Maadi pizzerias offer the full array

Finding good pizza in Maadi has never been a real issue. Pizza Hut, Dominos and Little Caesars chose the Cairean suburb as their step two or three in the franchising plan, because with families come little pizza-loving children. Then followed Pizza King and Pronto Pizza, local chains, and the much-awaited Papa Johns. That said, most foodies in Cairo will tell you that it is difficult, even impossible, to find a “real” pizza in Cairo. And what is a real pizza? Perhaps the thin hand-made Italian crusts, or the juicy New York cheese-laden version, or Chicago deep dish? In any case, pizza speciality spots have also opened in Maadi, including Italian connoisseurs El Mulino, La Rosa, La Casetta, Vittorio’s, Tutti Matti and La Vela, as well as pizza speciality stores Maison Thomas, Vinny’s, and most recently, Crust.

The fast food versions don’t require much analysis – Pizza Hut has the buttery fried dough crust with its “pan” pizza but plasticated toppings, Dominos is breadier and bland-tasting, Little Caesars is cheesy but nondescript in its flavor. Papa Johns seems the recent Maadi fast food favorite, with a new branch on Road 9 to help keep up with the Maadi orders. Local brand Pizza King is cheap with its cheese, while Pronto Pizza has overcooked, tougher dough – both suffer from inconsistency in their offerings.

In the speciality market, things get a little more interesting. La Casetta is perhaps the oldest of the Italian restaurants around Cairo, and in the 80s and 90s was considered a romantic spot for a date and one of the only Italian restaurants in town. Their pizza is made in a dish, but one that is not that deep; their ingredients, while impressive back in the day, are now in need of an upgrade. Maison Thomas pizzas had their heyday in the 90s and early 00s, with the Zamalek branch drawing huge crowds to its tall uncomfortable tables, despite not having a bathroom. Maison Thomas also offered pizza with ham, a rare commodity in Cairo, and used spices that soon became identifiers of a Maison Thomas pizza. The flat, handmade pizzas that are more typical of Italian pizza are offered at La Rosa, El Mulino, Vittorio’s, Tutti Matti and La Vela.

La Rosa is an older restaurant with a low key and old fashioned restaurant setting that is not particularly appetizing. Their pizzas are good –  using fresh mushrooms and arugula in some of their best pies – but the spices are light, and much of the bread is left as crust. El Mulino has one of Cairo’s best pizzas but their delivery is ridiculously slow – even when ordering in advance, expect a 30-60 minute delay on your expected delivery time. Try the arugula pizza, which is well-made and delicious.

Vittorio’s is a small Italian spot tucked away in Degla. The parking is terrible and the restaurant is dark but frequent visitors claim Vittorio’s is the only real pizza in Cairo. La Vela also has good pizza but notoriously rude staff members and a “members-only” feel –  as a newbie at La Vela, it’s likely you won’t get great treatment. Tutti Matti started out as being very authentically Italian but gave into social pressures and has turned into a Road 9 shisha spot. However, its two-tiered seating on the street make it a great people-watching spot.

Only three restaurants in Maadi consider themselves pizza restaurants. Vinny’s has been the most vocal – their provocative guerilla marketing tactics have them pinning “missing pizza posters” on trees around Maadi, and using words like “rape” to describe how pizza-lovers devour their pies. During curfew, Vinny’s delivery men snuck around the Maadi suburb delivering pizzas into the wee hours of the morning. Vinny’s is on Road 9 and offers nothing but pizza (and a salad bar), so beware. Even their desserts are served on pizza dough.

The latest addition to the pizza speciality market is Crust, located on 12 Mostafa Kamel street in Maadi. While the people at Crust have focused a lot on keeping children occupied with a playroom full of toys and a fully-equipped playground, it seems they’ve forgotten to focus on their pizzas, which are simply flour dough with mozzarella and strained tomatoes. At the table, ketchup and hot sauce – which, for the first time in my life, I was actually tempted to use on my pizza. Crust’s ingredients are basic and bland as well, adding nothing to the eating experience.

Pizza eating can be a culinary experience or merely a way to feed the kids when you’re too tired to cook dinner. In the case of the latter, a bready pizza or a fatty favorite can do the trick. Our top choices: Papa Johns or Pizza Hut. When you want to treat yourself to fresh flavorful ingredients and choose the “healthier” option, an Itailan restaurant is probably a better choice. Our recommendations: El Mulino or Vittorio’s.