The Mena House Hotel is one of the few places in the immediate pyramid area where you can get a cold beer or a properly made cocktail in civilised surroundings. The bar occupies a terrace and interior salon inside the original hunting lodge building, which retains its original carved ceilings, tilework, and period furniture. Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin's representatives stayed here during World War II; the atmosphere still has something of that era's solidity.
Drinks are hotel-priced, which is to say expensive by Egyptian standards but not outrageous by international ones. The garden and terrace outside are the better option on pleasant evenings. The Mena House does a reliably good afternoon tea, which is another civilised option for those who want a rest from the heat and the touts. Non-guests are welcome at the bar.