Kafein: Artisan coffee with a distinct Cairene flair

Amid Cairo’s persistent power cuts and flailing tourist industry, hostel owner Dina Abouelsoud and business partner Nadia Dropkin have established café and gallery space Kafein on Sherif Street in downtown Cairo.

Opening just a month ago, this beautifully renovated space has already become a favorite meeting and working spot with its handwritten menus, quirkily designed furniture, artisan coffees and loose-leaf teas. The white walls and industrial feel of the furniture gives a hip and neat atmosphere to the place, with wooden benches, small round tables on water pipe legs, retro-style art pieces on the walls, beautifully upholstered sofas and big French windows overlooking a typical downtown alley adding a familiar homey vibe. 

Yet, opening a café at such a time and in such a place has proven to be a challenge for the duo, who have fought to ensure it is both accessible to local residents and a positive addition to the small alley it is situated in. Tucked behind McDonald’s and next to Café Kunst, Kafein can be accessed from Sherif Street or Shawarby Street, a pedestrian walkway known for its knock off branded jeans and shoes.

Dropkin comments that local shopkeepers were initially excited about the prospect of new customers, which they hoped Kafein would attract to the area, but she says they quickly became despondent when business did not improve. I remark that I used to access the café from the Shawarby Street cut through, but now avoid it due to the aggressive sales tactics of the shopkeepers and their penchant for catcalling at women passing by. Abouelsoud, who started the Revolution Womens’ Coalition and has been involved in several initiatives to combat sexual harassment in downtown, agrees that something needs to be done to create awareness that this behavior is wrong and ultimately will not help shop keepers attract customers.

Abouelsoud says Kafein is hoping to develop the alley by involving local designers and artists in projects to redesign nearby shop fronts in an effort to forge better relations with their neighbors. “Even McDonalds,” she says, adding that they are hoping to include the multinational in their plans. “Maybe they can supply recycling bins for us.”

The whole initiative is certainly ambitious, with plans in the pipeline for a second branch in Zamalek, developing their own Turkish coffee, and extending the currently limited food menu. Online society magazine Cairoscene hailed it, “Berlin Café Culture in Cairo.” Yet, while it is true that global influences can be detected in terms of the décor and vibe, this downtown gem has a distinct Cairene flair. Dropkin says they have made a conscious effort to keep prices affordable, with drinks ranging from LE4-20, which she comments is not much more than the local ahwas charge, and much less than downtown chains such as Costa or Cilantro.

The menu features Kenyan and Javanese coffee, illy espresso, locally grown teas such as hibiscus, anis, lemon grass and mint, fresh croissants, and pâté and vegan mini pizzas from a local bakery. “We are adding homemade quiches soon,” says Dropkin.

The cappuccino was just right — a delicious blend of espresso, hot milk and steamed foam, and the flat white had a wonderful velvety consistency. Juices available include mandarin, watermelon, mango, guava and strawberry, depending on the season. The mandarin tasted a little like mango and was not cold enough, but there was a power cut at the time. The watermelon juice on a subsequent visit was extremely refreshing and tasty, presented in a beautiful glass flute.

Kafein is a haven for students, activists, couples on dates, and even one of Mada’s copy-editors, who often works her shift from a comfortable armchair. Outside there is an older crowd of locals puffing away on shisha, and Abouelsoud comments that a group from nearby Simmons bakery has been frequenting the café in the mornings to check out the competition.

Dropkin and Abouelsoud have involved friends and locals in the development of their brand, even down to decisions about their homemade Chai recipe and coffee suppliers. Local artist and friend Amy Arif was involved in conceptualizing the art space and opening night exhibition, ‘The Visual Meal,’ which was curated by Art on the Go; her sister Valerie Arif designed the beautiful logo, and Angela Smith contributed her coffee making experience from Australian café culture.

Regarding the current exhibition on show at Kafein, featuring nine of her pieces, Amy Arif comments that her work hasn’t been shown since 2010 in Berlin, but that exhibiting in the café space enables art and everyday life to collide. She says that different people, including the baristas, have commented on her pieces and that this type of exhibition makes art more accessible to a new crowd.

I’ve been to Kafein around four or five times since it opened, and have seen Dropkin or Abouelsoud, or both, working on every visit. “We like the idea that you go to a café where the owners are present,” they say, adding that they both enjoy waiting tables and meeting guests. However, they are also struggling to find staff who can provide the service they require. One of their current employees is a maestro barista who has won awards for his coffee making. This level of competence is something they are hoping to maintain in the future through selective recruitment and regular training.

Kafein adds a lot to the art and coffee scene in Downtown. Their within-means cafe blanc and avant-garde art may be a novelty to many. The café is definitely a delightful addition to a culturally rich Cairene neighbourhood.

Kafein is situated at 28 Sherif Street, next to McDonalds, and is open daily from 7.30 am until 1.30 am. Current artwork on display is by Menna Genedy, Amal Salah and Amy Arif. The next exhibition, featuring pieces by Dina Shoukry, will be shown from April 18.