AUC squash opener guide: where to eat near campus
AUC’s squash opener gives Fifth Settlement a food-and-coffee moment
The American University in Cairo’s New Cairo campus is not just a sports venue this September; it is one of the main anchors of the 12th All-Africa University Games, Cairo 2026. AUC said it would host 10 sports on campus during the tournament, including squash, with competitions running as part of the wider Games from September 8 to 16, 2026. The university’s New Cairo base on AUC Avenue also hosted the torch relay ceremony on September 1, 2026, underlining how central the campus has been to this edition.
For local readers, that matters beyond sport. When an event of this scale lands in Fifth Settlement, it changes the rhythm of the area: students, families, delegations and squash fans suddenly need quick coffee runs, casual lunches and easy dinner options within a short drive of campus. AUC described Cairo 2026 as the continent’s largest university sports competition, and official event information said the Games brought together roughly 2,000 athletes and officials from more than 80 universities across up to 18 African countries. AUC then finished the tournament on top of the standings, winning the overall championship for the third time.
So if you are heading to New Cairo for the squash opener or dropping by campus during the tournament window, here is the useful part: where to eat and where to grab coffee around AUC in Fifth Settlement without overcomplicating the plan.
Why Point 90 and the AUC side of Road 90 are the easiest bet
AUC’s New Cairo campus address is listed by the university as AUC Avenue, New Cairo 11835, with visitor parking through Gate 1. In practical terms, that puts you close to the usual Fifth Settlement food orbit around the AUC entrance, Road 90 and nearby mall clusters. For many visitors, Point 90 Mall is the simplest first stop because it sits directly opposite the AUC side of the district and has a reliable mix of sit-down meals and coffee.
If you are planning around match timings, the safest strategy is simple: stay on the campus-Point 90-AUC Avenue axis for pre-game coffee and post-match meals, then stretch farther into Fifth Settlement only if you have more time. That is especially true during a tournament week, when traffic on the 90 roads can make a short distance feel much longer.
Best coffee stops near AUC during the Games
Espresso Lab at Point 90
If the priority is coffee first, Espresso Lab Egypt is one of the most practical nearby names. Tripadvisor listings for restaurants near AUC-area stays place Espresso Lab at Point 90 among the closest café options to the campus zone, and the brand’s Egyptian site positions it clearly as a specialty coffee house. For spectators waiting on the next squash session, this is the kind of stop that works whether you want an espresso on the go or a longer sit-down break between matches.
PAUL at Point 90
PAUL Arabia (@paularabia on Instagram) is a dependable choice if your group wants pastries, sandwiches and coffee under one roof. PAUL’s store locator lists a Point 90 branch in New Cairo, and Tripadvisor places it among the closest established café-restaurant names in the immediate AUC orbit. It is especially handy for mixed groups where some want breakfast items, others want dessert, and nobody wants a long detour.
Beano’s on South 90
For readers who prefer a classic Cairo chain option, Beano’s Cafe has a New Cairo branch on South 90 Street, listed by elmenus next to El Sallab. It is not as directly opposite campus as Point 90, but it remains a familiar fallback for business meetings, solo laptop sessions or a quieter coffee after the crowd leaves the courts.
Where to eat near AUC if you want a proper meal
Kazdoura for a Levantine-leaning casual meal
If you want something more substantial than coffee and a croissant, Kazdoura Lebanese Cuisine appears among the closest reviewed options in the Point 90 area on Tripadvisor. That makes it a solid pick for a relaxed lunch or early dinner after play, especially if your group wants familiar mezze-and-grill territory rather than a quick snack.
One Oak inside Point 90
One Oak is another Point 90 option repeatedly surfaced in nearby restaurant listings. It is useful to know about because mall-based dining works well during event weeks: easy parking, straightforward meeting points and enough flexibility for different appetites. If you are coordinating with friends coming from inside campus and others driving in from New Cairo, that convenience matters almost as much as the menu.
Nişantaşi if you do not mind a slightly longer hop
If you are willing to go a little beyond the immediate AUC gate area, Tripadvisor’s updated Fifth Settlement listings around Downtown Katameya place Nişantaşi among the stronger-rated nearby restaurant names. That makes it more of a destination meal than a between-matches pit stop, but for visitors spending the afternoon in the area, it is one of the recognizable sit-down choices in wider New Cairo.
Quick practical picks by scenario
- For a fast pre-match coffee: Espresso Lab at Point 90.
- For coffee plus pastry or breakfast: PAUL at Point 90.
- For an easy group lunch after squash: Kazdoura or One Oak in the same mall zone.
- For a familiar chain café slightly farther out: Beano’s on South 90.
- For a longer sit-down meal in wider Fifth Settlement: Nişantaşi.
Why this matters for New Cairo, not just for AUC
There is a bigger local story here. AUC said its New Cairo campus hosted nearly half of the tournament competitions across facilities for basketball, athletics, tennis, padel, squash, modern pentathlon, fencing, futsal, volleyball and swimming. That sort of concentration turns a university campus into a temporary neighborhood magnet. During Cairo 2026, Fifth Settlement was not simply “near the action”; it was part of the action.
That is why this squash opener matters for the New Cairo & Fifth Settlement section specifically. It puts a familiar local corridor, from AUC Avenue to Point 90 and the Road 90 sprawl, in front of visiting athletes, university officials and Egypt-based fans who may not normally think of the area as an event destination first. Once people arrive for sport, they also discover the district’s everyday strengths: polished chain cafés, mall dining that actually solves logistics, and enough variety for a full day built around matches.
The smart tournament-week plan
If you are going to AUC during the African University Games, keep the plan simple. Arrive early, use campus visitor access and parking guidance from The American University in Cairo (@auc_egypt on Instagram), watch the squash, then cross into the nearest food cluster instead of attempting a long New Cairo detour. Point 90 is the most obvious answer for convenience, while South 90 and Downtown Katameya become better options only if you are staying in the district longer.
In short, AUC’s role in the 12th All-Africa University Games did exactly what major local events are supposed to do: it spotlighted New Cairo as a place people come to, not just pass through. And for anyone spending the day around the squash courts, that spotlight tastes best with a coffee in hand and dinner five to ten minutes away.