All across Cairo, Egyptian Coptic Christians have begun their annual 43-day Christmas fast which began on Nov. 25 and will continue on until Christmas day on Jan. 7. The fasting period coincides with the 40-day fasting period undergone by Prophet Moses while the three extra days coincide with Saint Abraam Ebn-Zara, the Syrian’s three-day fast. Throughout this time period, Copts celebrate the occasion by only eating Seyami food which is any food that is both meat and dairy free.
To mark the special occasion, we did some research and curated a Seyami-friendly guide to the restaurants serving everything from sandwiches to seafood.
Abu El Arby
When it comes to a Seyami diet, seafood is considered the only flesh-like protein that is allowed to be eaten during the 43-day Christmas fast. Options are plenty as Cairo is home to many different kinds of seafood restaurants whether it’s the fried seafood sandwiches served at Awlad TaaTaa or full-fledged restaurants serving all types of seafood, made using various cooking styles including chargrilled and roasted options. At Abu El Arby, a special seafood restaurant with branches in New Cairo and Nasr City, diners can enjoy a wide variety of unique seafood dishes including their War 65 plate, which consists of shrimp kofta, tilapia, and mullet fish as well as mussels.
For more information, you can call them using either of these two numbers: 0228105528- 01210948888.
Smiley’s Grill
A known struggle among vegans and fasting Christians alike is getting to eat a typical everyday sandwich packed with juicy protein, some tomatoes, cheese, and the like. Luckily, there are several spots across Cairo that serve delicious vegan and Seyami-friendly sandwiches. Our top pick would be Smiley’s Grill known for its rich variety of sandwiches. The popular fast food chain is also home to an entirely vegan menu as well as Seyami-friendly seafood sandwiches such as fried prawns and Chinese prawns sandwiches.
To learn more about their vegan options, you can give them a call using their hotline: 16070.
Bistro
If it’s Italian food that you’re craving, a great spot to hit up would be Zamalek’s Bistro; a simple yet classy restaurant that offers one of the biggest Seyami menus in most of Cairo. They have all types of dishes imaginable served with a unique twist to accommodate the dietary requirements of anyone on a meat and dairy-free diet. Whether it’s their ranch veggie strips pizza, veggie magnum burger with vegan chicky hotdog and fried mozzarella, or their salmon, steak n’shrimps pasta. There’s something for everyone.
For any questions, you can give them a call on this number: 012 0000 7090.
Munch & Shake
Every now and then, who doesn’t love having a juicy burger wedged between two soft rolls of bread and drenched in a savory sauce? With Munch & Shake, you can satisfy your burger cravings while sticking to your Seyami dietary requirements through their specially curated vegan menu. Diners can either go for their Vegasm Sandwich: a classic burger with tomato, lettuce, and cheese. Or their Super Mario Sandwich with mushroom, caramelized onion, and fasting cheese. The patty is made using a vegan alternative called Beyond meat which has been receiving good reviews thus far.
To learn more about their vegan options, you can call them on this number: 0221270671.
Dragon House
For the Asian foodie buffs out there, a must-visit spot is Maadi’s Dragon House home to a fusion of three Asian cuisines: Indian, Chinese and Thai. As it serves three multiple cuisines, its menu is quite large and divided into four sections of beef, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian dishes. That is what makes it the ultimate hub for Seyami dieters as diners get to feast on everything from vegetable spring rolls to home-style tofu. They also have a wide array of seafood dishes but you should check that they are Seyami friendly.
To learn more about their dishes, you can call them using this number: 0127 240 5517.
With that, you have several options when it comes to upping your dining experience during the days leading up to Christmas day. Let us know what you think and if we’ve missed any other Seyami-friendly hotspots across Cairo.
