Now popping up in upscale restaurants, the carb-loaded national dish recently earned a spot on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage

An Egyptian chef prepares koshary at Abou Tarek in downtown Cairo. Ahmed Hasan/AFP via Getty Images

At Abou Tarek in downtown Cairo, koshary is served the way it has been for decades: heaping portions in metal bowls, three sauces dispensed from metal pitchers and glass bottles, the whole operation unfolding in an open kitchen where the clatter and steam are part of the experience. Five stories up from where it began as a 1930s street food cart, the eatery now ranks among the top 150 most legendary restaurants in the world according to Taste Atlas , with locations across Egypt and the Persian countries.

Meanwhile, across town at upscale restaurants like Majeez , diners order koshary arancini . At Ward Koshary , the dish is repackaged for younger , wealthier clientele.…