We All Scream for Ice Cream

We’re glad it’s not. There’s something special about eating ice cream on the beach, regardless of the time of year. The refreshing sea breeze blowing in your face, the sand tickling your toes and a ball of cold, creamy ice cream atop a freshly made cone-shaped wafer. Tempting, isn’t it?

And coming from an ice cream expert, nothing beats freshly made iskandarani (Alexandrian) ice cream sold in little parlors along the Alexandria Corniche.

With so many options to choose from, Egypt Today decided to make it a little easier for you and narrow down your options to the top three places. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

With several branches scattered across the city, Azza’s ice cream is now a household favorite among Alexandrians. Its popularity has reached far beyond the borders of the coastal city; people flock from all across the country to get that perfect ice cream cone.

What makes Azza ice cream so great? Easy.Its extra-chewy, extra-creamy ice cream is made with fresh fruit and ingredients all year round.

The secret ingredient behind that extra-chewy consistency is adding mistika (mastic), but the real trick is not to let the flavor of the mastic overpower the flavor of the ice cream. And the people at Azza have perfected that.

SPECIALTIES: Milk — available all year round

Date and Cantaloupe — only available when the fruits are in season

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE: Savor your ice cream while walking around the Qait Bey Fortress or on the pier overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Azza • 11, 26th of July St., El-Anfushy • Tel: +02 (03) 480-1943

One of the oldest vendors of Oriental sweets, this place sure knows how to put a dessert together. Saber’s desserts are not only delicious, they also won’t leave a dent in your wallet. From roz belaban (Egyptian rice pudding) and mahalabiya (a milk custard) to louqmat al-qady (circle-shaped donuts dripped in simple syrup) and ice cream, this place has goodies to keep you going back time and time again.

SPECIALTIES: Mango ice cream — It is so rich in flavor and texture that it makes you feel like you are eating a frozen mango. Yummy!

Roz belaban — topped with mango ice cream, sprinkled with fresh fruit and nuts and drizzled with fresh heavy cream. Truly divine, but you might feel like you need to visit to the gym afterward.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE: Hop on the nearest hantour (horse-drawn carriage) you can find and enjoy your dessert.

Saber • 47 Omar Zaafan St., Ibrahimeya • Tel: +2 (03) 592-4739

If you’ve never been to Makram, then you’ve never been to Alexandria. This little ice cream shop is on par with famous tourist attractions like the Qait Bey Fortress and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Only it tastes so much better.

One of the oldest ice cream shops in the city, Makram has a huge fan base from all across the country that continues to rise.

SPECIALTIES: Chocolate ice cream.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE: Enjoy your dessert while cruising along the Corniche in the car with the windows down and your favorite tunes blaring out of your car stereo.

Makram • 22 Kasr Ras El-Teen St., El Gomrok • Tel: +2 (03) 481-2487