Italy Meets New York at Klay Deli’s Fast Casual Diner

Klay Deli in New Cairo is serving the freshest focaccia bread in town, and it has attracted a devoted following in the three months it’s been open.The idea behind the upscale, New York-style deli was born in 2024 when Klay Deli’s co-founder, Chef Giorgio Diana, found that no one else in Cairo was making focaccia sandwiches the Italian way. The deli’s standout item, its bresaola sandwich, feels like something straight from the valleys of Sardinia where Chef Diana is from. The air-dried, salted meat is served on Klay Deli’s focaccia with stracciatella cheese, arugula, and tomato pesto. Like any good deli, however, customers can choose to do away with the menu entirely and make their own sandwich or bowl.Chef Diana is not new to Egypt’s food scene; in 2023 he helped open Lucida, a rooftop fine dining restaurant in Sheikh Zayed with Ancient Egypt-inspired architecture. But Klay Deli is a very different experience to Lucida. Self-branded as ‘home grown fast casual dining’, the spot is best for breakfast and brunch, and boasts a coffee selection—including such things as honey cinnamon latte and pistachio latte—that is just as impressive as its food.