Where to Eat Around BA’s National Identity Conference
A real Alexandria event, and a very Alexandria day out
From Monday, September 21 to Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Bibliotheca Alexandrina (@bibalexofficial on Instagram) is hosting the conference “National Identity: Deep Roots and Renewed Vision”. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina announced the event on September 10, and Egypt’s State Information Service said it is being held under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with an “Alexandria Document on National Identity” expected at the close of the conference.
For Alexandria readers, that matters for two reasons. First, this is not just another listing: it is a real three-day cultural event at one of Egypt’s defining landmarks. Second, the venue sits in one of the easiest parts of the city to turn into a full day, because the stretch between Chatby, Raml Station and the Corniche gives you historic cafés, proper lunch options and quick Mediterranean stops without needing a complicated plan.
The practical timing helps too. Bibliotheca Alexandrina lists visit tours, museums and the planetarium from Sunday to Thursday, 9:30am to 5:00pm, with the main ticket window open until 6:30pm on weekdays. That means conferencegoers can comfortably build a coffee stop before the first session or a seaside walk after the day winds down.
Before the conference: where to get coffee without wasting your morning
1) Délices for a classic central Alexandria start
If you want the most old-school downtown choice, start at Délices (@delicesgroup on Instagram). The Alexandria institution says it was established in 1922, is still run by the same Greek family, and its flagship remains at 46 Saad Zaghloul Street, Raml Station. It is open daily from 8:00am to 1:00am, which makes it one of the easiest places for an early coffee or a post-event dessert.
Délices works especially well if you are coming in from Raml Station or want a gentler start than a heavy breakfast. Its own site highlights Greek coffee, pistachio mille-feuille and a Greek-French-Egyptian menu, so this is the stop for readers who want heritage with their caffeine rather than a generic chain cup.
2) Trianon for coffee in another Alexandria landmark
Another strong option is Trianon (@trianon1905 on Instagram), one of the city’s best-known historic café names. Trianon presents itself as a longstanding Alexandria landmark established in 1905, and current menu listings place the central branch around 52 Saad Zaghloul Square. Recent menu aggregators show typical prices stretching from smaller pastry items around EGP 65 to fuller café and restaurant dishes such as a club sandwich at EGP 180 and Alfredo chicken pasta at EGP 150.
That pricing makes Trianon a useful middle ground: more substantial than a quick espresso stop, but still practical if you want coffee and something sweet before heading to the library rather than a full lunch.
3) Keep the morning simple if you are staying by the library
If your hotel or meeting point is already near the Corniche, the smartest move may be not to over-plan. Bibliotheca Alexandrina is itself on the seafront, so one of the most pleasant pre-session rituals is simply arriving a little early, taking in the façade and the water, and then saving your longer café stop for after the first panel. On conference days, less zigzagging across Alexandria usually means a better day.
Best lunch options after a morning session
1) Délices if you want a central, reliable all-rounder
Délices is not only for pastry. Its official site describes it as a patisserie, café and restaurant, and current online menus show a broad range extending into salads, crepes and savoury dishes. Recent listed examples include a Délices Salad at EGP 313.50, a caprese salad at EGP 142.50, and crepes roughly in the EGP 169.86 to EGP 226.86 range.
For conference visitors, the appeal is convenience. You can do lunch there without giving up the downtown Alexandria mood that makes this area worth staying in between sessions.
2) Greek Community area if you want harbour atmosphere later in the day
If your schedule leaves a longer gap after the afternoon program, consider moving westward toward the harbour side and the Greek Community of Alexandria area. The Greek Community’s official site underlines the depth of Alexandria’s Hellenic history in the city, and that broader district remains one of the strongest places in Alexandria for a sea-facing meal once you are done with the day’s indoor discussions.
This is less of a “rush in and out” lunch and more of an after-conference dinner stretch, especially for anyone pairing the event with a visit to Qaitbay or the old harbour.
3) San Giovanni if your Alexandria plan continues east
For readers turning the conference into an overnight or a longer city break, San Giovanni is one of the classic names worth keeping for a later meal rather than a quick noon stop. The San Giovanni Group says its Alexandria hotel and restaurant date back to 1938, and its restaurant is known for panoramic views over Stanley Bay. It is not the closest option to the library, but it is a strong fit for a more deliberate lunch or dinner once your conference schedule is over.
Seaside stops to add before heading home
Walk the Corniche directly from the library
The easiest seawall reset is the obvious one: walk the Corniche right outside the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Because the venue already sits on the Mediterranean edge, you do not need a major detour to get the part of Alexandria most people came for in the first place. Even a short post-session walk changes the pace after a full day of talks.
Pair the conference with a museum stop
If you want a cultural extension that still fits the conference theme, the Graeco-Roman Museum is one of the strongest nearby add-ons in central Alexandria. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists it as open 9:00am to 5:00pm from Sunday to Thursday and until 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday. Current ticket prices listed by the ministry are EGP 40 for المصريين adults and EGP 20 for students.
That makes it a smart choice for those arriving in Alexandria the day before the conference, or for anyone extending the trip after the event ends on September 23.
A smart one-day plan for September 21–23
- Morning: coffee and pastry at Délices or Trianon in Raml Station.
- Mid-morning to afternoon: head to Bibliotheca Alexandrina for the conference sessions.
- Late lunch: return to central Alexandria for a sit-down meal rather than losing time in traffic.
- Sunset: take a Corniche walk directly outside the library, or continue toward the harbour if you want a fuller seaside dinner.
The bottom line
Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s National Identity Conference is a real cultural date on Alexandria’s calendar, not just because of the subject matter but because of where it is happening. With 450 young participants expected, representation from 27 governorates, and a closing Alexandria Document planned, the event has real national weight. But for local readers, it is also a reminder that one of the best things about central Alexandria is how easily a serious day at the library can turn into a proper city outing.
If you want the shortest answer to what to do around the conference, it is this: coffee in Raml, sessions at the BA, lunch in the centre, and sea views before you leave. In Alexandria, that is still one of the best formulas there is.