Expats' Guide to Drinking in Ramadan

During Ramadan Cairo can literally feel like a desert (yes, we know!) what with every bar and club shut for the Holy month, it can be easy to suddenly feel that your social life has fallen flat. Well fear not foreign passport-holding boozehounds, here is the CairoScene guide to the cool and quirky speakeasys beating the month-long booze ban.

El Tonsy Hotel: 143 El Tahrir Street, Dokki

This dingy rooftop hotel bar turned expat drinking hub features reasonably priced drinks and shisha, live sport and dancing til dawn (literally).

Flamenco Hotel: 2 El Gezira El Wosta Street, Zamalek

If you work in journalism, teach at an international school or work for an NGO then chances are you've stumbled out of here at some point.

Rooftop Zamalek: The Nile Zamalek Hotel, 21 El Maahad El Swiesri, Zamalek
The name speaks for itself.

Happy City Hotel: 92c, Mohammed Farid St, Downtown, Cairo
Want to escape Cairo's Ramadan rage then head for Downtown's very own Happy City hotel where the beer is flowing, the view's not bad and the opening hours are easy.

Amici Zamalek: New President Hotel, 20 Taha Hussein Street, Zamalek
Cool cocktails, cool kids, CairoZoom, intergender mingling etc.

Odeon Palace Hotel: 6, Dr Abdel Hamid Said Street, off of Talaat Harb Street, Downtown, Cairo
Located around the corner from Zawya art-cinema, the Odeon Palace is kind of like the cinema itself; old but charming. They sell ice-cool beers at reasonable prices around the clock.

Greek Club: 15 Emad el-Deen Street, Downtown, Cairo
The Greek Club is one of Downtown's best-known food/drink spots. During Ramadan it moves location but the reasonably priced food and booze remains the same.

Lotus Hotel: 12 Talaat Harb Street,Downtown, Cairo.
The Lotus Hotel is not somewhere we'd necessarily we'd choose for a romantic getaway. But for a boozy after work drink, or possibly a random hook-up, momken.

Windsor Hotel: 19 Alfi Bei Street, Downtown, Cairo
Our pick of the pack goes to Downtown's Windsor Hotel. The former British Army officers club has thousands of boozy stories to tell - and you could be about to add some more. It also plays host to the world's oldest mechanicaly-operated elevator.

The Italian Club 24 El Galaa St, Downtown, Cairo, Egypt.

When in Rome do as the Romans do, so when in Cairo....close your eyes and go to the Italian club (view from Italian Club may or may not resemble the image above).