By Karim Abbas ~
In the dense weave of Cairo existence, tea is neither beverage nor drink but ritual, symbol of welcome, and the city’s heartbeat rhythm. Morning, evening, or anytime in between, a glass of hot black tea with sugar to the ideal taste is an epitome for unwind, conversational connection, and continuity thread.
A Historical Brew
Tea arrived in Egypt during the 16th century through Asia’s trade routes and was immediately popular over booze. Affordable and abundant, it soon became the new favorite drink of Egypt instead of coffee. Egyptians today consume almost 1 kg of tea per person annually—placing the country among the list of the world’s top tea-consuming countries.
The Two Faces of Shai
Egyptian society is based on two quite remarkable appearances:
Koshary Shai: A light Upper Egyptian tea, boiled gently, typically with fresh mint and free sugar.
Sa’idi Shai: A dark, strong Upper Egyptian tea—strength doubled, richness-boiled, and sweetened.
Anytime, Anywhere: A Daily Staple
Tea spillovers—short on—are a phenomenon on street corners and backgammon tables and entire cafés to family kitchens. It’s drunk at breakfast, year-round, and throughout the day. Whether savored with elders during morning dish sessions or served to guests as a gesture of hospitality and respect, tea is a ubiquitous thread in Cairo’s social tapestry.
The Great Cafés of Cairo
These ancient cafes such as El-Fishawy of Khan el-Khalili (1797 est.) and Café Riche (1908 est.) continue to be hotbeds of intellectual debate, where tea, words, and imagination are mixed. They offer glass glasses of sweet amber tea amidst the clinking of tea trays and laughter along their timeless corridors.
Rituals of the Pour
Tea is a homey and utilitarian enterprise: spilling cups brim to rim to form an aromatized foam crown—utilitarian and beautiful. It can be supplemented with mint, there is plenty of sugar, and it is highly social, poetic, soothing—a classic Egyptian beverage.
Modern Twists & Healthful Alternatives
Egyptians are also catching up on tea innovation. Milk tea flavored with Gulf flavor called karak chai has also been the buzz in Cairo cafes, where new tradition and palate collide with. Hot or iced, herbal infusions such as karkadeh (hibiscus tea) complete menus—hot or iced, long steeped in ritual and celebratory health.
A Cup of Connection
Regardless of the hour of night that the families get together, or if it is renewing communities, or filling the gap between ancient tradition and contemporary style, tea in Cairo does not just console—it brings together. To have a glass is to offer an invitation of welcome, respect, and amity. It is, as it were, a silent handshake of civilization.
From steeped tradition to cafe culture, Egyptian chai culture blossoms. Cairo tea time is an art—a modest excess with a successful past poured into every cup.
