When many people think of Egypt, they picture the great pyramids of Giza or historical tales of the legendary queen Cleopatra. For Cynthia Higgins, co-owner of Elaine’s in Old Town Alexandria, it evokes memories of her grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake. “When I was 12 years old living in Alexandria, Egypt, I promised my grandmother when I grew up that I would open a restaurant and name it after her,” says Higgins.

She finally made good on the promise in March when she opened the Egyptian and Mediterranean establishment with her husband, Jeffery. But opening their first restaurant was no easy task; it took two years to develop a menu that features many of their families’ dishes, acquire the permits, and renovate the space — formerly the quirky Bilbo Baggins pub — to fit their modern aesthetic.

The transformation is substantial. Gone are the former spot’s murals depicting The Shire, and much of its dark wood, leaving the restaurant feeling bright and airy. The decor is clean and crisp with light wood accents that reflect the breeziness of the city of Cynthia’s homeland, which sits along the Nile. In the dining room, white and lighter colors dominate, and the bar is made cozy by textured navy walls, a dark marble bar, and velvet upholstery.

Plans are in the works to hang a portrait of Elaine herself in the entryway so guests are warmly greeted by the woman who inspired the restaurant. The restaurant seats 120 on two floors, including the bar.

On the second floor, an extensive bookcase full of literary publications from every genre is a main feature of the decor. “We wanted to create a space in our restaurant for writers to convene and work on their projects in an environment that sparks creativity,” says Jeffrey. This is no surprise since both of the owners are published authors — Cynthia wrote a nonfiction book about the Muslim brotherhood called The Secret Apparatus and Jeffrey is the author of thriller novels including Furious Sailing into Terror.

Their other passion, Middle Eastern cuisine, is the foundation for the Elaine’s menu. Egyptian staples such as hummus, baba ganoush (a roasted eggplant dip), and falafel (all $12) can be ordered separately or as part of a mezze platter where you can choose up to six different small plates for $35. Both options come with a side of pita bread.

On the appetizer and salads section, the restaurant serves ful ($14), a fava bean stew served usually for breakfast, but at Elaine’s is offered as an appetizer and made in the style specific to Alexandria, Egypt with tomatoes, onions and a poached egg. Other items include seared halloumi, cabbage stuffed with rice, herbs and vegetables, and fattoush salad (all $14)

The restaurant gave DCist a glimpse of some of their bestselling dishes, including the beet salad ($14), in which the beets are marinated for up to 24 hours in a garlic, lemon, cumin vinaigrette and topped with onions and parsley. “Eating this dish is like getting an instant B12 shot, due to the pure freshness of the beets” says Cynthia.

We also tried a head-on shrimp dish ($31) that was slathered in a tomato garlic sauce with onions, bell peppers and potatoes. The entrée is served with an Egyptian fisherman’s rice made with medium grain rice and cooked in the versatile squeezed onion juice. The juice — whose exact recipe is a family secret, Cynthia says — is a staple in many of Elaine’s dishes and made by chopping and pureeing the onion to create a distinctive ingredient.

As for other entrees, don’t miss the chicken shish tawook with tzatziki sauce ($27) — a Lebanese grilled entree that aligns with Jeffrey’s maternal heritage. All the aforementioned dishes are plentiful — they can easily be shared family-style, which the Higgings did intentionally to replicate how they eat at home.

The menu is straightforward and easy to navigate, allowing guests to make a meal out of mezze or go all out with family style entrees and more. For dessert, Elaine’s has the always crowd pleasing baklava, a creme caramel — a dish similar flan — and an old-fashioned chocolate cake with maraschino cherries. (Desserts are all $10.) The full bar offers a selection of beer, wine, and liquor, and a specialty cocktail list — including perhaps a drink named for the building’s former inhabitant, Bilbo Baggins — is forthcoming.

Elaine’s is located at 208 Queen Street in Alexandria, and is open Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.; and on Sunday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Brunch is offered on Sundays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be booked via phone at 571-970-0517.