Restaurants in Marrakech

The ideal way to get a true taste of how Moroccans eat is to head to the Jemaa el Fna with all the locals. Most of the food stalls are located within the market area and dusk brings with it tantalizing aromas and heady smells. A hundred food stalls start doing brisk business as hungry locals and tourists line up to savour the goodies being served. Look around and pick a stall where you see the most locals - the ingredients are likely to be the freshest and the food the tastiest. Find yourself a space at one of the benches and sit down to a meal with the locals.

A mouthwatering array of grilled meats accompanied by perfectly seasoned vegetables and salads make up the average meal found in Marrakech.

Our Marrakech Restaurant Guide below provides detailed information on the food and cuisine of Marrakech, as well as some suggested places for eating out. In Marrakech you are bound to spend time shopping in the souks surrounding Jemaa el Fna, which is where some of the best food is to be found. You can also check out our Morocco Restaurant Guide for even more information on the food and cuisine of Morocco.

Food & Cuisine in Marrakech

Moroccans use bread as one would use cutlery - to mop up meats and gravies. Orange juice is a popular drink with most meals, but try and drink it straight from the bottle rather than from a glass. If you have a choice, ask the stall owner to give you your food on paper rather than on the plates since these may not always be washed properly. Head to the back streets for a quieter meal but remember that prices here may be higher.

Many stalls in the area near Jemaa el Fna have an able staff of touts who try and convince you to eat at their stalls. Don't give in to the pressure and stop only at the stalls you find interesting. If you want them to stop selling their wares to you, just say you have already eaten and they will back off. Promising them you will come back later and not doing that will earn you their ire. Since the area is a key tourist spot, it requires all stall holders to be licensed with the government. Despite this, though, the raw vegetables served in the salads that accompany your meal may not always be clean. As far as possible eat only cooked vegetables and meat.

Prices are displayed on boards at all the food stalls in the Jemaa, but take care since the starters that you might mistake for freebies are actually going to be billed to you later. Drinks are not listed on the price charts, so check how much your drink is priced at before ordering.

Restaurants

All restaurants in Marrakech must charge a Value Added Tax of 19%. More upscale eateries also add an additional 10 to 15% service charge. Check for the service charge and if it hasn't been added to your bill remember to tip the staff when you pay the bill. Wine isn't served in most restaurants so be prepared for meals without your favourite tipple.

For a relaxed and elegant evening out, head away from the medina to the Ville Nouvelle area. The one exception to this rule is the Diaffa restaurant close to Club Med on the Rue Jbel El Akhdar off Av. Mohammed V. Diaffa, which is housed in a beautiful old building in the Medina and serves Moroccan cuisine at its best. There is a choice of seating both indoors on the balcony upstairs and outdoors in the fountain area or at the central courtyard. Some form of entertainment accompanies the meal and diners are sure to have a memorable evening here.

Local Delicacies

Get adventurous and try some more exotic local dishes like the goat head or snails. If you're a vegetarian you might be a tad disappointed with Marrakech since the fare rarely extends beyond the ubiquitous Tagine avec Legumes, harira soup, or fried aubergines which are done really well here. Non-vegetarians have the chance to try some very extreme food including the lamb head. The dubiously named bull stew is actually a harmless and delicious beef stew. Another must-try is the local tea. There are separate tea stalls close to the food stalls where a cup sells for 1.5 Dirhams. The tea served is usually Ginseng tea laced with ginger and cinnamon, and is comforting and tasty.

Drinking

Locals love their mint tea with tons of sugar and this can be quite tasty, though it is an acquired taste.

Most street stalls offer fresh orange juice called jus d'Orange for about 3 Dirhams a glass. The locals usually have it with a pinch of salt added. Take care that the vendor selling you the juice doesn't add any tap water to water down your drink. Also remember that if you buy a glass of blood orange juice it is much more expensive at 10 Dirhams, so confirm on which one you are ordering and how much it costs before you are served.

Other than tourist targeted establishments, local eateries tend to be alcohol free. The Hotel Tazi at the medina area in Marrakech has a bar license and offers wine and beer for reasonable prices. If you're homesick for a pub experience, visit the Chesterfield Pub. It is located on 115 Avenue Mohammed V on the premises of the Hotel Nassil. This English style pub serves up local lager and is popular with Moroccans.