Bay Ridge has plenty of Middle Eastern cooking and comparatively little of it specifically Egyptian, which is the gap Sofra opened into in late August. Koshari and baladi salad are on the menu where you would expect them, but the kitchen also sends out a pharaoh pot pie and stacks pancakes with baklava for dessert. Fifth Avenue in the high eighties is an easy R-train afternoon.
What to expect
Start with koshari if you have not eaten Egyptian food before - it is the reference dish and the fastest way to read a kitchen. The menu runs longer than most neighborhood spots, so it rewards ordering several things across the table. It opened softly in late August, so the menu may still be settling; call ahead if you are making a trip.
Good to know
- Soft-opened August 22, so hours and menu may still be firming up - worth a call ahead.
- R train to 86th Street puts you a short walk from the Fifth Avenue restaurant strip.
- Koshari is the dish to try first; the baklava pancake stack is the dessert people mention.
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Common questions
What is koshari?
Egypt's best-known street dish: lentils, rice and pasta layered together with tomato sauce and crisp fried onions. It is vegetarian as standard.
When did it open?
It soft-opened on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 8915 Fifth Avenue in Bay Ridge.
How do I get there?
Take the R train to 86th Street in Brooklyn; the restaurant is a short walk up Fifth Avenue.
