Dining and ordering

From the menu to the bill, with the small phrases that smooth a meal — asking about sugar in the coffee, dietary restrictions, and the customary compliment to the cook.

Eating out in the Arab world is a register-flexible experience. A waiter at a high-end Beirut or Dubai restaurant will conduct the entire meal in English if you let them; a small place in a souq will not. The phrases below cover the middle ground — enough Arabic to order what you want, ask about what is in it, and pay without confusion. Most include the dialect form of "the bill" (al-Hisaab) and "the menu" (al-qaa'ima in MSA, il-menyu almost everywhere in speech).

One vocabulary point worth flagging: there is a distinct word for the level of sweetness in Turkish/Arabic coffee, and ordering "no sugar" in tea or coffee is something you signal at the time of ordering, not after. Saying saada ("plain") for coffee, wasaT ("medium"), or Hilwa ("sweet") is the conventional way; English-speaking visitors who ask "no sugar, please" in Arabic by translating literally (min ghayr sukkar) will be understood, but the local word saves a step.

Getting seated, asking for the menu

A table for two, please

طاولة لشخصين من فضلك Taawila li-shakhSayn min faDlak

Inside / outside

جوّا / برّا juwwa / barra

The menu, please

المنيو / القائمة من فضلك il-menyu / al-qaa'ima min faDlak

Do you have an English menu?

في عندكم منيو إنجليزي؟ fii ʿindkum menyu ingliizii?

What do you recommend?

شو بتنصحني؟ shuu btinSaHnii?

Often safer than guessing from a list of unfamiliar dishes. Waiters take the question seriously.

Ordering

I'd like…

أنا بدّي… / أنا عايز… anaa biddii… (Lev.) / anaa ʿaayiz… (Eg., m.) / ʿayza (Eg., f.)

For me, the…

إلي… ilii…

One of these, please

واحد من هاد من فضلك waaHid min haad min faDlak

Pointing at the menu is universally understood and often the cleanest move when the dialect names of dishes are unfamiliar.

A glass of water, please

كاسة مي من فضلك kaasit mayy min faDlak

Still / sparkling water

مي عاديّة / مي معدنيّة mayy ʿaadiyya / mayy maʿdaniyya

In some places mayy maʿdaniyya means bottled mineral water, still or sparkling. Specify fawwaara (sparkling) or bidoon ghaaz (without gas) if it matters.

Bread

خبز / عيش khubz / ʿaysh

ʿaysh ("life") is the Egyptian word for bread — same letter as the verb "to live." Levantine and Gulf say khubz.

Coffee and tea

Coffee (Arabic / Turkish style)

قهوة qahwa

Coffee, no sugar

قهوة سادة qahwa saada

saada ("plain") is the standard term — used for coffee, not for tea. Saying min ghayr sukkar is also fine but bookish.

Coffee, medium sweet

قهوة وسط qahwa wasaT

Coffee, sweet

قهوة حلوة qahwa Hilwa

Coffee with milk

قهوة بالحليب qahwa bi-l-Haliib

Tea

شاي shaay

Tea with mint

شاي بالنعناع shaay bi-n-naʿnaʿ

Tea, no sugar

شاي بدون سكّر shaay bidoon sukkar

For tea, you do say "without sugar" rather than saada. Note: tea in Egypt and the Maghreb is by default heavily sweetened — make this explicit if you want it plain.

Fresh juice

عصير طازة ʿaSiir Taaza

Dietary restrictions and allergies

I'm vegetarian (m. / f.)

أنا نباتي / نباتيّة anaa nabaatii / nabaatiyya

I don't eat meat / chicken / fish

ما باكل لحمة / دجاج / سمك maa baakul laHma / dajaaj / samak

Worth specifying. In some contexts "vegetarian" is heard as "doesn't eat red meat" — chicken and broth get included by default.

Without [meat / onions / garlic / cilantro]

بدون [لحمة / بصل / ثوم / كزبرة] bidoon [laHma / baSal / thuum / kuzbara]

I have an allergy to…

عندي حساسيّة من… ʿindii Hassaasiyya min…

…nuts / peanuts / shellfish / dairy / gluten

المكسّرات / الفول السوداني / المحار / الألبان / الغلوتين al-mukassaraat / al-fuul as-suudaanii / al-maHaar / al-albaan / al-ghluutiin

If the allergy is severe, write the word down and show it. Allergy awareness varies; do not assume the kitchen will know "no nuts" means no traces.

Is there pork in this?

في لحم خنزير؟ fii laHm khinziir?

In most of the Arab world the answer is no by default — pork is uncommon in restaurants outside Christian-majority neighbourhoods, the Gulf's expatriate areas, and some hotels.

Is the food halal?

الأكل حلال؟ il-akl Halaal?

During the meal

More bread, please

كمان خبز من فضلك kamaan khubz min faDlak

Spicy

حارّ Haarr

Not spicy, please

مش حارّ من فضلك mish Haarr min faDlak

It's delicious

كان لذيذ / الأكل طيّب kaan ladhiidh / al-akl Tayyib

A genuine compliment expected at the end of the meal, even at a restaurant. The reply: Sahtayn ("two healths") or bil-ʿaafiya ("with strength").

To your health (said before/after eating)

صحّتين SaHtayn

The bill and paying

The bill, please

الحساب من فضلك al-Hisaab min faDlak

The universal request. al-Hisaab is understood everywhere in any register.

Can I pay by card?

ممكن أدفع بالكرت؟ mumkin adfaʿ bi-l-kart?

I'll pay in cash

رح أدفع كاش raH adfaʿ kaash

Is service included?

الخدمة مشمولة؟ il-khidma mashmuula?

Tipping conventions vary widely. In Egypt, an extra tip is normal even when service is on the bill. In the Gulf, less so. Ten percent is a reasonable default.

It's on me

أنا حاسبها anaa Haasibhaa

A polite battle for the bill is normal. Insisting once or twice is expected; if you genuinely want the other person to pay, give in after the second offer rather than the first.

Common mistakes

Saying min ghayr sukkar for Turkish coffee. It works, but the local word is saada. The waiter will mark you a tourist and may bring a sweetened cup anyway out of habit.
Assuming "vegetarian" excludes broth. It often doesn't. Soups and rice dishes are routinely cooked in chicken or meat stock unless specified otherwise.
Not complimenting the meal. Not strictly a mistake, but at someone's home it is close to one. al-akl Tayyib jiddan, shukran ("the food is very good, thank you") at the end of the meal is a small required gesture.