4 Best Restaurants in The Great Oasis Valleys, Morocco

Founded in 1928 as the town’s first store, gas station, post office, telephone booth, dance hall, and restaurant, Dimitri's is the fun and lively heart of Ouarzazate, and the food—whether Greek, Moroccan, or even Thai—is invariably excellent. The owners are friendly and helpful, and the signed photographs of legendary movie stars on the walls are sometimes enhanced by real stars at the next table.

Building up from the base of an old pisé (mud-built) home alongside the Kasbah Touarirt, this douyria, or "small house," marries tradition with contemporary flair. There are two Moroccan salon-style dining areas, with bold color schemes of lilac and lime, and the creative menu offers an interesting selection of starters and mains. If you are willing to go with something exotic, try goat cooked in argan oil and sesame, or camel tagine with figs and almonds. The small terrace has wonderful views toward the lake at Ouarzazate. Actor Sir Ben Kingsley is a fan, as the guestbook will testify. Alcohol is served.

Upon entering, you’re greeted by a wall of lanterns reflected in a central pool, and meals are served in six intimate areas, each with a different decorative scheme (imagine an Amazigh salon or a patio with tables on terraces surrounded by water). The food is imaginative, mixing French-Moroccan influences in dishes such as confit of rabbit, with spices, honey, and peach sauce. Fine cuisine and a magical setting combine to make dining at La Kasbah des Sables a special event.

If you've got time to relax in Ouarzazate, there's no place better for people-watching than the terrace of Patisserie Habouss. Locals and visitors can be found indulging in its famous homemade gâteaux or honey-soaked Moroccan pastries accompanied by cinnamon coffee or freshly squeezed fruit juice. As the sun sinks, witness the sleepy Place el Mouahidine transform into a busy evening marketplace. A small restaurant on the upper terrace of the café serves regional food at very reasonable prices.