2 Best Restaurants in Bawiti, Western Desert Oases

Something of an institution, this street-side café has been serving traditional food to locals and foreigners for nearly 30 years. Its galabiyya-clad owner, the irascible Bayoumi, spills wrath onto locals and sweet talks the foreigners, all in the same breath. Don't expect to walk past without him at least cooing or blasting a whistle. His charm compensates for the basic and dirty surroundings. You can dine alfresco at a long table exposed to the safari touts, or semiprivately indoors behind a blue lattice. There's no menu, so ask for the price in advance to avoid surprises. One special is prepared each day. A typical meal includes boiled meat or grilled chicken, rice, potatoes or vegetable stew, soup, bread, and tea.

A popular lunch stop for safari groups by day, this restaurant is often transformed into a shisha (hookah) café packed with locals watching football matches by night. There's seating indoors, but the shaded, ceramic-tiled terrace is really the place to be. The grilled chicken here is possibly the best in town and comes with the usual side dishes as well as some tasty local olives. It sometimes has dessert, too.