Alexandria has always been a city of arrivals. Founded by Alexander the Great, this Mediterranean crossroads became home to Greeks, Egyptians, Levantines, Ottomans and generations of traders who brought new ingredients, cooking traditions and appetites ashore with them. The four-hour evening feast of 14+ tastings leaves the Corniche behind to explore the neighbourhoods where Alexandria really eats after dark, weaving between street carts, family-run eateries, specialist food shops and an almost century-old café. Before we get started, the tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of traditional eateries mean we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal so nobody is disappointed:

 *Suitable for no pork and halal diets. *Possible for gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, mild nut allergies and no seafood diets, though some tastings will be unsuitable. *Unsuitable for pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan diets.

We begin by pulling apart one of Egypt's great comfort foods. Warm feteer arrives from the oven in delicate, buttery layers, ready to be torn apart and loaded with rich tahini, sticky black molasses, wild honey, fresh Egyptian cream and local cheeses. Sweet, salty, flaky and dangerously easy to keep eating. Then the streets take over. Some of Alexandria's best kitchens have wheels attached. We'll join locals around busy carts for juicy stuffed Egyptian sausages and smoky lamb kofta, wrapped inside warm baladi bread and eaten exactly where they were cooked.

Eventually, the Mediterranean demands a seat at the table. We'll taste fesikh, Egypt's famously pungent cured and salted grey mullet, part of a fish-preserving tradition with roots stretching back to ancient Egypt. Nearby, we'll visit a specialist pickle merchant, where jars overflow with brilliantly coloured vegetables and sharp, acidic flavours designed to cut straight through Egypt's richer dishes. Then comes a proper Alexandrian spread: charcoal-grilled pigeon, delicately spiced rice-stuffed sausages, creamy chickpea salad, smoky aubergine, bright tomato salad and silky tahini.

We'll slow things down inside an almost century-old café, where coffee is still poured, dominoes are still fiercely contested and generations of Alexandrians have come to talk, argue and watch the city go by. Suitably refuelled, we'll return to the bread basket. Warm baladi becomes the vehicle for earthy ful medames, vibrant bissara, and eggs cooked with richly spiced Egyptian pastrami. Then comes a sandwich Alexandria has practically made its own. Beef liver is cooked hard and fast with garlic, cumin and chilli before being stuffed into soft bread. The legendary Alexandrian liver sandwich has fed workers, students and hungry night owls for generations. When you try it, you’ll understand why.