Koshari, street food of Egypt in London

We have eaten a lot of Lebanese street food, but Egyptian street food is something new to us. The most emblematic street food in Egypt is koshary/koshari, a mix of pasta and grains topped with chickpeas, a spicy tomato sauce and caramelized onions. Koshari Street  (56 St Martin’s Ln, London WC2N 4EA) does a modern fast casual take on the Egyptian dish, offering three sizes of koshari in take away cups.

Located in the heart of London, Koshari street provides an unexpected cheap option right in the tourist track (though don’t worry, it is not touristy in the least!). Koshari Street is also a very quick option – Chipotle-style, the koshari is assembled in front of you to order. You can then customize the grain base with tomato sauces in three spiciness levels and you can specify if you would like onions and lemon on top. Though we didn’t think of it at the time, this dish is also vegan which makes it a good area option for all palates.

There were three sizes of koshari to choose from and we each ordered a small cup for a shockingly reasonable £3. We really enjoyed the mix of pasta and grains and the savory tomato sauce (vaguely reminiscent of Italian pasta and red sauce). M also went the extra mile and got spicy sauce. The koshari was tasty, warm and filling and easy to eat on the go. Definitely the perfect food for ambling about and taking in the sights!