What to eat in Marrakech

If you try just one traditional Moroccan dish, make it tajine. The savory stew is named for the pottery used to cook and serve it. The cone-shaped lid is as symbolic of Morocco as the fez hat.

The most common tajines are meat or fish with vegetables and fruit such as apricots or prunes, or lemon and olives. Vegetarian versions with sweet potatoes and chickpeas are often available. A true tajine is cooked over charcoal and takes time—the dome of the lid traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a technique developed in areas where water supplies were limited. If yours comes out moments after ordering it was just placed in the tajine for show!

Couscous is so important to the cuisine of North Africa it’s on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, alongside the French baguette. Made of small granules of rolled semolina, it’s usually steamed and served with a stew of vegetables like potatoes and carrots and a mild broth. A simple, healthy dish that is often artfully presented.

This is one of the most surprising Moroccan dishes—a pie of meat or seafood wrapped in a filo-like pastry and covered in powdered sugar. Originally made with pigeon, today you’ll find mostly shredded chicken (which can be sweet) or seafood (more like paella). Good for sharing as an appetizer.

Want to fill up on a budget? This fragrant red soup of tomato, lentil, chickpeas, rice and hard-boiled egg with fresh herbs is hearty and can be had for less than one Euro on the streets and in cafés. For many Muslims in Morocco, harira is served to break the fast during Ramadan and every family has their own recipe.

Many restaurants will place several small salads on the table before your meal, but you can also order this sharing platter of savory vegetable dips served with fresh bread (khobz). Anything made with eggplant is highly recommended. Local olives are a must. Most mezze is vegan and is a good choice for those on a plant-based diet.

The Moroccan version of a crepe, this buttery flatbread is especially delicious when slathered in honey. It’s one of the best things to eat in Marrakech for breakfast and is often included in hotel or riad morning buffets.

You might know this as shakshuka, poached eggs over fried tomato and peppers and garnished with spinach. Perfect for brunch.

Meat eaters wandering the night markets will want to grab one (or more) of these ubiquitous skewers of ground beef and lamb mixed with fresh parsley, onions and garlic. It’s like someone took a meatloaf recipe and said, “This is great but what if we could eat it with our hands while walking?”

This preserved shredded meat cooked in fat originated in Fez and is considered a delicacy. You may find it in soups or in omelets.

Adventurous eater? Look for stalls surrounding the Jemaa el-Fna market selling snail soup, a popular snack. Or ask around for sheep’s head, which is sometimes served halved and covered with salt and cumin—it’s your job to pick off the meat until the skull emerges.

Not to be overlooked, the humble fresh orange or tangerines and the royal-like Medjoul dates are simple and delicious desserts or snacks perfect for any time of the day.

Don’t be fooled when a local offers you “Moroccan whiskey.” As a majority Muslim country, alcohol is not widely served. But no meal or social interaction is complete without hot tea. Arriving at your hotel? Tea. Entering a shop? Tea. Resting on a hike? Tea. Expect fresh sprigs of mint and a shocking amount of white sugar. Get your cameras ready for the dramatic presentation, when servers impress by pouring from a great height, creating the froth that is the sign of a cup of Moroccan tea worthy of a valued guest.

If you’re lucky enough to be invited to eat with a local family, you might not see any utensils on the table. Moroccan cuisine is traditionally served communally and eaten with the hands.

The host will pass the bread, which you should take only with the right hand, tearing a bite-sized piece to use as a kind of scoop to serve yourself from the tajine or other dishes. Try to use only your thumb and two fingers; an entire handful is considered gluttonous. And stick to the part of the dish directly in front of you.

In restaurants and cafés, you may need to be more aggressive with your waiter than you are used to at home, as they will usually leave you alone until you call them over to order or pay the bill. Tipping is not mandatory but leaving a few Moroccan dirhams is common and appreciated.

Bon Appetit!