Cafeteria Asteria, 40 Safia Zaghloul St. (tel. 482 2293), several doors down from Santa Lucia. Clean cafeteria offers a variety of cheap, light, and tasty meals (pizza LE5-6). Open daily 9am-midnight. Broast Bamby (tel. 482 7811), one block east of Raml Station Sq., on the corner.

Three pieces of fried chicken LE6. Open daily Sara-1 am.

Taverna, (tel. 482 8189), on the southern side of Raml Square, on the corner of Sa’ad Zaghloul and Safia Zaghloul St. Comfortably crowded with Egyptians and very convenient. The shwarma (LE10.75) is tasty, and the pizza (LE8-1O.5O) and pasta (LE10-15) speak for themselves (with an Italian accent, of course). Open 24 hrs. Another location nearby.

New China Chinese Restaurant, 802 Al-Geish St., Mandara (tel. 96 89 96), in the Corail Hotel. Possibly the only (and thereby, maybe the best) Chinese food in Alexandria. Entrees about LE15. Try the delicious fried chicken in lemon sauce, or the leung chow seafood fried rice. Liquor served. Open daily llam-llpm. Restaurant Denis, 1 Ibn Basaam St. (tel. 483 0457), 4 blocks east of Sa’ad Zaghloul Sq. Neat little eatery just off the corniche serves the best budget seafood in Alexandria. Pick out your fish in the kitchen (LE20-26 per kg; Hkg per person is filling and Vikg is a feast) and they’ll bring you a plethora of salads, dips, and bread; you can stuff yourself silly for LE10. Beer and wine served. Open daily 9an lam.