How a 1908 Cairo Café Witnesses Egypt’s History

When downtown Cairo falls quiet during political unrest, most shops shutter—but not the corner café glowing with a soft yellow light. For over a century, Riche Café has remained open amid upheaval, offering a front-row seat to Egypt’s evolving story from its wooden chairs and red-and-white checkered tables.

Since 1908, Riche Café has stood in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, surviving wars, revolutions, and political shifts while hosting icons like Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. Its basement once hid anti-colonial activists, and today it still draws writers, artists, and journalists watching Egypt’s next chapter unfold.

A Century in a Cairo Corner

Opened in 1908, Riche Café occupies a building on Tahrir Square, Cairo’s political heart. Its red-brown wooden doors and warm red-and-white checkered tablecloths have witnessed over a century of change. Through Egypt’s 1919 revolution, parliamentary elections, and recent protests, the café has remained a constant—a place where history is sipped alongside Turkish coffee and Arabic tea.

Unlike modern cafés, Riche has no formal entrance desk. Instead, you’re greeted by a cluttered desk piled with magazines, books, and notes. The owner, Mr. Majid, once turned away journalists to avoid turning the space into a tourist stop. Nearby sit the headquarters of Egypt’s influential newspapers and the journalists’ union, attracting writers and thinkers daily.

The Secret Basement and Revolutionary Past

Beneath Riche lies a hidden world. A narrow staircase leads to a 20-square-meter basement bar, unused by customers but steeped in history. At its far end, a rotating bookshelf conceals a secret room—once an escape route and printing press during the 1919 anti-British revolution.

Before electricity, students translating anti-colonial texts and making protest flyers worked by candlelight in this confined space. The main stair was hidden behind a table; the secret stair offered a quick exit. After independence, the basement slept for decades until the 1990s, when it was converted into its current form. For the last 20 years, it’s hosted private celebrations for published works—but remains closed to the public.

Today’s Riche: A Living Archive

Step back upstairs, and Riche feels like a living museum of Cairo’s intelligentsia. A red-fez-wearing French-educated writer sits in a corner; a serious journalist in a dark jacket gathers around him. British sculptors, German teachers, and local artists mingle over strong Turkish coffee and Arabic tea. Conversations often turn to Tahrir Square’s latest protests.

The walls display black-and-white photos documenting the square’s transformation over the café’s lifetime. When you ask about the café’s secret past, locals smile knowingly. “This isn’t a place for tourists,” Mr. Majid says. “It’s for those who understand what’s really happening here.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What year was Riche Café in Cairo founded?

Riche Café was established in 1908 and has been operating in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for over 100 years, witnessing major political and cultural events in Egypt’s history.

Did Riche Café play a role in Egypt’s 1919 revolution?

Yes, during the 1919 anti-British revolution, Riche Café’s basement was secretly used as a printing press and shelter for students translating anti-colonial materials and creating flyers. It had no electricity and relied on candlelight.

Who are some famous people known to visit Riche Café?

Nobel Prize-winning author Naguib Mahfouz was a regular, along with other writers, journalists, and intellectuals. Today, it attracts a mix of local and international creatives, including British sculptors and German teachers.

Is the hidden basement at Riche Café open to the public?

No, the secret basement, which includes a hidden room used during the 1919 revolution, has been privately used for celebrations of published works since the 1990s but remains closed to the general public.

What drinks are typically served at Riche Café?

The café serves traditional Turkish coffee and Arabic tea, which are commonly enjoyed by patrons discussing politics, literature, and current events in the historic setting.

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