"Cairo's grand Egyptian dining room at the Four Seasons, fattah and stuffed pigeon over the Nile — book a Friday brunch table."
About Zitouni
Most Egyptian food in Cairo is street food, eaten standing up. Zitouni is the opposite — a polished, 24-hour dining room inside the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza in Garden City, where the national kitchen is plated with hotel precision and a view of the river. Chef Moataz Said leads a team of Egyptian cooks doing molokheya, fattah and stuffed pigeon the way they are meant to be done, and the Friday brunch — a sprawling buffet of regional specialities and a lamb carving station — is the city's grandest version of the meal. It is expensive for Egyptian cuisine, which is exactly the point: this is the dressed-up edition.
The Kitchen
Chef Moataz Said runs the kitchen with a team of Egyptian cooks, and the brief is authenticity rather than reinvention. The fattah — layers of rice, crisp bread and meat under a garlicky tomato-vinegar sauce — is the dish to judge the place by, and the roast stuffed pigeon (hamam mahshi), filled with spiced freekeh or rice, is the celebratory centrepiece of any proper Egyptian table. Around them sit a full mezze spread, molokheya, grilled meats and a pastry corner where executive pastry chef Yehia Ahmed's maamoul, the date-and-nut shortbread, is a signature.
The format that defines Zitouni is the Friday brunch, a buffet of local and regional specialities with a lamb carving station and a dessert spread, priced from around EGP 700++ per person when last published — expect current pricing to run higher, as Four Seasons rates rise yearly. À la carte lunch and dinner are also served around the clock. The cooking is consistent and generous rather than cutting-edge; you come for the definitive hotel-grade version of Egyptian classics, served with a sommelier-staffed floor and a Nile view.
The Room
The room reads as quietly grand: warm lighting, generous spacing between tables, mashrabiya-style screens and big windows onto the Nile. The sound level stays conversation-easy even when the brunch is busy, and tables are set far enough apart for a private conversation. Service is full Four Seasons — formal, attentive, and quick to handle dietary requests. Dress is smart; collared shirts and elegant resort wear are the norm rather than jacket-and-tie. Ask for a window table when you book, because the river view is half of what you are paying for, and it is best at dusk.
Best for a Birthday
Book Zitouni for a birthday when you want Egyptian food without the chaos of the street, because the room does celebration well: a generous spread, a grand setting, a Nile view, and a kitchen that turns out the dishes — fattah, stuffed pigeon, maamoul — that say feast in Egypt. The Friday brunch in particular suits a group, with enough variety to keep everyone happy and a setting that signals occasion. For more Cairo options, see our guide to the city's best fine-dining rooms, the wider best restaurants for a birthday, and the best restaurants to impress clients.
Not for
Not for a cheap, casual Egyptian meal. This is hotel-priced fine dining, and the Friday brunch and à la carte both cost a multiple of what the same dishes cost on the street.
Frequently Asked
Is Zitouni at the Four Seasons Cairo worth it?
Yes, for the occasion. Zitouni is the most polished version of Egyptian cuisine in Cairo, plated to hotel standard inside the Four Seasons at Nile Plaza with a river view and a 24-hour kitchen led by chef Moataz Said. The Friday brunch is the headline experience. It is expensive for Egyptian food, so treat it as a celebration or a client dinner rather than an everyday meal, and request a window table for the Nile.
How do I book Zitouni and which table should I request?
Book through the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza or by calling +20 2 2791 7000, and request a window table for the Nile view, which is best at dusk. The Friday brunch fills first and should be reserved several days ahead. Mention any dietary needs when you book; the kitchen handles vegetarian and allergy requests well. The restaurant sits inside the hotel in Garden City at 1089 Corniche El Nil.
What should I order at Zitouni?
Order the fattah, the dish that best shows the kitchen, and the roast stuffed pigeon (hamam mahshi) for the celebratory centrepiece. Add a mezze spread and molokheya, and finish with executive pastry chef Yehia Ahmed's maamoul. If you visit on a Friday, the brunch buffet covers all of it in one sitting, including a lamb carving station and a full dessert corner.
What is the dress code at Zitouni?
Smart. Zitouni is a Four Seasons restaurant, so collared shirts, trousers and elegant resort or evening wear are the norm, though there is no formal jacket-and-tie requirement. Avoid beachwear, shorts and flip-flops. The room is dressed-up and the clientele leans business and celebration, so err toward polished rather than casual, particularly for the Friday brunch and dinner service.
Is Zitouni good for a birthday or group celebration?
Yes. The grand room, generous spacing, Nile view and a kitchen built around feast dishes make Zitouni a strong birthday and group choice in Cairo, and the Friday brunch gives a table plenty of variety. Request a window table and book several days ahead. See our best restaurants for a birthday for more ideas.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Zitouni
Four Seasons · request a Nile-view window table
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address1089 Corniche El Nil, Garden City, Cairo
NeighbourhoodFour Seasons at Nile Plaza, Garden City
CuisineEgyptian (mezze, fattah, grills)
Friday BrunchFrom ~EGP 700++ pp (confirm current rate)
HoursOpen 24 hours
Dress CodeSmart
ReservationDirect / Four Seasons
