Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
Serving some of the best à la carte Moroccan food in the city, the affordable menu here includes tasty tagines, tender brochettes with saffron rice, couscous topped with caramelized onions, succulent tangia, and sweet-savory pigeon pastilla. There's an extensive choice of Moroccan wines, too. The restaurant can be noisy and crowded with slow service if there are large party bookings.
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.
The airy courtyard in the 1910 building that houses the Dar Bacha Museum is all orange trees and colorful tiles: it's a perfect oases for a quick bite. There are over 100 types of coffee, from all over the world, and perfect pastries, as well as a selection of main dishes. Prepare to arrive early, as wait times can be up to three hours in the afternoon.
The Spanish-Moroccan chain, which has restaurants in Casablanca and Rabat, opened this location in 2016. Fresh fish is shipped in from Agadir or Casablanca each morning, and the authentic tapas selection includes classics such as tortillas, shrimp with garlic, patatas bravas, and the more adventurous Galician octopus. The well-chosen wine list includes mostly Moroccan and French wines, but there is a small selection of Marques de Riscal reds, whites, and rosés. There is a main restaurant, but the pleasant outdoor terrace has stools at the bar that are perfect for a quick informal tapas snack, and guests can drink alcohol on the terrace, which is unusual for Marrakesh. The atmosphere is lively and convivial in the evenings, but lunchtime is a more laid-back affair.
Not much English is spoken so come prepared with your phrase book.
This wonderful local shop specializes in Turkish coffee heated and made over sand. It's absolutely mesmerizing to watch the process and the friendly owner will take his time to explain the entire process. It's one of the most affordable yet enjoyable experiences you can have in the medina.
Located just a five-minute walk from Marrakesh's bustling main square Jemaa el-Fnaa, Dardar is a stylish restaurant and bar that boasts a lively atmosphere and some of the best views the medina has to offer. The menu features a variety of Moroccan, European, and Asian dishes. (The shrimp pil pil is great for garlic and chili lovers.) Cocktails, beer, and wine are also served. Dardar fills up quickly, so you absolutely must book ahead of time if you want to secure a reservation, particularly at sunset.
The focus here is on creating innovative dishes using fresh ingredients from Sanctuary Slimane, an organic farm located just outside the city, as well as from farmers in the Atlas Mountains. The menu revolves around seasonal produce and is ever-changing, but can include dishes like tempura squash blossom tacos and gnudi with ricotta and kale. Both the cocktail and mocktails are excellent, and the friendly staff are always happy to give personalized recommendations. Wine pairings are also available. All of the waste that's produced at Farmers and its sister cafe Blue Ribbon goes back to the farm to be recycled or used as compost or food for animals.
This 1920s-style French café is a fabulous backdrop for salads, pastas, steaks, and seafood specials including oysters from Oualidia. It's long-standing favorite in the neighborhood, and a great place for a meal or a drink on the covered veranda. For an indulgent dessert try the gâteau chocolat coulant (chocolate cake).
One of the few jazz bars and restaurants in the medina that's packed every night, Le Bistro Arabe has a local house band and serves Moroccan food with a Mediterranean twist. The service and cocktails are also fantastic. Tables are limited (particularly if you want to be seated by the band), so it's essential you make a reservation in advance. Live jazz sessions start every night at 8 pm.
A meal at this Cantonese restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental is one of the finest dining experiences in Marrakesh. Service is impeccable and the wasabi tiger prawns are to die for. You can't go wrong with any of the cocktails. On warmer evenings opt for a table on the terrace for views of the pool garden, which is magically lit by lanterns that silhouette the surrounding palm trees.
This artisanal ice-cream shop in the medina specializes in flavors with a Moroccan twist like orange cinnamon and rose sorbet. The most popular flavor is chebakia; a staple during Ramadan, chebakia is a Moroccan sesame cookie that's fried and drenched in honey. All the flavors at Sweet & Sook are unique and delicious, and the friendly staff are always happy to let you sample before you buy yourself a treat.
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.
The seasonal menu at +61 reflects the laid-back Australian lifestyle, and all the produce is organic and grown within 30 minutes of Marrakesh. Cocktails and wine are served on-site. This place is a favorite for the city's expats and reservations on weekends are a must.
The Al Fassia name has become synonymous with fine Moroccan cuisine in Marrakesh, and with tables hard to come by in Guéliz, this branch at the boutique Hotel Al Fassia near the Agdal Gardens lives up to the same high standards set by the older sister restaurant. The atmosphere is elegant though casual, and the restaurant is more spacious and tranquil than its city-center counterpart. On a warm evening a table on the outdoor garden terrace is very romantic. The menu offers the same traditional fare as the Guéliz restaurant, and the kefta of fish with ginger and herbs comes highly recommended. Vegetarians will enjoy the array of delicately flavorsome Moroccan salads as a subtantial starter.
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.
The shaded entryway of this pretty little restaurant gives way to a small dining area lovingly decorated with comfy seating areas and lots of plants. It's a local favorite, especially for brunch.
This café is a popular spot for expats to gather over avocado toast and matcha lattes. The menu features healthy and delicious feel-good dishes made using ingredients from Sanctuary Slimane, a 25-acre regenerative farm in Marrakesh's suburbs. You can also buy vegetables and products like honey that are grown and produced on the farm.
This Italian-owned three-story restaurant in the heart of the medina serves both Moroccan and Italian food. The trendy terrace, complete with a trickling fountain and relaxing music, is a good place to stop for drinks, while the ground-floor, shaded patio is better suited to a lunchtime visit.
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.
Though it's a bit past its prime, Cafe de France is a local institution and a great place for people-watching from morning till night. On the ground floor there's a tiny snack restaurant with bright plastic tables, serving sandwiches and quick bites until closing time; but it's best to skip the food, order a drink, and stay for the atmosphere.
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.
It won't win prizes for design, but this cheap joint is perfect for a lunchtime or evening pit stop. Locals and visitors alike frequent this friendly little canteen just on the right before the road opens into Djemâa el Fna. Tagine pots stand two rows deep on the street stall outside, and a barbecue sizzles away. There are much more interesting specialties available on the menu than some of the other little snack-restaurants, including spiced aubergine tagine, sardine tagine, and pastillas. It's cash only and there's no alcohol.
Slightly more elegant than its hole-in-the-wall branch in the souks, Chez Lamine has a reputation for the best mechoui (whole roasted lamb) in town and couscous on Friday. Its street-side tables in Guéliz are regularly filled with Moroccan families on Friday and weekends; there's also inside seating. Apart from mouthwatering tagines, try the restaurant's other specialty, tangia marrakchia (lamb cooked very slowly for hours in earthenware jars). No alcohol.
Although the row of severed lambs' heads out front may not be everyone's idea of culinary heaven, Marrakshis love Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha, and you'd be missing out not to try it. English TV chef Jamie Oliver chose this spit-and-sawdust street restaurant in a filming trip for a gutsy example of Moroccan roast lamb specialty, mechoui—it's served as a simple sandwich or as a laden plateful priced by weight.
Snazzy, jazzy, and a little razamatazzy, Le Comptoir is a fusion of bar, club, and restaurant that's been a nighttime draw for hip Marrakshis and visitors since the turn of the 21st century. The restaurant serves Moroccan, international, and Asian dishes; it's expensive, but the main attraction isn't the food, it's the trendy atmosphere and free entertainment---live musicians, belly-dance cabaret (starting at 10:30 pm), and an upstairs DJ spinning chilled-out world-music vibes until 3 am. There's a small dance floor for those who want to swirl to the tunes.
An airy 16th-century riad turned café turned library turned art gallery, Dar Cherifa is wonderful spot to take a break from shopping for a pot of mint tea. They also have occasional cultural evenings, including poetry readings, traditional music, and storytelling.
You can dine on delicious adaptations of traditional dishes---such as tiny melt-in-the-mouth pastilla (sweet pigeon pie) filled with a vegetable puree---at this lovely restaurant with a reputation for nouvelle cuisine marocaine. Andalusian lutes and Gnaoua music accompany dinner, which is a fixed five-course tasting menu at 650 DH; lunch is à la carte, with a limited menu for children. Alcohol is served.
Come hungry for the five-course traditional Moroccan feast served at this restaurant located deep in the medina. Aperitifs are taken on the rooftop, which has stunning panoramic views of the Koutoubia Mosque, and then you can choose to dine beside the pool on the lanterned terrace, in a vaulted upstairs room, or in the lush, cushion-filled main salon. Dinner, including drinks, costs 700 DH and courteous, discreet waiters in white djellabas and red fezzes scurry about to fulfill your every need. This is an exotic experience in a magical setting.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
