A SceneEats Guide to Fried Shrimp Sandwiches From All Walks of Life
Something borrowed, something blue, something fried for me and you.
Over the course of our lifetimes, one of the few ground rules that’s managed to stick around this long is the following: when facing adversity, seek fried food. Now, this could mean any of a handful of options (or more now that some people have even gone as far as frying vine leaves), but sometimes, the sole healer is shrimp. If these little packs of protein are good enough for the whales, they’re good enough for the rest of us tiny mammals.
That said, it can be difficult to navigate the outlets of fried shrimp, the same way it is difficult to find good seafood. So, to shrimplify life for the rest of us, we’ve pieced together a guide to the best fried shrimp sandwiches in Cairo and Alexandria.
Donia el Gambary
Helmiyet El Zeitoun, Heliopolis
As universe-spanning as it sounds, Donia El Gambary is an obvious go-to when it comes to fried shrimp sandwiches. See also: fried shrimp molokheya.
Pablo & Abdo
Omar Ibn ElKhattab St., Heliopolis
What doesn’t Pablo & Abdo have? The answer is unclear. However, we do know their brioche bun fried shrimp sandwiches as one of their finer delicacies.
Ta2ta2
Branches all over Cairo
Seafood heaven Ta2ta2’s fried shrimp sandwiches are a trip to a land we once thought to be mythical, where sandwiches are actually as filling as they look.
Don
Arabella, 5A and District 5, New Cairo
On the more gentrified side of the fried shrimp sandwich spectrum (which, of course, we’re all familiar with) is Don. Don’s shrimp bao might not exactly be a fried shrimp sandwich, but it hits the same spot.
Il Pescatore
Capital Promenade, Sheikh Zayed
Fried shrimp you can trust the origins of, served in anything from brioche buns to tortilla bread (yes, in taco form).
JJ's
Branches all over Cairo and the North Coast
JJ’s Shrimp Dynamite is one of their most sought-after delicacies - and for good reason. The sandwich comes in soft, buttery brioche, drenched in dynamite sauce and ready for those who would take on its challenge.
Maine
The Drive by the Waterway, New Cairo
Burger hotspot Maine has long been a fan of the fried shrimp sandwich. So much so that now, whenever we think about burgers, the faint silhouette of fried-shrimp-filled brioche buns comes rushing into our heads. Needless to say, the spot has the shrimp sandwich down to a tee.
Semsema
Downtown Mall, Sheikh Zayed and Al Dokki St., Dokki
If you’re wondering why a shawarma place has fried shrimp sandwiches, our advice to you is that maybe you should wonder a little less and eat a little more. Semsema’s fried shrimp sammies are some of the best we’ve ever had.
King of Shrimps - Balad El Gharieb
Branches all over Cairo
Take it straight from the longstanding monarch of shrimps, King of Shrimps’ sandwiches are a well-traversed sumptuous treat. Smiley’s Grill Branches all over Cairo Stacked one by one in a long loaf of soft French bread like a train carriage, the shrimp in Smiley’s Grill’s fried shrimp sandwiches seem assembled and ready for what the day may bring.
El Otobees
El Raml Station, Alexandria
Designated cool kid spot of downtown Alexandria El Otobees owes its popularity not to its cool school bus exterior, but to its fried shrimp sandwiches. Done the Alexandrian way, the spot’s sandwiches are an exciting experience every time.
Abu Salah
Sidi Beshr, Alexandria
One of the first people to brave the world of fried shrimp sandwiches in Egypt, Alexandrian seafood giant Abu Salah’s sandwiches have long been the talk of the town. A treat to bring you back to your roots.
