The best veg friendly restaurants in Dahab
- kasiastrzelska
- May 6
- 5 min read
Dahab is a truly unique place on Egypt’s map. It’s nothing like the resort vibe of places such as Sharm, Hurghada, or Marsa Alam. It’s all about the feel of the place, the locals’ attitude toward tourists, safety—and… the restaurant and café scene. That last part matters especially for vegans and vegetarians—in Dahab, you’re not limited to just falafel and hummus.
If you’re wondering where to eat vegan and vegetarian food in Dahab—here you go: a list of our favorite veg-friendly spots. Just a heads-up: we’re pretty demanding when it comes to food. We try to eat healthy and safely, so you won’t find greasy falafel recommendations here.
At the end of the post, I’ve added a little extra: “restaurant roulette.” What does that mean? Places where the food was sometimes amazing, and sometimes—who knows, maybe the stars aligned differently, or the chef was in a different mood—just not good. So, as they say: proceed at your own risk ;)
AVENUE
For us, the best breakfast spot in Dahab is 11:11 Avenue café in the Asalah district—right where we do our grocery shopping. It’s our top pick for two reasons: they serve the best specialty coffee in town, and they offer a wide range of delicious vegan and vegetarian breakfasts, both sweet and savory (meat options are available too).
The café is run by Dima, who’ll happily tell you how he bakes his famous ciabattas and recommend a cake for your afternoon coffee. There’s also a coworking space upstairs, though I personally don’t find it very comfortable for remote work.
Cuisine: European, fusion. Breakfasts, lunches, desserts.
Value for money: Excellent. Breakfast is around 5 EUR.
Favorite dishes: Turkish eggs with chili oil or sweet syrniki.
Downsides: It gets busy in the morning, so finding a seat isn’t always easy.
SHOENEMANNS
Another favorite breakfast spot is Shoenemans café in the center. You can enjoy your meal with a sea view or in a flower-filled, Bedouin-style garden. They also serve lunches and desserts. My favorite sweet option is the lemon-glazed pancakes; savory - what you see in the photo 😉
It’s also a nice place for remote work, but you’ll need to rely on your own internet.
Cuisine: European. Breakfasts, lunches, desserts.
Value for money: Very good. Breakfast is around 20 PLN.
Favorite dish: Avocado Brot (can be vegetarian with eggs or vegan with chickpeas—or tofu, if available).
Downsides: When it’s full, you might wait up to an hour for your food.
ELDORADO
Eldorado is probably where we eat most often, for a couple of reasons. First: consistency. In many places, one day the food is amazing, and the next, the same dish arrives cold or just tastes worse—which makes creating this ranking tricky 🙂
Second: the best pizza in town. Wood-fired oven, great dough, and an Italian owner. They also offer vegan and gluten-free pizzas. Plus, the setting right by the sea is a big bonus.
Cuisine: Italian. Pizza, pasta, dinners.
Value for money: Very good. Usually we pay 15 EUR for a dinner for 2.
Favorite dishes: Sopa de la nona (vegan), farinata (vegan), and pizzas.
Downsides: Slightly pricier than Dahab standards.
LEMONGRASS
If we’re not eating pizza here, we’re having curry at Lemongrass. A very pleasant Thai spot right in the Lighthouse area. It’s run by Egyptian brothers who make their own curry pastes.
There are meat dishes, of course, but a big plus for vegans is the option to swap chicken for tofu. I’m not a fan of their Pad Thai, but the curries are excellent. Service is fairly quick, and the quality is usually consistent.
Cuisine: Thai.
Value for money: Good, not the cheapest.
Favorite dishes: Panang Tofu, Red and Green Curry with tofu.
Downsides: It can get noisy in the evenings due to street traffic and music.
NAWAEM
A lovely place near Lighthouse, but away from the sea. Inside, there’s a mini gallery featuring local artists’ crafts, and outside a dining area.
There are plenty of meat dishes, but also lots of vegetarian options and a couple of vegan ones. Their mashed potatoes (rare in Dahab!) and pickles deserve a special mention. The cold hibiscus drink is delicious too. What do I usually order? Vegan spinach mushrooms or curry vegetables with halloumi. The pasta with local burrata is also pretty good.
Cuisine: Fusion.
Value for money: Very good. Vegan dinner around 6 EUR.
Favorite dishes: Pot of halloumi mixed veggies, Pot of spinach mushroom.
Downsides: Service can be a bit chaotic and food not always consitent.
VEGAN LAB
The only fully vegan restaurant in Dahab, offering breakfasts, healthy smoothies, lunches, and dinners. It’s on the same street as Nawaem.
Even though the food is good and the menu is interesting, we don’t eat here often. Why? Prices. What you see in the photo cost us around 30 EUR - which is fine by European standards, but quite pricey for Dahab. Still, if you’re craving tofu, seitan, or a solid veggie burger—this is your place.
Cuisine: Fusion, vegan.
Value for money: So-so. For me, it’s too expensive.
Favorite dishes: Dragon Bowl, Smoky BBQ Burger.
Downsides: High prices.
FRESH FISH
If you’re doing a freediving course or training with us in Dahab, chances are we’ll meet here. This restaurant, located right by the sea on the Lighthouse promenade, is mostly frequented by freedivers. It’s both the starting and finishing point for dives.
Most places along the promenade have similar menus, but this is one of the few where we trust the food, and the quality-to-price ratio is solid.
Add to that the freediving vibe and genuinely warm, almost family-like hospitality, and it’s become a hub for our community. Plenty of vegetarian options, and you can usually ask for vegan versions (like curry or pasta). They also have oat milk for coffee.
Cuisine: Egyptian, European. Breakfasts, lunches, desserts.
Value for money: Very good. Veg breakfast or lunch averages around 4 EUR.
Favorite dishes: Shakshuka or Egyptian breakfast for breakfast; veg curry or arrabbiata for lunch.
Downsides: It can get crowded.
These vegetarian- and vegan-friendly restaurants in Dahab are solid recommendations based on our (sometimes failed) experiments with different places and from the perspective of people who’ve been living here permanently for the past three years. The key factor? Consistency - you can count on getting the same taste and quality every time.
Restaurant roulette: places that can be great—if everything aligns:
Shanti Cafe – Large breakfast and lunch menu, recently renovated and very cosy. I once had an amazing mushroom risotto there… and another time it was overcooked and disappointing. That’s when I stopped going. Maybe I’ll give it another chance someday.
The Breakfast Cafe – Huge breakfast menu with some vegan options. I stopped going for two reasons: chaotic service (something always goes wrong with the order) and inconsistent quality—you never know if the chef is having a good day.
Happy Hour – Italian spot with a beautiful sea view in Eel Garden. If it were cheaper, we’d probably go more often. But with higher prices come higher expectations—and the service is inconsistent. Sometimes the pasta or parmigiana is excellent, sometimes it falls short.
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