The defining Alexandrian eating experience: a working fish market where the day's catch is displayed on ice and adjoining restaurants will cook whatever you buy. The system is simple and ruthless — choose a fish, have it weighed, agree the price (Egyptian pounds per kilogram), and the restaurant grills, fries, or bakes it to your specification. You pay for the fish by weight plus a small cooking fee (usually 30–50 EGP per fish).
The principal market is in Bahary, the old fishing district at the western end of the corniche, with about a dozen restaurants ringing the central market hall. Quality varies — Sea Gull, Samakmak, and Kadoura are the longest-running. Bring small bills for tips; staff at the better places speak enough English to walk you through the choices. Lunch is the better meal — the catch is freshest in the morning and the prices a bit lower than dinner. Allow at least 90 minutes for the full experience.