"Pierre-Yves Rochon's poolside Lebanese room at the Four Seasons Cairo, where the lamb shank earns its price — book it for an anniversary."
The shish barak arrives in a shallow copper dish, lamb dumplings folded by hand and simmered in warm goat's-milk yogurt under a scatter of toasted pine nuts. This is Byblos, the Lebanese kitchen Wissam Kayrouz runs poolside at the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza, in a garden room the designer Pierre-Yves Rochon dressed in stone, water, and palm. Mezze comes first and keeps coming. The charcoal grills run all night. You eat slowly, near the water, the way the Beiruti families at the next table clearly intend to.
The Kitchen
Wissam Kayrouz cooks the Lebanese canon without apology for its being familiar: the point is to do it precisely, not to reinvent it. Mezze is the test, and Byblos passes it: hummus beiruti, moutabal smoked over coal, raw kibbeh nayyeh, fattoush sharp with sumac and pomegranate. The hot side runs to charcoal, with lamb chops, shish taouk, and the kitchen's signature braised lamb shank, slow-cooked until it gives way under a spoon and finished over the grill for colour.
The shish barak, lamb dumplings in goat's-milk yogurt, is the dish to order if you order only one. The room sits poolside on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza, at 1089 Corniche El Nil in Garden City, and was the newest of the hotel's restaurants when it opened in 2023, designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon. Plan on roughly $35 to $60 a head before drinks for a full mezze-and-grill spread. The wine and arak list leans Lebanese, with Château Musar and Ksara among the by-the-glass pours. Order the lamb shank, the shish barak, and a wide spread of cold mezze, and you have eaten the restaurant.
The Room
The setting is the reason to come as much as the food. Rochon built it as a garden: limestone, reflecting water, mature palms, and low lantern light once the sun drops behind the Nile. Sound stays at an easy hum even when the tables fill, helped by the open air and the spacing between them. Dress is smart, since Cairo dresses up for the Four Seasons, though no jacket is required. The room seats around 120 across the terrace and the indoor salon, but the planting breaks it into pockets that feel private. Ask for a table at the water's edge.
Best for an Anniversary in Cairo
Book Byblos for an anniversary because it gets the three things a milestone dinner needs right. First, the poolside garden is genuinely romantic without trying too hard: water, palms, and lantern light do the work, and the Nile is a short walk away. Second, mezze is a sharing format, so the meal is built for two people leaning across a table rather than eating in silence through a tasting menu. Third, the pace is yours, since nobody rushes a table here and the kitchen is happy to let a long dinner run past midnight. Reserve a water's-edge table, order arak and a wide mezze spread, and let the lamb shank arrive when it arrives.
Not for
Skip Byblos if you want quick or cheap. This is a long, hotel-priced Lebanese dinner built for lingering, not a fast bite before a show.
Frequently Asked
Is Byblos worth it?
Yes, if you want Lebanese cooking done precisely in one of Cairo's prettiest dining rooms. Chef Wissam Kayrouz's mezze, the braised lamb shank, and the shish barak are as good as anything outside Beirut, and the poolside garden by Pierre-Yves Rochon is hard to beat for a special night. At roughly $35 to $60 a head it is fair for a Four Seasons. See where it sits in our Cairo dining guide.
How hard is it to book Byblos?
Not very, on most weeknights. Byblos takes reservations by phone through the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza and on OpenTable, and a midweek table is usually available a few days out. Thursday and Friday nights, Ramadan, and Eid fill earliest, so book a week ahead for a weekend. Ask specifically for a table at the water's edge of the pool rather than the indoor salon.
What is the dress code at Byblos?
Smart, with no jacket required. Cairo dresses up for the Four Seasons and you will feel out of place in shorts or beachwear, so think collared shirts, dresses, and closed shoes. The poolside setting is relaxed in feel but not in standard. Evenings run late and a little cooler by the water, so bring a light layer if you plan a long dinner.
What is the average meal price at Byblos?
Plan on about $35 to $60 per person before drinks for a full mezze-and-grill spread. Cold and hot mezze are priced to share, the charcoal grills and the lamb shank push the bill up, and the Lebanese wine and arak list can take it higher. Lunch is lighter on the wallet than dinner. A spread for two with arak lands comfortably in that range.
Is Byblos good for an anniversary?
Yes, it is one of the better anniversary rooms in Cairo. The poolside garden, the lantern light, and the proximity to the Nile do the romance without any fuss, and the sharing-plate format keeps two people talking across the table. Flag the occasion at booking and ask for a water's-edge table. For more ideas, see our anniversary dinners guide.
What should I order at Byblos?
Start with a wide cold-mezze spread: hummus beiruti, moutabal, and fattoush, plus raw kibbeh nayyeh if you eat it. The shish barak, lamb dumplings in goat's-milk yogurt, is the one dish to order if you order only one. For the main event, the braised lamb shank off the charcoal is the kitchen's signature. Drink arak or a Lebanese red from Château Musar or Ksara.