Midaq Alley, a historic market street with shops and a café, is nestled between Cairo’s main districts. On any given evening, Uncle Kamil’s sweets shop and Abbas’s barber shop are the last to close. A large man, Uncle Kamil often spends his days dozing in a chair outside his shop. Abbas, the barber, is Uncle Kamil’s young friend who awakens Uncle Kamil when it’s time to close the shop. The two men enjoy their friendship and upholding the community’s customs.

Full of old-world charm, Kirsha’s café is a special place of gathering for the alley’s residents. One evening, the absent-minded Sheikh Darwish, the spiritual and compassionate Radwan Hussainy, and an old poet who gives traditional poetry recitations, arrive at the café. The poet, who has performed at the café for 20 years, discovers that his services are no longer needed: Kirsha is installing a radio, by popular demand. Kirsha rudely tells the poet to “go away,” and Sheikh Darwish and Radwan Hussainy help smooth out the atmosphere as the café’s night life begins.