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Marrakesh has arguably the largest selection of restaurants in Morocco, which serve equal parts Moroccan and international cuisine at varying price points. Restaurant dining, once reserved mainly for the wealthy or very special occasions, is now part of the norm for virtually all Marrakshis. Options vary from inexpensive snack bars, cafés, and fast-food restaurants to the more pricey French bistros, sushi bars, and sophisticated Moroccan fine-dining options. In restaurants where alcohol is served, meal prices tend to be high as licenses are expensive. Home entertaining, however, with lavish meals to impress visitors, is still very much part and parcel of the old Marrakshi way of life. To get an idea (albeit a rather expensive one) of traditional yet sumptuous Moroccan entertaining, treat yourself to an evening at one of Marrakesh’s popular riad gastronomique restaurants in the medina. Morocco is a Muslim country, so don't assume that all restaurants will serve alcohol. Licenses are expensive and, inside the medina especially, are very hard to come by.
You can also eat well at inexpensive sidewalk cafés in both the medina and Guéliz. Here, don't miss out on a famous local dish called tanjia, made popular by workers who slow-cook lamb or beef in an earthenware pot left in hot ashes for the whole day. Food is cooked and served from an outdoor street-kitchen with shared tables, but it's a hearty meal with locals for around 30 DH.
Most restaurants in Marrakesh tend to fall into two categories. They're either fashionable, flashy affairs, mostly in Guéliz and the outlying areas of Marrakesh, which serve à la carte European, Asian, and Moroccan cuisine, or they're more traditional places, often tucked inconspicuously into riads and old palaces in the medina. Both types can be fairly pricey, and, to avoid disappointment, are best booked in advance. They also tend to open quite late, usually not before 7:30 in Guéliz and 8 in the medina, although most people don't sit down to eat until 9 or 9:30. In recent years a third dining category, the dinner-cabaret, has become a popular format, attracting tourists, expats, and well-heeled Moroccans for their entertainment value, if not necessarily for their cuisine.
There's no set system for tipping. Your check will indicate that service has been included in the charge; if not, tip 10% or 15% for excellent service.
A nonprofit center established this lunch-only restaurant to help women from difficult backgrounds learn culinary skills and earn an independent living. The result is this friendly, brightly furnished restaurant and garden terrace, which attracts locals and expats for its excellent Moroccan and international dishes. Friday is couscous day, but make a reservation in advance! No alcohol, but lots of freshly squeezed juices are served.
This modern terrace café at the edge of the Marrakesh Plaza, in the heart of Guéliz, is a popular lunch spot. The range of salads is imaginative, and even the half portion makes a satisfying meal; main dishes include chicken in mushroom sauce as well as several solid pasta options. A kids' menu is available, as well as ice cream, delicious homemade pastries, and cakes.
If you're looking for light, healthy meals or snacks, Ayaso functions as both a restaurant and a specialty food store catering to vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets. The fresh juices and smoothies are worth the stop alone. Ayaso also has a great view of the spice market, which makes for prime people-watching opportunities.
An outpost of Fez's popular Cafe Clock, this so-called cultural café combines a fun vibe with tasty contemporary Moroccan cuisine. Signature dishes include camel burgers, a blue cheese and fig salad, veggie platters, and homemade ice cream. There's also a menu of cultural activities: exhibitions, live traditional gnawa music, local bands, cooking classes, and al halqa (traditional storytelling). No alcohol is served.
In keeping with the name, this café in the medina's "spice square" offers spiced teas and coffees along with a range of freshly squeezed fruit juices, smoothies, and light snacks, salads, and sandwiches. Ever popular, it expanded into the neighboring property and teeters over three levels with a great rooftop view over the veiled women selling basketware and woolly hats below. No alcohol is served.
Perennially popular, this homey Italian spot has a good selection of salads, pasta, and pizzas at prices that make them a fabulous value. Alcohol is served, and at reasonable prices for this part of town.
In a tiny garden, off one of the medina's main shopping streets, the French owner serves a constantly changing menu derived from fresh local ingredients; think enormous main-course salads or pizzettas topped with anything from carrots and apples to raspberries, mint, and beetroot. Homemade cakes, fresh-brewed coffee, and freshly squeezed juices are served through the afternoon. Make a reservation and come early as the main dish of the day usually sells out.
This family-run and family-friendly eatery at the edge of Guéliz serves up tasty homemade French-style tarts and quiches, along with daily specials such as moussaka with salad. On Thursday the house special is English-style fish-and-chips, which are possibly the best in town. The French owners, Axel and Charlotte, are both delightful and you'll soon feel like part of the family. Fresh juices, and homemade cakes and desserts such as strawberry gâteau and lemon-meringue pie, are served in huge portions.
It's cash only and there's no alcohol.
Hidden at the edge of the Harti Gardens, this French-owned restaurant is a great value, with an excellent fixed-price menu, as well as an à la carte menu and self-serve buffet. The buffet has lots of vegetarian choices, including tortillas, stuffed vine leaves, and pasta salads, but it does runs out quickly. Carnivores won't go hungry either with à la carte main dishes including steaks, seafood, roasted duck, and Thai wok variations. Entering the gateway to Les Jardins de Guéliz feels like discovering a secret garden—which, in effect, it is. Backing directly on to the El Harti Gardens, the wooden door in the external wall leads to a bright and colorful restaurant with a light, airy conservatory and pretty gardens—perfect for a family lunch. It's both pocket-friendly and child-friendly, with outdoor tables on a shaded terrace and a couple of turtles patrolling the grounds. Alcohol is served.
This lovely, small café caters to vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free diners as well as meat-eaters, with options that range from Moroccan classics like harira soup and vegetarian couscous to fusion dishes such as a tabbouleh couscous or falafel sandwiches with taktouka, a cooked salad of tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, toasted paprika, and olive oil. Fill your stomach and then book in for a henna tattoo if it's on your Marrakesh wishlist—the henna here is 100% safe and organic.
This ice-cream parlor and café is at the very far end of Guéliz, but well worth the journey. The ice cream and sorbet (possibly the best in Morocco) are made with all-natural ingredients and no additives, and flavors vary every month. In summer choose from fig, banana, watermelon, peach, even ginger with lavender. In autumn you'll find spiced chocolate, orange with cinnamon, date, and saffron flavors. There's a comfortable indoors eating area and an outdoor terrace where you can scoop your whipped-cream-topped sundae on any Sunday.
On a rooftop hidden deep within the northern quarter of the souks, this all-day (and evening) restaurant is a popular spot for expats, tourists, and trendy locals. The menu mixes Moroccan and international cuisine, with everything from fish tagine and tanjia (slow-cooked beef or lamb) to pasta dishes and steaks. The contemporary variations on a Moroccan theme extend also to the decor—intimate cushioned booths are lit by woven lampshades and decorated with modern artwork. It's a good place for families who want a little space out of the mayhem of the souks where tired kids can sprawl on the benches. In the evening, the lantern-lit terrace provides the perfect ambience for cocktails and music. Alcohol is served.
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