoured shisha late into the evening.
Quick bites and street food
- Bedouin flatbread — Bedouin dinners on desert safaris.
- Ful and ta'ameya — Local cafés around the Old Market; resort breakfast buffets often include them too.
- Fiteer — Fiteer shops in the Old Market and Naama Bay.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Bedouin tea, Bedouin flatbread, Koshari, Ful and ta'ameya and Om Ali. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Confirm the price per kilo and the weight before fish is cooked.
- Many resorts are all-inclusive, but eating out in the Old Market gives you better Egyptian food.
- Alcohol is served in hotels and many tourist restaurants, but not in local eateries.
- Drink bottled water and avoid ice in very basic places if you have a sensitive stomach.
- During Ramadan, local restaurants may close in the day and come alive after sunset.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: small notes for boat crews, dive guides, drivers, porters and housekeeping, and about 10% in restaurants if service is not included. Tip boat crews at the end of a day trip.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salam alaikum | Hello (peace be upon you) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| La, shukran | No, thank you |
| Bikam? | How much? |
| Yalla | Let's go |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Sharm El Sheikh famous for?
Grilled Red Sea fish, Sayadeya, Bedouin tea and Bedouin flatbread. Fresh fish such as grouper, sea bream or red snapper, chosen from a display, weighed and grilled or fried, served with rice, salads, tahini and bread.
+Is Sharm El Sheikh good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Bedouin tea, Bedouin flatbread and Koshari.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Sharm El Sheikh?
Tipping is expected: small notes for boat crews, dive guides, drivers, porters and housekeeping, and about 10% in restaurants if service is not included. Tip boat crews at the end of a day trip.