Eats in Marrakesh - Our hand-picked selection of the best of Moroccan cuisine

We are food enthusiasts, hence always seek out the best of cuisine everywhere we go, whether it's street food or hidden gems. Here are what we ate in Marrakesh.

Dar Chef

First day: we arrived in the evening and were picked up by the hotel (transfer was included). Checking in our amazing suite, we then searched for something to eat. The top ‚budget eats‘ in TripAdvisor (no, not usually our favourite guide but just for the sake of convenience since it was getting late), we ended up at Dar Chef, a very hidden small place [we like hidden places], with a reasonably priced menu -- 100dhs or €10 for menu with appetizer, main, & moroccan mint tea and pastry in the end, water included. For the location right smack in the middle of the medina but hidden in a small alley, that can be considered a steal. The food was good enough but I wouln’t say it’s extraordinary, but the place quiet, the ambiance simple but cozy and generally we were happy with our first meal in Marrakesh.

Terrasse des épices

Second day after a maddening  morning wandering around the maze of Medina, we went for lunch at the famed Terrasse des épices (this is a  new venture from the owners of the popular Café des Epices & also not to confuse with another more down-to-earth cuisine des terroirs Marrakesh with also super reviews, but we decided to go for a little more modern).

catering to a more upmarket crowd with a stronger design aesthetic, broader menu and more professional service. Comprised of a series of covered, black-walled alcoves arranged around the rooftop, with tables and cushioned areas in the exposed center (free straw hats are available), it’s a visually striking place, offering great views over the medina as well as a chilled atmosphere.

sprawled over the entire roof terrace of a Moroccan artisan shopping centre in the Marrakech medina. There are cosy alcoves on either side of the terrace, as well as tables and cushioned areas in the central area for sun-seekers. Straw hats or jellabas are provided to diners depending on the season

A Moroccan / Asian fusion gem and the crowd is stylish, mostly Westerners but you'll also find a few hip and moneyed locals. And the terrasse was just truly fantastic to drown in the winter sun, the atmostphere international, with modern lounge music, waiters in costumes and straw hats cheerily running around. Menu is a fusion international & Morrocan cuisine. We had the Beef Tajine with figs & the Beldi yoghurt  as well as the  Warm goat cheese salad ...and it was fantastic--the price a bit more high-end than local food, but that was to be expected.

La cantine des gazelles

This is Our favorite in Marrakesh for cheap eats: we visited twice during our 3 days stay. For 120dhs you get a 3 course menu which is not cheap, but the food was top, and the place is always busy so bookings highly recommended. The first day we walked by at 6:30pm which they told us the restaurant is only open at 7pm so we managed to reserve at table and come back half an hour later. I had the beef sweet tagine that was truly amazing--juicy & tender and sweet (I have a sweet tooth) with prunes and crunchy almond. In the end the waiter even let me order an extra dessert for the menu price which was so sweet! The last night in Marrakesh we went to the place again but relatively late (8:30pm) so managed to grab a table and basically ordered the same things again--the avocado salat is to kill for!

Food is such a highlight of the Morocco trip. I miss the sweet tantalizing taste of tender lamb tagine like crazy, even for weeks after the trip. And the Fish chermoula. Harira. Kefta tagine. Couscous. B'stilla. Mint tea--every mealtime in Morocco is indeed an opportunity to delve a little deeper into this country's rich cultural heritage, so please eat your hearts out and do it for us too! 💖