Places to eat in Morocco

Id do that for one night (menu in your hotel when you arrive), and then eat out elsewhere for other experiences elsewhere. A big thing about visiting Morocco is experiencing the food! Moroccan cuisine is well regarded as a cuisine in its own right and though the locals may tend to have only a few main dishes in their normal routine there is actually a wide range of delectable foods and dishes influenced by the ruling parties through the years - Berber, Arab, French, Spanish and Portugeuse.

When Im in Marrakech I have a favourite place - Cafe Toubkal in the Djma Elfnaa - frequented by all my Moroccan connections as well - along with tourists that have caught on or been reading my tips here! - where i can go for 3 course for 45 dirham - I can add coffee for 5 dirham or orange juice for 6 dirham - and a big smoothie for 10 dirham - a pastilla is only 15 dirham
its not a flash place but for the more classier places then comes the more money but as said it can be worth it to splash out for a one off or so especially if at one of the palace restaurants where you can eat like a noble with something like a 6 course banquet - but they can be about 500-700 dirham per person!

There are of course the famed night stalls in the Djma Elfna where you can choose a range of low priced snack dishes or an entire dish such as a tagine. Look for the stalls where the locals look happy to eat...

And you can also take the opportunity of the nightly entertainment of Chez Ali a few kms out on the outskirts of Marrakech where for about 350 dirham, bus from your hotel and return, where you get to have a 3 course banquet along with music and costumes from a number of tribes from around South Morocco.

These restaurants are a great opportunity to try typical moroccan food right on the centre of the most important and fascinating place in whole city of Marrakesh, the Square Jma El-Fna). You have street vendors with dozens of different dishes which you may choose just by looking at them exposed on the restaurant facilities. You sit in front of the poeple cooking.
My favorite one is Aicha n1

Favorite Dish: im vegetarian so all the vegetarian dishes available...I eat them.
The average meal will cost you about 3/4/5 euros (30/40/50DH)

There are several terrace restaurants in Marrakech that overlook the Djemmaa el Fna, and are therefore popular with tourists for their views over the square. The terraces are either in the open air on the rooftop of the restaurant, or are on an upper level. All of the restaurants serve full meals, but many people like to sit on the terraces with just a coffee or mint tea with a snack to watch the sun set over the Djemmaa el Fna, and watch the lights come on as it gets dark.

Café Alhamra specializes in pizza, pasta, and salads. Café Arabe features Moroccan and Italian food. It has three floors, including a rooftop terrace. Chez Chegrouni is probably the most popular with tourists, and features authentic Moroccan couscous and tajine. Le Marrakchi is one of the fanciest and most expensive restaurants in Marrakech, so few causal visitors sit on its terrace with just a drink and a snack. It has an extensive wine list, and is one of the few restaurants in the city that serves alcohol.

When I traveled to Morocco, I went on a guided tour in which meals were included. This meant that we ate every night in tourist restaurants that cater mainly to group tours and independent travelers to a lesser extent. These restaurants feature local food and a cultural show that might include such forms of entertainment as singing, dancing, and acrobatic performances. In addition, many have a photographer who will take a picture that guests can purchase as a souvenir.

Favorite Dish: The featured dish at these restaurants tends to be couscous, which we had almost every night. It is made with a base of steamed grain which is covered with chicken, lamb, and vegetables. It is brought to the table on a large platter, and each diner helps himself to his portion, usually by hand. So much is served that there is generally some left over, even when four or five people share.

Another popular Moroccan dish served at these restaurants is tajine. This is a type of beef or lamb stew that simmers for hours in an earthenware dish covered with a unique cone-shaped lid (also called a tajine).

This is another pretty cheap place to eat within easy walk of the port and the shopping area. We ate here twice as it was less than 100 metres from the Riad Al Fath where we were staying, and were not disappointed. An atypical Moroccon place with high ceilings, and prints of French water colour artist Charles Kerivel on the walls, well known in Essaouira as it is his home. The food was the usual couscous, tagine or brochettes but the menus with starters and dessert were from 30/50 Dh (roughly 3/5 euros.) and copious.
The owner made an appearance and offered us tea and sat and had a chinwag for 30 mins or so.

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This restaurant has been recommended in the "Le Routard" French guide book since a couple of years and quite frankly it did live up to the recommendation, both for its food and the nice family atmosphere. Mellow lighting , rugs strewn on the floor and pleasant smiles from everyone, made for a very pleasant evening.

Favorite Dish: All 4 of us took the "Couscous Royal" that was overflowing in the plates and succulent with that....

Cost 70Dh (6.4 euros)

Serving staff were very friendly and helpful, the tagine in itself was good, but there was a distinct lack of vegetables to accompany the meat. Finished the meal disappointed.

Tagines were at 35 Dh, Couscous a little more.

The choice of restaurants being rather limited in Oualidia, this was our choice being not far from the Tennis-Club. The food was above-average with a nice bottle of wine, but came to 200Dh(18 euros) per person, which for Morocco is exagerated. The owner is a nice French woman, very pleasant, but this perhaps accounts for the prices.