Al Ismaelia opens La Viennoise courtyard to nine local brands as Downtown Cairo restoration advances

La Viennoise, a 130-year-old heritage building in Downtown Cairo, is being transformed into a retail and cultural destination as the latest phase of its restoration nears completion, with new restaurants, cafes and local brands moving into its courtyard.

The building at the intersection of Champollion and Mahmoud Bassiouny streets was constructed in 1896 and is known for its Italian Renaissance-style architecture. It is owned by Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment, which acquired the property in 2009 as part of its programme to restore historic buildings in the district. Restoration began in April 2016 and the building reopened in May 2018 after about two years of work with Alchemy and Ebony and Ivory, earning the Tarsheed Commercial Renovation certification for meeting sustainability standards.

The current phase converts the courtyard into a retail and dining space designed with Zaro Architects and Alchemy Group. It will accommodate nine local businesses: Italian restaurant Andiamo, specialty coffee shop Floating Cups, homeware brand ANŪT, art and design gallery Le LAB, Santriyya, Maison Gamil, Beauts, Mix and Match and Huwa Designs, spanning food, fashion, jewellery and design.

The building already houses offices for Sarwa Capital and Contact Financial Holding, alongside Mazeej Balad, a boutique hotel with five suites and a rooftop restaurant overlooking Downtown Cairo. The courtyard project forms part of Al Ismaelia's wider restoration work on historic properties in the area, including Cinema Radio, Tamara Haus and Consoleya.

The reopening comes as Egyptian authorities step up heritage preservation in the centre of the capital. On 25 October, Cairo Governorate said restoration work in the Khedivial Cairo district was continuing, with a focus on preserving historic facades, upgrading infrastructure and encouraging the reuse of heritage properties.