Traditional Moroccan cuisine (with a signature touch)
1. Le Trou au Mur
A secret in the medina. An interior courtyard, boho-Moroccan decor and elevated home-style Moroccan cooking. Its lamb tajine with quince is one of the best in the city. Mid-range (~30€ per person). Book ahead.
2. Dar Yacout
The most famous "spectacle" restaurant. Dinner in a palace with courtyards, fountains, live musicians and a 7-course Moroccan tasting menu. Expensive (~80€/person) but the experience is worth it at least once in a lifetime. Dress well.
3. Le Marocain (La Mamounia)
The Moroccan restaurant of La Mamounia hotel. Traditional cuisine served on Mamounia porcelain, in jasmine-filled courtyards. The best bet: the tasting menu. Price (~100€/person).
4. Al-Fassia
The only restaurant in Marrakech run exclusively by women (the Chab-Cheghraoui family). Home-style Moroccan cooking, tajines with confit lamb and lemon. Unpretentious, with heart. ~25€/person.
Contemporary / fusion cuisine
5. Nomad
The most copied in Marrakech. A rooftop above the spice square with views over the medina. Modern Moroccan cuisine: octopus tajine, beetroot hummus, lamb sliders. A fresh atmosphere, perfect at sunset. ~25€/person.
6. Plus 61
A modern restaurant with Mediterranean-Moroccan cuisine. Run by Australian chefs. Spectacular brunches, more intimate dinners and a selection of Moroccan wines.
7. La Famille
A vegetarian restaurant in the heart of the medina. A courtyard with lemon trees and a short daily menu that changes every day. Famous among the expat community. Open only at lunchtime. ~15€/person.
8. Limoni
An elegant Italian hidden in the medina. Fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza and imported Italian wines. It's a surprise to find it here — an interior courtyard with lemon trees (hence the name).
Rooftops for a drink
9. Le Salama
A rooftop over Jemaa el-Fna. The best sunset view of the craziest square in the world. Cocktails, Moroccan mezze and live music. Booking for sunset is essential.
10. Café Arabe
A restaurant with three tiered rooftops and a panoramic view over the medina. Italo-Moroccan cuisine and the best cocktails in the medina. Order a Marrakech 75 (champagne, gin, lemon, orange-blossom honey).
11. Kabana
The newest rooftop and the most photographed on Instagram. On top of the Kabana tower, with a direct view of the Koutoubia. A DJ in the evenings and Mediterranean-Asian cuisine. A white-and-beige aesthetic that's perfect for photos.
12. Bar Churchill (La Mamounia)
Not a rooftop, but it deserves a place here. The most legendary bar in Marrakech, with art déco decor untouched since the 1930s. A live pianist and the best classic cocktails in the country. Expensive but unique.
Practical tips
- Booking: the good ones are full, especially in high season. Ask your riad to call for you.
- Alcohol: only in licensed restaurants (most of the good ones are). More expensive than in Europe.
- Paying: most accept cards. Carry cash (dirhams) just in case.
- Dress: the medina is casual; the rooftops and hotel restaurants call for something smarter.
- Tipping: 10% in smart restaurants, rounding up in the more casual ones.
