Anyone who goes out regularly in Cairo knows that there are fewer nightspots than you would expect for a city of this size. You won’t find the variety of clubs that you would in New York or London, and the pubs are decidedly sparse. But the weather does give Cairo one advantage over other major cities; with temperatures that always stay comfortable and no precipitation to speak of, it’s always a good night to sit outside for a drink. As winter approaches and half the world bundles up, here are some of the places where you can relax, unwind and enjoy our good fortune on Cairo’s rooftops.

Odeon is the standard for rooftop bars. One of the default choices for anyone who wants to drink downtown, Odeon doesn’t offer anything special, but neither does it disappoint. A Stella runs LE 15, neither the highest nor the lowest price in town, the service isn’t good, but it isn’t terrible, and there isn’t any view to speak of, but at least you get to be outside with a decent breeze.

Odeon has a balcony with seven or eight tables and another enclosed area of roughly the same size in case it gets chilly or the outdoor seating is full. The crowded tables mean that groups often end up merging and you may find yourself staying up half the night with someone you have never met before. There is sheesha when Mohamed is around and a full menu, though most people wisely avoid it. Odeon’s main draw is its central location just a few blocks away from Midan Talaat Harb. It is also open 24 hours and is never dead on a Thursday night.

The one serious complaint people have is that large groups tend to get overcharged, especially when people are coming and going throughout the night. Paying at the bar instead of ordering on the table’s tab can eliminate this problem, or at least keep the problem from being yours.

Happy City isn’t far off the beaten path for most people going out in Cairo, after all it’s just a five or ten minute walk from Horreya. But it seems to be far enough that even the people who know about it don’t go regularly. Just down the street from the Mohammad Naguib Metro stop, Happy City is centrally and conveniently placed. The café patio isn’t large, but it is comfy. With just a handful of tables and a TV in the corner, you feel as if you are on someone’s back deck. You can see Moqqatam and it seems like you should be able to see the Citadel, but it is obstructed by one of the buildings across the street. Since you are never more than a few meters away from the bar, getting the waiter’s attention is never an issue, and unlike many places in Cairo, the staff makes an effort to be helpful.

The beer is cold and cheap, just LE 10 before surcharges, and the sheesha is good enough. But what makes Happy City stand out is its mezze. Order a couple of drinks and before long you will find the waiters bringing complimentary termese, chickpeas, bread and various dips. I’m not sure how they determine what or how much to bring out, but there is plenty and, while it isn’t anything fancy, it is tasty. The café is open late. Closing time varies; some say they have stayed to see the sunrise, so most likely it depends on whether or not there is business. The bar is nominally open during the day, but you will be hard pressed to find anyone working there before late afternoon.

A few blocks north of Cinema Tahrir, Nomad is one of the few quality late-night options in Dokki, which is great for those of us living on the Giza side of the Nile when we can’t be bothered to head downtown or to Zamalek. The balcony is split into two sections. The first has the bar, low lighting, and a stereo system that is occasionally too loud. Around the corner you will find a well-lit area, which is quieter and more conducive to conversing. The club music they sometimes play seems out of place, but usually it is a relaxed atmosphere where you will find people going for a pint in the early evening.

The free wireless internet means you can potentially get a little work done, and going while there is still some light allows you to enjoy the 180-degree view — from one end you can see downtown and from the other, on a clear day, you can see the pyramids.

The flat-screen televisions are thankfully switched off most of the time, but will draw a crowd whenever there is an important football match. The sheesha comes in more flavors than just the generic apple, such as cherry and cantaloupe, but it is prepared with variable skill. One friend eventually took to putting the coals on himself after alternately having too many and too few.

Generally, Nomad is a nice place for a large group to meet for a low-key evening or before going somewhere a bit livelier. There is more than enough room and the staff is happy to move tables around to accommodate you. It isn’t the most tempting place to go for the night, but it may be the best option in the area.

If you were to walk into Carlton for the first time in the late afternoon you might think that you have arrived before the rush, but the more times you go, the more you realize that this place is hardly ever crowed. There are two balconies, one small and partially secluded and the other spacious (they could easily fit twice as many tables if they cared to). Between them is a lounge with plenty of comfortable seating around large tables and a small but adequate dance floor. The décor is classic if somewhat dated and the staff seems friendly. Right on 26 July Street, it certainly isn’t difficult to find, just don’t expect the crowd to show up.

It is surprising that the Carlton isn’t a more common stop on the late night circuit. At LE 15 for a Stella, it isn’t expensive nor is it difficult to get to, the atmosphere is comfortable and it would overlook downtown if they just cut their bushes back a bit. It seems to be a case of people not showing up because they don’t expect to see anyone else there.

But this can have its advantages as well. Since Carlton isn’t crowded, you might sometimes be lucky enough to take over the whole place and transform the evening into your own private party. And while one of the joys of going out in Cairo is that you always seem to run into people you know, if you want to have a night out without getting drawn into a larger group, going to the Carlton ensures you a degree of privacy.

Walking into Pour Vous above the Nile Hotel Zamalek is twice deceiving. First you will enter an old hotel, once nice but now past it’s prime, and try to find your way to the roof. You may think that the shabby hotel is a sign of things to come, but as soon as you make it past the flashing lights that manage to be amusing instead of tacky and see the view of the Nile, you will think that the husk of an old hotel is hiding quite a gem inside. Then you will try to place an order.

On my first visit there I tried to order sheesha. After multiple attempts, and about an hour of waiting, it finally came — but the coals on top were cold. Getting coals that were actually hot proved too much of a challenge and in the end I went without. Anyone who has been to Pour Vous more than a few times has a similar story, which is a shame since it could be one of the nicest bars in town. Situated across from the World Trade Center, Pour Vous has a sweeping view of the Nile and even though it is not as high up as most rooftop bars, being tucked away from Cairo’s main streets it still manages to be quite peaceful. The drinks are a little more expensive — LE 20 for Stella — but still not exorbitant, and the food is genuinely good. You can place orders with the popular Thai restaurant Sabai Sabai downstairs. A spicy curry (LE 30 – 40) or spring rolls (LE 8) hit the spot late at night, but don’t be shy about reminding your waiter that he does actually need to bring them to you. et

Odeon Palace Hotel 6 Abdel Hamid Said Downtown Tel: +2 (02) 2576-7971

Happy City 92 C Mohamed Farid St. Abdeen Tel: +2 (02) 395-9222

The Carlton 21, 26 of July St. Downtown Tel: +2 (02) 2575-5022

Nile Zamalek Hotel 21 Aziz Abaza St. Zamalek Tel: +2 (02) 2735-1846 ext 107

King Hotel 20 Abdel Rehim Sabry St. Dokki Tel: +2 (02) 3335-9455