The 10 best restaurants to eat in Marrakech in 2023
Marrakech is full of restaurants to suit all tastes. But some cuisines are more recommended than others! We’ll help you make the right choice among the 10 best restaurants to eat at in Marrakech in 2023…
Where to eat breakfast in Marrakech?
Where to eat in Marrakech for lunch and dinner?
đź‘Ž What not to eat in Marrakech
đź‘Ť What to eat in Marrakech!
FAQ
Where to eat breakfast in Marrakech?
Whether you’re looking for a Moroccan, European or even American breakfast, we’ve rounded up the best places to eat breakfast in Marrakech…
Restaurant le Warner in Guéliz
We warn you, this isn’t a traditional Moroccan breakfast. If you’re looking for an original breakfast in Marrakech, then the Warner is for you! The theme of this restaurant is the “American diner” of the 1950s, but the food served is a mix of American and European styles. Service is non-stop all day, but we love their breakfast. Pancakes, waffles, eggs and huge mixed plates will have you salivating in anticipation…
Snack Othman in Guéliz
Expect to find no room at Snack Othman for breakfast. However, if you come early enough, you should be lucky enough to find a few tables free. The menu here is very simple. You can order the beldi breakfast, which is fresh batbout bread with a few condiments: honey, olive oil, argan oil, honey and amalou. You can also ask for khlii with eggs. Khlii is a famous Moroccan dried meat, wrapped in fat and melted with fresh eggs. It’s a specialty you simply must try! To keep hydrated, choose a Moroccan tea or a fresh smoothie with seasonal fruit.
Café 16 in Guéliz
Located on Marrakech’s Place Jemaa el Fna, between the Place Jemaa el Fna and GuĂ©liz, is CafĂ© 16. We love this cafĂ© because it offers simple but quality dishes. We recommend their salads, which we love to eat the day after a hearty meal. Plenty of lettuce and garnish, and good homemade vinaigrettes. This Marrakech cafĂ©-restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The price is a little higher than you’d pay in a neighborhood cafĂ©, but you can enjoy a hearty lunch for 100 dirhams or less (about €8).
Where to eat in Marrakech for lunch and dinner?
This is the biggest meal of the day! In Marrakech, people eat lunch between around 12pm and 3pm. Dinner is served later, much later, between 7pm and 11pm. There’s usually a “coffee break” (like a snack) in between. So, where are we going to eat in Marrakech?
Chez Bejgueni restaurant in Gueliz
This is one of our favorite restaurants in Marrakech. The restaurants in this area almost all serve a variety of grilled meats with side dishes and starters. Some are more Middle Eastern than Moroccan. But, on the whole, they’re full of Moroccans with very few tourists. Take what you like, and feel free to order as you go, as your appetite takes you. There are specialties like grilled mutton liver and heart that may not appeal to everyone, but for fans of offal, they cook it really well. We love their lamb and chicken kebabs, baked white beans and tomato salad… divine!
Restaurant Naranj (Riad Zitoun) in the Medina
Would you like to eat something good and original? Then push open the doors of this Lebanese restaurant in Marrakech. There are various options, whether you eat meat or are vegetarian. The menu is Lebanese/Syrian inspired, and you won’t find a tagine or couscous in sight. If you want to come for dinner, make sure you book in advance. At lunchtime, it’s generally easier to find a table.
Food stalls on Jemaa el Fna Square
This is a must when you’re in Marrakech: an exciting atmosphere and a variety of Moroccan specialties. Our tip to avoid choosing the wrong stall? Look for stalls with lots of Moroccans seated at tables, and enjoy grilled food – it’s their specialty. Our advice is to try a tajine or couscous in a typical Moroccan restaurant. And there’s no shortage of them on our list of the best restaurants to eat in Marrakech!
Le Trou au Mur in the Medina
Here you’ll find many Moroccan dishes that you’ll never find in any other restaurant. Be warned, this restaurant can quickly become your canteen for the rest of your stay. There are also a few international dishes in case you get tired of Moroccan food. In this restaurant, the flavors of true Moroccan cuisine are perfect, with a few daring steps aside to offer more original versions.
Ksar Essaoussan in the Medina
Some of the city’s best dishes are well hidden, like a treasure trove, and such is the case with this restaurant located in the heart of Marrakech’s Medina. The restaurant is so well hidden that a man in a red cape is waiting in the nearest high street to help you find your way.
Ksar Essaoussan is located in a renovated riad that serves solely as a restaurant – no on-site accommodation. Reservations are almost essential if you wish to dine here. The promise is a fine meal of traditional Moroccan cuisine at a very reasonable price. Their small menu, which is more than sufficient, costs around 300 dirhams per person for all dishes and drinks (around €25).
Amal Training Center for Women in Guéliz
One of the best lunches in town is at the Centre Amal restaurant, which trains women in the restaurant trade. The quality is always there, and the cause couldn’t be better. Come for couscous on Fridays, but come early, or make a reservation. Indeed, this training restaurant is becoming increasingly popular, not only with tourists, but with locals too. The menu changes daily, but there are always options for vegetarians and a mix of authentic Moroccan and international cuisine.
Café Clock in the Kasbah
CafĂ© Clock, famous in Fez, has opened a new restaurant in Marrakech! Located in the original Kasbah district, it’s as much about the food as the memories. The stories of Marrakech’s renowned Jemaa el Fna storytellers are told by amateur storytellers every Thursday night at CafĂ© Clock (in English only). Concerts, exhibitions, yoga classes, cooking classes and more… there’s something going on every day of the week at this Marrakech restaurant! Famous for their camel burger (yes, real camel meat), there’s something on the menu for everyone to adore!
đź‘Ž What not to eat in Marrakech
Don’t buy cookies from the carts in Jemaa el Fna square. It would be a shame to spoil the rest of your vacation with indigestion… Instead, stick to the patisseries. The Prince patisserie, just off the square, offers excellent cookies and pastries, as well as a lovely indoor seating area for indulging without being harassed.
Similarly, most of the restaurants around Place Jemaa el Fna are not the best. We recommend them only for a drink at sunset or a quick bite to eat, but don’t stay for dinner. Hygiene is respected, even if they don’t provide the same care and attention as a traditional restaurant. Opt for a pizza or other non-Moroccan dish, otherwise you’ll be disappointed with your meal!
You’ll see plenty of street vendors selling fried fish. Where can you see the sea in Marrakech? That’s why you need to be quite careful if you want to eat seafood and other fish in the red city. We encourage you to avoid all fried fish whose origin you don’t know.
Ground beef can be uncertain. Make sure that everything you eat is well cooked: rare or blue meat is not recommended.
Our final tip: just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s good. There’s some great food here, but there are also some really pretentious places selling mediocre food. Don’t take a high price as synonymous with high quality, or a low price as synonymous with poor quality.
đź‘Ť What you absolutely must eat in Marrakech!
If you meet locals in Marrakech and they invite you to eat at their place, jump at the chance! Chances are, they’ll serve up some incredible dishes. Moroccan hospitality is such that you’ll be welcomed like a king (or queen)!
Do you love Moroccan cuisine and its flavors? Then don’t hesitate to take part in a cooking workshop with a local chef… You’ll come back from your trip with much more than memories: a real know-how!
FAQ
Which stall to eat at on Jemaa el Fna Square?
On Place Jemaa el Fna, we recommend eating at stalls 31 or 93 for grilled meat. If you’re looking for seafood, then head for stand 14, where that’s the specialty.
What’s the best Moroccan restaurant in Marrakech?
We’ve selected the 3 best Moroccan restaurants in Marrakech according to their specialties:
Chez Bejgueni for its grilled meats in the Guéliz district;
Le Ksar Essaoussan for simmered dishes in the Medina;
Café Clock for its 100% Moroccan atmosphere in the Kasbah (and for its camel burger!).
Where to eat the best couscous in Marrakech?
The best couscous in Marrakech is served at lunchtime on Fridays at the Centre Amal restaurant. This center, located in Marrakech’s GuĂ©liz district, trains women in the restaurant trade. Remember to book in advance, or arrive early enough to get a table. The entire menu is 100% homemade, so don’t hesitate to try some of the other dishes: a real treat!
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