Café
Wenkie’s German Ice Cream & Iced Coffee Parlour
A German-run ice cream parlour on the East Bank making creamy ice cream from local buffalo milk, in flavours such as hibiscus, guava and doum fruit.
Ramesseum Rest House
One of the oldest café-restaurants on the West Bank, beside the Ramesseum in Old Qurna, serving cold drinks, beer and simple food to travellers.
At a glance
- Type
- Traditional café-restaurant
- Area
- Old Qurna, West Bank, Luxor, Egypt
- Price
- $ · Budget
Good to know
- Cold beer
- Simple meals
- Next to the Ramesseum
Why we recommend it
The Ramesseum Rest House is one of the oldest café-restaurants on Luxor's West Bank, a simple roadside stop next to the Ramesseum in Old Qurna.
The menu is basic: cold soft drinks, tea and coffee, chilled beer and sometimes wine, and simple food for a light lunch. Beer is not easy to find on the West Bank outside the hotels, so the rest house is a useful stop for anyone wanting a cold one after a morning in the tombs. Expect plain tables and chairs rather than design touches; the setting and the location do the work.
The position next to the Ramesseum is ideal for a break between sites. After walking among the fallen colossus and the ruined courts of Ramesses II's temple, you can sit in the shade and look out over the fields and the Theban hills. It is also close to the Tombs of the Nobles and on the way to and from the Valley of the Kings, Deir el-Bahari and Medinet Habu.
The rest house suits independent travellers, cyclists and anyone exploring the West Bank with a driver who needs a pause in the day. It is informal and inexpensive, and you can stay for a quick drink or a longer lunch. It is not a place for fine dining, and facilities are simple.
Bring cash in small notes, as cards are unlikely to be accepted, and check prices before ordering if a menu is not shown. Opening hours are not published, so plan to stop during the day and check locally. Combining a visit to the Ramesseum with a drink here makes a relaxed end to a West Bank morning.
The West Bank is spread out, and long stretches between sites can be tiring in the heat, so knowing where to stop for a drink matters. A rest house beside a major temple is the simplest answer, and it gives drivers and guides a break too.
If you are cycling around the West Bank, this is a natural halfway point, as the Ramesseum lies roughly in the middle of the main group of monuments. Refill water bottles where you can, and keep a hat and sunscreen to hand for the next leg.
Ramesseum Rest House FAQs
Where is the Ramesseum Rest House?
Next to the Ramesseum in Old Qurna on the West Bank.
What does it serve?
Cold drinks, tea, coffee, chilled beer, sometimes wine, and simple food.
Does it serve alcohol?
Yes, beer is served and sometimes wine.
Is it expensive?
No, it is an inexpensive stop.
Can I pay by card?
Bring cash, as cards are unlikely to be accepted.
What is nearby?
The Ramesseum, the Tombs of the Nobles and the road to the Valley of the Kings.
When should I visit?
During the day, as a break between West Bank monuments.