Where to eat in Marrakech

Food is an important part of any trip to Marrakech. Traditional restaurants, small Medina eateries, rooftops, contemporary dining and popular local specialities provide very different experiences across the city.

Rather than focusing only on the best-known restaurants, vary your choices and explore several sides of Moroccan cuisine during your stay.

What should you eat in Marrakech?

Moroccan cuisine offers plenty of dishes to discover.

Depending on the restaurant and season, you may find:

• different types of tagine;
• couscous;
• pastilla;
• Marrakchi tanjia;
• grilled meats and skewers;
• Moroccan salads;
• traditional soups;
• Moroccan pastries;
• mint tea.

Every restaurant naturally has its own recipes and specialities.

Do not hesitate to ask which dishes are prepared in-house or particularly recommended that day.

Try Marrakchi tanjia

Tanjia is a speciality particularly associated with Marrakech.

It should not be confused with tagine.

Traditionally prepared in an earthenware vessel, it involves slowly cooking meat with spices and aromatics.

If you would like to try something closely connected with the city's culinary identity, tanjia is worth considering during your stay.

Eating in the Medina

Marrakech Medina and the souks contain a huge variety of places to eat.

You can find restaurants inside riads, small traditional establishments and more contemporary venues.

The setting is often part of the experience, with patios, terraces and Medina streets creating an atmosphere very different from Marrakech's modern districts.

However, avoid choosing a restaurant purely because its décor photographs well. The menu, prices and recent reviews also matter.

Eating around Jemaa el-Fna

In the evening, Jemaa el-Fna square also becomes a place to explore Marrakech's food culture.

The atmosphere is a major part of the experience.

If you plan to eat on or around the square, take time to look at the different options before choosing.

Check prices and what is included before ordering, particularly when prices are not clearly displayed.

Enjoy a Marrakech rooftop

Rooftop restaurants and cafés have become particularly popular in Marrakech.

They provide an opportunity to eat, drink or simply take a break while looking across the Medina rooftops and surrounding landmarks.

Some offer interesting views towards the Koutoubia.

For popular venues, booking ahead can be useful, particularly if you want a well-positioned table later in the day.

Restaurants in Gueliz

You do not need to remain in the Medina to eat well in Marrakech.

Gueliz provides a very different atmosphere with contemporary restaurants, cafés and more international dining options.

Alternating between the Medina and modern neighbourhoods is a good way to experience different sides of the city.

This variety becomes particularly enjoyable during a longer stay.

Traditional or contemporary Moroccan cuisine?

Both deserve a place in your trip.

Traditional restaurants provide an opportunity to discover Moroccan recipes and cooking methods, while contemporary venues may reinterpret familiar flavours in different ways.

There is therefore no need to choose exclusively between the two.

Varying your dining experiences throughout the trip is often the most interesting approach.

How to choose a restaurant

A few simple checks can help avoid disappointment:

• read recent reviews rather than relying only on the overall rating;
• look at recent photographs of the food;
• check menus and prices when available;
• find out whether reservations are recommended;
• confirm the exact location when dining inside the Medina;
• ask the price before ordering when it is not displayed;
• clearly explain allergies or dietary restrictions before ordering.

Restaurants can change quickly, so prioritise recent information.

Street food and small eateries

Marrakech's food scene extends well beyond restaurants.

Depending on where you explore, you may discover specialities from small stalls, markets and very simple local eateries.

As when travelling anywhere, pay attention to how food is prepared and stored, and favour busy places where ingredients appear to be regularly replenished.

Extra care is sensible with foods that are particularly sensitive to heat.

Vegetarian food in Marrakech

Moroccan cuisine naturally includes many dishes based on vegetables, pulses, grains and salads.

Finding suitable options is therefore generally possible.

However, if you follow a strict diet, explain your requirements clearly. A dish presented as vegetarian may sometimes have been prepared using stock or other animal-derived ingredients.

The same precaution applies to allergies and intolerances.

Lunch or dinner?

Both provide different experiences.

Lunch can easily fit between visits in the Medina.

Dinner offers more opportunity to experience Marrakech after dark, particularly around Jemaa el-Fna or from a rooftop.

On busy sightseeing days, scheduling a proper lunch break can also make the rest of your itinerary much more enjoyable.

Discover Marrakech through its food

A meal can become part of your sightseeing rather than simply a break between attractions.

For example, combine a day in the Medina with Ben Youssef Madrasa, the souks and a traditional meal.

Another day can focus on Marrakech's more modern districts and a completely different style of restaurant.

This variety allows you to experience the city through both its heritage and its food.

Planning your stay

It can be useful to identify a few restaurants before arriving without planning every meal in advance.

Keep some flexibility to try places you discover while exploring the city.

Read our guide to planning your stay in Marrakech for more practical advice.

Stay in Marrakech

Having your own accommodation also allows you to alternate restaurant meals with simple meals at home and local products.

Haven Stay offers selected holiday rentals in Marrakech for a comfortable stay.

You can explore the city's restaurants while keeping the freedom to organise meals around your own itinerary.