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Morocco
The food stalls in the square of the Jemaa el Fna or La Place, as the French call it, where Marakshis have come for centuries for dinner and a show are a place everyone should visit at least once in their lives we agreed with the German couple sitting next to us tucking into snails and camel heel while discussing their daughters’ Northern Soul thesis and watching the snake charmers and storytellers work their magic. I preferred their taste in music to their taste in food but the myriad of food stalls here also serve fish and chips or tagines for the more faint hearted. This isn’t a big place but that only seems to make you so much more aware of just how diverse and colourful the world is as you break bread with people from all corners of the world.
Google map: bit.ly/ydKNEH
Don't let the slightly hippy name put you off! It is as far as I could find the only veggie cafe with vegan dises.
Morrocan food is great but can be bit of a challenge for strict veggie or vegan. This cafe meets this need. It is also quiet and relaxing contrast to the souk and feels very Moroccan rather than French as other cafes do.
It's inside a riad and is an oasis of calm in the frenzy. Lovely home-cooked organic food and a small gift shop selling organic toiletries and some craft gifts. In the afternoon you can while away the hours or chat to the staff if you want to as there is no hassle. A gem and only wish I had discovered it earlier in the trip
www.earthcafemarrakech.com
No 2 Derb Zouak Riad Zitoun El Kadim (entering the souk just off the corner of the main square Jmaa el Fna). It was signposted with the Earth sign and locals all knew it
Go for chabakia in the foodmarket on the Djemaa el fna. It's the only cake I've had the pleasure of encountering that you have to dunk into your bean soup. Such dunking is compulsory, and livens up an otherwise boringly healthy dish no end. We were reliably informed that chabakia is made of flour, rolled in lots of honey and sugar, and then fried, which sounds much more believable than it being starfish, as we first thought (not such a startling assumption as we were surrounded by diners merrily tucking into sheeps' heads and giant snails). It's the perfect, sticky cake to chew on while you give away your tourist credentials by drinking mint tea sans sucre and arguing with your boyfriend about whether or not to buy a Moroccan toy drum.
Djemaa el fna at the bean soup stall
My wife and I stayed at Riad Al Moussika hotel for four nights in early January, and it was definitely one of the highlights of our journey to Morocco! Our choice of the hotel was made completely on the suggestion of Daniel Jacobs on The Observer, Sunday December 21 2008, and on Trip Advisor reviews: Before arriving, we were wondering if we have made the good choice, but the minute we walked in, we realized that Riyad Al Moussika was beyond all our expectations. We got an amazing room (the green one) with a private terrace and a beautiful loggia in front that overlooked the mature trees garden and the nice swimming pool, and all the Riad was done in very capturing style. The service of the boys was impeccable and the food served by the Chef Cordon bleu, to die for. The Riad itself is very beautiful and authentically Moroccan and we felt very much like home.
Stylish restaurant with a great mix of Moroccan and European design. A friend of mine booked it for us and we ate on the roof terrace which has great views over Marrakech. There are two menus: one typically Moroccan and the other more fusion International/Moroccan. I had a Moroccan tajine which was extremely tasty.
Reservation is recommended. It's not cheap but it's a romantic place and is also good for small groups.
55 Souk Hal Fassi
Marrakech
Tel: +212 (0)24 378190
www.foundouk.com
This great little patisserie and juice shop is on Rue Dabachi about 50 metres west of Chez Chegrouni (the NW corner of Djemma el-Fna) - the sign is in Arabic only but you'll know it's the one because it's just at the corner of Route Kennaria D. It is open all day but particularly humming with life at about 10-11pm. Join the locals in choosing what to have in your freshly made smoothie/milkshake. Try milk and almonds (lait et amandes), or peach and plum (peche et prune), or a mix (panache - pronounced panashee). Ask for it without sugar if you prefer (sans sucre). The fruit is wonderful. They also do pastries, yoghurts with fruit etc. And they'll make up boxes of Moroccan mini-pastries for you to take home for your friends - a big box holds up to 500g (the cost is very reasonable - think it was 60 dirhams per half kilo). Smoothies and milkshakes are around 9 dirhams each - excellent value even by Moroccan standards. And the staff were very friendly - we became evening regulars and were quite sad to leave. Why doesn't someone set one of these up in London?
Patisserie Al Jawda, Rue Dabachi 16-18, Marrakech, tel 024 38 73 05
Pleasant spot in souks area for a refreshing soft drink or light snack (sorry no alcohol as with most places within the medina!). You can sit on the roof terrace watching over the spice souk. Young and friendly staff.
75 Rahba Kedima off Rue Samarine (one of main roues into souk)
8am - 8pm daily
Tigmi was a complete nightmare. We arrived there after a sublime stay at the Kasbah de Toubkal and what a comedown it was. Service was appalling in every respect. The so-called spa offered only a handful of the treatments on the menu. The room was freezing and three heaters had to be hauled in before they could get one to work. They used cold water for the pedicure. But worse was yet to come... the heater in my niece's room burst into flames in the middle of the night and no-one came to help despite us all screaming and yelling. There were no fire extinguishers in the rooms. The owner's response? The heater was made in China. In my room, there was a leakage of water overnight flooding the whole room and staining my leather luggage. The owner's response? I must have left a tap on. They were quite defensive and accusatory. No discount was offered nor any apology. We were supposed to just shrug it off apparently - just as they did. The French manager is so arrogant it beggars belief. The only saving grace? The food was good and the beds were comfortable. A ghastly place stuck in the middle of an extremely poor village. Don't waste your time going there... and don't believe the brochure.
You can find great Indian curries on the street right behind the Djemma el Fna.
We had a wonderful stay at Dar Tassa and enjoyed every second of it. What a beautiful place and what nice and kind people.
Mohammed guided us through the mountains. He spoke English very well and was very kind and told us everything we would like to know
The food was a highlight: they made us some of the best veggie tagines we've had in Morocco and only wish we'd had longer to savour the peace and tranquility of the place.
For a cheap lunch, try the cafe in the Ensemble Artisanal shop, where tasty tagines, harira soup and couscous are served.
Ensemble Artisanal, Avenue Mohammed V, not far from the Koutoubia Mosque.
The Bahia Palace is beautiful. So is Riad Tamsna, the food has always been fabulous when I have been there, but reports are varied: you can always have mint tea on the roof terrace (or a mohito if you need some alcohol in the medina).
A trip to the Ourika Valley is also a must.
Recently renovated by French owner Christine Rio, Le Tobsil is set in a beautiful old riad in the Medina. Romantic, intimate, and richly decorated, the restaurant is considered one of Marrakech's finest. Guests are seated on two levels around an open courtyard, treated to the hypnotic songs of local gnawa musicians. The food is equally sumptous: a five course Morrocan meal, replete with vegetarian mezes, pastillas, tagine, couscous, pastries and fresh fruit. The set menu is 600DH a head, including apertifs and wine.
22 Derb Moulay Abdallah ben Hezzaien
R'mila, Bab Ksour
Marrakesh Medina
Tel: 024 44 40 52
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