Ali El Haggar at Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Your Chatby Night
Ali El Haggar returns to Bibliotheca Alexandrina on August 7
For Alexandria music lovers, Friday, August 7, 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the city’s standout summer nights. Bibliotheca Alexandrina (@bibalexofficial on Instagram) has listed Ali Elhaggar in its online ticketing schedule for Friday, 7 August 2026 from 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm. The listing places the concert at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Conference Center, Great Hall, and the official event poster shows ticket categories at EGP 800, 700, 600, and 400. Egyptian media have also confirmed that the concert is part of the 25th International Summer Festival, with Ali El Haggar set to perform with his band for Alexandria audiences.
That makes this more than just a concert stop. It is the perfect excuse for a full Chatby night out: an early dinner, a walk by the sea-facing library complex, the show itself, then a proper late coffee instead of rushing home.
Why Chatby works so well for a concert night
Bibliotheca Alexandrina sits in Chatby, Alexandria 21526, and the venue’s official visitor information is useful if you are planning the evening properly. The library says food and beverages are not allowed inside, and it specifically notes that there are cafés near the entrance, including La Poire Café and Cilantro Café. It also notes that ticketing and visitor access are centered on the main entrance area on Port Said Street.
In other words, the practical move is simple: eat before you enter, arrive with enough buffer for security and seating, and keep your post-show coffee for after the applause. The area is especially convenient because you can either stay close to the library for a low-stress evening or expand your plans slightly toward central Alexandria for a longer dinner.
Where to eat before the Ali El Haggar concert
1) Keep it easy: eat right by the library
If your priority is convenience over a long sit-down meal, the safest plan is to stay directly around the Bibliotheca Alexandrina entrance zone. The library itself identifies La Poire Café and Cilantro Café as nearby options. That makes them the easiest pre-show picks for anyone who wants coffee, sandwiches, pastries, or a light bite without adding a second round of transport.
This option works best if you are coming from work, arriving by taxi close to curtain time, or simply want a stress-free concert night in Chatby. Have a snack, walk the plaza, take your photos outside the building, and head in early.
2) For a classic Alexandria dinner: Délices in Raml Station
If you want your night to feel unmistakably Alexandrian, Délices (@delicesgroup on Instagram) is one of the strongest pre-concert choices nearby. Its official website says the business was established in 1922, remains run by the same Greek family, and its flagship is at 46 Saad Zaghloul Street, Raml Station. Délices also states that it is open daily from 8:00 am to 1:00 am, which is ideal for concert-goers who want flexibility before or after the show.
What makes Délices especially suitable is its format: it is not just a pastry stop, but a patisserie, café, and restaurant. The brand presents itself as a place for Greek, French, and Egyptian dishes, with Greek coffee and desserts among its signatures. For visitors planning a full evening, that means you can do dinner first, then still have room for dessert or a second coffee later if the concert energy carries on.
Because the concert starts at 8:30 pm, a smart plan is to book or aim for an early dinner around 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm, then head to Chatby by around 7:45 pm.
3) For old-school café culture before the show: Trianon
Another heritage Alexandria name to consider is Trianon, whose official branding dates it to 1905. While the most easily verifiable details online are stronger on its history and locations than on a detailed current menu, Trianon remains one of the city’s best-known classic café institutions. If your ideal pre-show stop means pastries, coffee, and a recognizable old-Alexandria atmosphere rather than a heavy meal, it fits the mood of an Ali El Haggar Alexandria concert night beautifully.
This is a good pick for couples or groups who want the outing to feel a little nostalgic before heading to one of Egypt’s landmark cultural venues.
Best nearby cafés for a late coffee after the show
Since the official BA schedule lists the concert ending at 10:00 pm, a late coffee is very realistic. In fact, it is one of the best parts of planning the night well.
Cilantro and La Poire for the shortest possible detour
If you do not want the night to sprawl too far after the show, stick to the cafés the Bibliotheca itself names near the entrance: Cilantro and La Poire. They are the obvious fallback if you want a familiar Egyptian chain-café setup, quick service, and a convenient meeting point once everyone exits the hall.
This works especially well if you are with family, if someone in your group has an early morning, or if you are relying on ride-hailing and want to stay in a well-known pickup area.
Délices for a longer post-concert wind-down
If the crowd, sea air, and music leave you wanting more of the night, Délices is again a strong option because of its 1:00 am closing time. It gives you enough room to leave the venue, let the post-show traffic ease, and settle into coffee and dessert without feeling rushed. For many Alexandrians, that is the better end to the evening than standing around outside waiting for cars.
How to plan the perfect Chatby night out
Option A: The low-stress plan
- 7:00 pm: Arrive in Chatby.
- 7:00-7:45 pm: Light food or coffee at La Poire or Cilantro near the library entrance.
- 7:45-8:15 pm: Walk to the venue, clear entry, find your seats.
- 8:30-10:00 pm: Ali El Haggar concert at the Great Hall.
- 10:00 pm onward: Late coffee nearby before heading home.
This is the best route if your focus is entirely on the concert.
Option B: The full Alexandria evening
- 6:30 pm: Early dinner at Délices in Raml Station.
- 7:30 pm: Head to Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Chatby.
- Before 8:30 pm: Leave enough time for parking, drop-off, and entry.
- After 10:00 pm: Choose either a quick coffee near the BA or return for dessert and coffee in central Alexandria.
This version gives you a more rounded Alexandria night-out guide feel, especially if you are coming from outside the city or making a date night of it.
Option C: The culture-first outing
If you are arriving in Alexandria earlier in the day, remember that Bibliotheca Alexandrina is not just a concert venue. Its official information describes it as a major cultural complex in Chatby, and the institution says it houses 4 museums and 16 permanent exhibitions. If timings line up, you can build the whole day around the library district, then finish with the concert at night.
Final tips before you go
- Do not bring food or drinks into the library; BA guidelines say they are not allowed inside.
- Travel early on a summer festival night; August events at the BA pull crowds, and the surrounding streets can get busy close to showtime.
- Choose your meal style in advance; quick café bite if convenience matters, heritage restaurant if you want the evening to feel more special.
- Use the concert’s 10:00 pm finish wisely; either leave immediately for an easy ride home or stay for coffee while traffic clears.
For many people, the headline attraction is, of course, Ali El Haggar himself. But the real charm of this August 7 plan is that it combines one of Egypt’s most recognizable voices with one of Alexandria’s most iconic cultural settings. Done right, this is not just a concert ticket. It is a complete Chatby night out: dinner, sea air, music, and a proper late coffee in one of the city’s most distinctive neighborhoods.