Swiss Food and Beers at the Swiss Club

As a tourist, there's not much to do in Imbaba. However, amid the sprawling tightly packed housing blocks is a very unexpected find, the Swiss Club, a large green garden around an old villa encircled by palm trees.

Similarly surprising, is that the place also makes good Swiss food and serves alcohol. It's hands down one of mine and my friends' favourite places in Cairo to grab a drink and a bite to eat. The friendly cats that roam the garden are also a perk.

Originally the villa, named Villa Paz, had a garden which stretched to the Nile before Giza was built up and populated with the ever-growing Cairo population. However, the Swiss Club still maintains the feel of somehow being out of the city. After spending long extended periods in Cairo, heading to the Swiss Club for a day in the sun is a perfect way to spend a day on the weekend, or to catch the last rays of sunshine after work, and has been doing so since 1947.

The Swiss Club is a very family-friendly place with a play park, and is often mostly populated by families having a day out. The children run around and play football while the parents sit around tables drinking wine and beer. They also show major football matches on a projector if you're looking for a venue to catch a match.

Be sure to try the mashed potato, Swiss sausage and gravy, and the spectacularly large brownie for dessert. You can check out the Swiss Club on Facebook here.

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