Dining Out
Marrakech is blessed with some of the best restaurants in the world, and the numbers just keep on rising.
Ourika Village
Just 4km from Bab Adrar, in the heart of the bustling village is Imouzzer, a "locals" restaurant offering traditional tajine and couscous served on a grand terrace with spectacular views over the plains towards Marrakech. Just drop in for lunch, no reservation necessary. Be warned, you may not want to use the loos, but the food is good.
Ourika Valley
From Bab Adrar you can drive into the mountains where Ramuntcho clings to the mountainside and offers impressive valley, mountain and river photo opportunities as you enjoy a set menu of Moroccan dishes. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 44 45 21
Le Maquis is very good for lunch, particularly as a stop-over on a trip up to Setti Fatma. Its French owner offers good standard Franco-Moroccan food and the roadside location, near Oulmès, is particularly convenient from Bab Adrar. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 48 45 31
Dar Piano, Oulmès, is a small restaurant offering European cuisine. Closed Jun-Aug. Tel: 00 212 24 48 48 42
Ourika Valley Road
From Bab Adrar towards Marrakech, Le Plage Rouge, at 10km, offers good food served by a fantastic pool with curtained four poster beds. Great for couples and families, it turns into a fun nightspot after dark. Closed January and February. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 37 80 86
At the 9km milestone you will find Le Touggana, a pretty garden restaurant and bar serving excellent French cuisine with an oriental twist. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 37 62 78
At Km6, Turn off the road towards Maison des Oliviers, a chic hotel serving traditional Moroccan and European food. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 37 54 05
At Km4, Dar Soukkar’s restaurant Les Jardins de l’Orientale is worth a visit for its mixed Thai, Italian and Moroccan menu. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 51 78
A little further on, at the 3.5km point, is Bô & Zin, where the cool and sophisticated choose from Thai or Moroccan cuisine, in chic surroundings with cool music, you can also eat in a very pretty and atmospheric garden. Booking essential. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 80 12
As you progress along Mohamed VI, with its beautiful roses and palms, you can dine in the evening at Le Crystal, high class Italian food by a lovely pool. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 84 80
or
Jana, set menus of top quality Moroccan food with views across the city and towards the mountains. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 84 00
These two restaurants form part of the Pacha nightclub development and booking is essential Marrakech Medina.
Within the Medina, there are some secret gems that look nothing from the outside, but open into a breathtaking oasis of quality cuisine. We love to go to Les Jardins de la Medina, which is delightful for lunch and dinner alike. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 18 51
Ever popular, Le Foundouk, attracts a fashionable clientele and the food is excellent. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 37 81 90
Dar Moha, is a lovely riad restaurant which is perhaps at its best in the warmer months when tables are set around a beautiful garden pool. The Moroccan salads served here are the best in Marrakech (in our opinion!) Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 64 00
Another favourite, particulary for the first time visitor, is Le Tobsil, where you are met at the entrance to one of the deepest darkest alleys of the Medina, and led carefully by a kind gentlemen, dressed in traditional djellaba and slippers, through the maze towards a small brown door. Inside, the splendid set menu is a veritable Moroccan feast of the best quality. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 44 40 52
Restaurant in Maison Arabe offers first class Moroccan food and service in a lovely restaurant. Formerly one of the best restaurants in Marrakech, our recent experience is that others have taken over from it, but the African cocktail bar is second to none and a great place to start your evening.
Dar Yacout, is perhaps the most famous palace restaurant set deep in the Medina. The vast multi-course set menu unites top quality Moroccan cuisine with traditional musical entertainment. (Bring your appetite.) It costs about 700dh all inclusive. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 38 29 29
Kosybar 47, place des Ferblantiers, is a real favourite after a long shopping spree in the Souk. Climbing up to the top floor terrace, you are at eye level with the storks’ nests with wonderful views across the old medina. A lovely international and Moroccan menu and some really comfy sofas on which to flop. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 03 24
Casa Lalla offers international gastronomic cuisine with a gourmet taster menu that changes each night. Owned by Annabel and Pierre-Olivier this is like eating in someone’s private home. Dinner is served at 8pm and reservation is essential. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 42 97 57
Tatchibana, 38 derb Ksiba, just in side bab (gate) Ksiba on the right. Opened in 2007 with Japanese chef M Yuki, run by Albrecht Jerrentrup and Jean Claud Demaria, pretty and different with good food and sake. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 38 71 71
Central Marrakech
Grand Café de la Poste, located opposite the main post office on Ave Mohamed V, this brasserie, offers chic and good French food, in an ideal location for a shopping trip or to meet friends for a casual lunch, dinner or drinks. Established by the same team as Bo & Zin, this Parisian style restaurant has wi-fi facilities and a great atmosphere. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 30 38
Le Dragon D'Or, is a good traditional Vietnamese restaurant close to Ave Mohamed V Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 43 06 17
Macdonalds and Pizza Hut, the omnipresent fast food chains, are here too and are very easy to spot! No reservation necessary!
Restaurants Hivernage
For a fun, all-Moroccan experience, visit Le Comptoir, where the belly dancers put on a show to remember and the food it pretty good too. Tel: 00 212 24 43 77 02
La Villa is a new French restaurant located opposite the Hotel Kenzi Farah, it is really pretty and the food is very good. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 42 19 69
La Table du Marché attached to the Hivernage Hotel and Spa has a lovely light lunch menu and some beautiful specialities for the evening. Convenient location on your way into the centre. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 42 41 00
Palais Jad Mahal is a fun place for a great meal. The décor is extravagant and the entertainment is a delight (starts around 10pm). Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 69 84
Salam Bombay is one of the few Indian restaurants in Marrakech. So if you fancy England’s favourite dish then this is where you will get it. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 70 83
Restaurants Gueliz
Puerto Banus, Rue Hanbal (in front of tennis club) in Gueliz, praised for its excellent fish and shellfish, apparently the "dorade" baked in a salt crust is as good as the dish in its native Marbella. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 44 65 34
Café du Livre, small charming café in a second-hand book shop with a great selection of English and French books, guidebooks and leaflets. 2 Michelin star chef Richard Neat of Casa Lalla designed the menu of good light meals from breakfast to supper. It also offers wi-fi facilities. Situated close to Ave Mohamed V at 44 rue Tarik ben Ziad, you have to go through an archway on the left, behind the old Guéliz market Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 21 49
La Trattoria di Giancarlo, 179 rue Mohamed el Beqal, is very special, offering top quality Italian food served by the pool or, in the winter, by a roaring fire. This is one of our favourites – they serve great aperitifs and the food and service are consistently good. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 26 41
Hotel Tichka Salam serves a great buffet lunch and good evening meals in one of its two restaurants or outside around the large lantern-lit pool. The staff are delightful. Tel: +212 (0)24 44 87 10
Bagatelle, 101 Rue de Yougoslavie (near to cinema Palace) in Guéliz is an old fashioned brasserie style restaurant serving French food in a very pretty garden setting. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 43 02 74
Kechmara, 3 Rue de la Liberté, is a modern café (with chic white plastic chairs) serving lovely salads and good light French food. Excellent if you are on a shopping trip and good fun to sit on the roof terrace, or in the window, and watch the world go by. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 42 25 32
Restaurants Palmeraie
L'Abyssin is outdoor eating at its most exotic. It is within the exclusive hotel, Palais Rhoul, and is set in the most spectacular modern tented restaurant. The food is very pricey but excellent. It is a long drive through Marrakech, out of the Northern side of the city and along the dirt tracks of the palmeraie, but many say it is well worth the trek. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 32 94 94
Nikki Beach is the palmeraie’s Ibiza connection. Located next to the Golf Palace Hotel it is a really fun place to spend the day around the pool, listening to music, but the food lets it down a bit. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 33 24 94
Palais Dar Ambre is very costly, but offers stunning French cuisine in a beautiful setting. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 32 84 91
Other Restaurants
Le Flouka at the Lalla barrage, Takerkoust is a lovely fish restaurant with a beautiful lakeside terrace. Tel: 00 212 (0)64 49 26 60
Le Relais du Lac is also set on the lake at Lalla Takerkoust and offers some really good grilled meats whilst you sit back and take in some of the most spectacular views of Toubkal. Tel: 00 212 (0)61 24 24 54
Kasbah Agafay, route de Guemasa, is a truly beautiful setting in the mountains, serving international and Moroccan food – cooking lessons and beauty therapies are also available. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 36 86 00
La Route de Epices, Caravanserai 264 Ouled el Rahmoune, is quite a trek, but a lovely setting for some good international and Moroccan food. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 30 03 02
