37 Best Restaurants in Morocco

Come hungry for the five-course traditional Moroccan feast served at this restaurant located deep in the medina. Aperitifs are taken on the rooftop, which has stunning panoramic views of the Koutoubia Mosque, and then you can choose to dine beside the pool on the lanterned terrace, in a vaulted upstairs room, or in the lush, cushion-filled main salon. Dinner, including drinks, costs 700 DH and courteous, discreet waiters in white djellabas and red fezzes scurry about to fulfill your every need. This is an exotic experience in a magical setting and alcohol is served.

In a palatial medina house, this atmospheric restaurant serves gourmet versions of traditional Moroccan cuisine, with live Andalusian music as a charming backdrop. Well-signposted from Avenue Laalou, it's in the medina close to Kasbah des Oudayas; in the evenings, a man with a lantern waits at the nearest medina entrance to guide you to the restaurant. Alcohol is served.

A few miles outside town on the edge of thuya and olive groves, owner Abderrazak welcomes you warmly to his artisanal cheesery and open-air restaurant. Enjoy a fixed-menu lunch of salads topped with local goat- and sheep-milk cheeses, followed by (for nonvegetarians) a mechoui (lamb spit roast), and wine to complement. You'll find it hard to move after the feast.

Located right near the Corniche lighthouse, you approach this restaurant through a pretty, candlelit garden and inside you'll have spectacular ocean views: you can look down from a window seat onto blue rock pools as you savor delicious fish dishes. The menu focuses on fine Mediterranean cuisine, with a lively tapas bar that draws a cocktail- and champagne-loving crowd until the early hours.

For fine dining or drinks with a fantastic view, the super-elegant Petit Rocher is just the ticket: its unrivaled position lets you gaze over the sublime Atlantic waves and the Hassan II Mosque. Enjoy delicious Mediterranean cuisine and good wine in the restaurant area, or settle down at the bar where fabulous cocktails are poured and a DJ often spins.

Sliding glass windows run the length of this restaurant, and open onto the beach between Temara and Skhirat. The inventive menu features Oualidia oysters, fish or prawn carpaccio, and plenty of fresh fish, as well as some Spanish dishes such as paella and fish fiduea (sort of a paella made with noodles instead of rice). There's a tapas bar, too---more rustic than the main restaurant---serving cocktails to the after-work crowd.

The setting at Lily's is quite magnificent, with carved wood screens, butterflies on the ceiling, bamboo growing through the wooden floors, and spectacular sea views through every window. The food is pretty spectacular, too, featuring Japanese, Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese dishes.

A meal at this Cantonese restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental is one of the finest dining experiences in Marrakesh. On warmer evenings opt for a table on the terrace for views of the pool garden, which is magically lit by lanterns that silhouette the surrounding palm trees. Alcohol is served. 

Indulging in a long, leisurely lunch looking down on the sacred city of Moulay Idriss and the plains of Meknès is certainly something to savor, especially when it’s served on the terrace at Scorpion House. Private groups—from 2 to 40 people at a time—can enjoy a menu personalized in advance (all dietary requirements are catered for) and including grilled meats, fish, and seasonal Moroccan salads, rounded off with fruit and sweet treats. Advance reservations are essential.

Taroudant's oldest family-run riad prides itself on its restaurant for good reason. While Habib greets the guests, his wife, Latifa, works wonders in the kitchen to produce a spread of salads, pastilla, tagines, or couscous fit for a king, not to mention the best pastilla du lait (a dessert of fine, crispy phyllo pastry layered with pastry crème) in town. Book in advance for lunch or dinner.

This restaurant and bar with a Mediterranean menu is the place to be in the evenings. It's named after the wind that blows off the sea, which you can feel firsthand if you're having cocktails on the terrific rooftop terrace with views of the port. The menu includes seafood (try the Oualidia oysters when in season), hamburger, and roasted Camembert. At night a band or DJ plays on the roof to a hip crowd. On chillier evenings on the terrace, ask the staff for a poncho.

Tucked away along the skala, this chic restaurant is a real treat, offering a daily changing menu—prepared in an open kitchen—that blends seasonal and local ingredients with French savoir faire. The airy restaurant draws in a clientele of expats and tourists with its muted dove grays, glossy white furniture, and quirky art touches, such as a gorgeous Gnaoua mural. Be sure to try the goat cheese from a women's co-op in nearby Meskala; you also can't miss the chocolate fondant with salted caramel ice cream.

Located on the Corniche close to Morocco Mall, with wall-to-wall sea-view windows, this is an elegant, modern spot for French provincial cuisine. The kitchen excels in its fish and shellfish dishes; for a sweet finish, the warm chocolate tart is spectacular.

One of the swanky restaurants in Salé's marina, Al Marsa—meaning "port" in Arabic—serves Spanish food in a glass-enclosed dining room overlooking the Bou Regreg River. The menu revolves around fish and seafood, the produce is fresh, and the dishes imaginative (if Spanish cuisine isn't your thing, Al Marsa has a sister restaurant right next door, also called Al Marsa, serving Italian fare).

For a supreme culinary experience, head to Brasserie la Bavaroise where the menu is awash with delectable French favorites, sumptuous steaks, sophisticated fish dishes, and beguiling desserts. The restaurant has a contemporary look that's elegant without being stuffy, and an atmosphere to match.

This popular, renovated riad filled with the artwork and collections of its host, artist Didier Spindler, offers an imaginative menu that is a fusion of Moroccan, European, and Asian flavors. The decor is an eclectic mix, with Buddha statues, pop art, and palm trees. There is nightly entertainment in the form of a band or fire eater, as well as a great wine list. The trio of desserts is the perfect sharing dish to conclude your meal (and often features more than three sweet delicacies).  It's recommended to make a reservation for dinner, particularly during peak tourist seasons.

You can dine on delicious adaptations of traditional dishes---such as tiny melt-in-the-mouth pastilla (sweet pigeon pie) filled with a vegetable puree---at this lovely restaurant with a reputation for nouvelle cuisine marocaine. Andalusian lutes and Gnaoua music accompany dinner, which is a fixed five-course tasting menu at 530 DH; lunch is à la carte, with a limited menu for children. Alcohol is served.

The menu at the English-owned Gastro MK features exceptionally fine modern-Moroccan cuisine. The menu is a balance of Moroccan and European influences aiming to be light and subtle to tempt those who are "tagined out'"; dishes include cauliflower couscous with raisins and capers or a deconstructed tagine of beef fillet with herb mash and zucchini. A five-course tasting menu (650 DH per person) is available upon request. Complimentary canapés are served 30 minutes before dinner and after-dinner digestifs, cigars, or sheesha pipes can be requested. Arrive early for pre-dinner cocktails on the gorgeous terrace.

The Gastro MK is in such high demand that advance bookings and payment of a deposit are essential.

If you're yearning for Japanese food in Morocco, Iloli is widely regarded as the best place to go, and you can choose to sit on the airy terrace; inside at tables or at the counter to watch the sushi chefs in action; or upstairs on sofas and armchairs. The menu has plenty of sushi and sashimi, as well as cooked options. 

This delightful restaurant and guesthouse combines shaker style with Little House on the Prairie, and serves excellent French and Moroccan dishes. Specialties include wild boar, frogs' legs, and the wonderful souris d'agneau (a rich dish of slow-cooked lamb shank). The attached inn has 10 standard rooms (1,080 DH for half board, but check for discounts), four bungalows for two people sharing, and three family suites, which accommodate up to four. 

A top choice in the well-heeled Gauthier district, little Cantine de Gauthier oozes as much French chic as a Parisian bistro. It's a casual spot that serves delicious French meat and fish dishes, though the well-priced sharing plates of charcuterie and cheese attract the after-work crowd for an apéro.

At one of Agadir's finest fish restaurants, you can enjoy excellent quality seafood including lobster and John Dory; there's also a tasty duck breast for those who prefer meat. It's ideally located across from the beachfront strip of resort hotels. A free shuttle service is available for those staying farther away.   The view from the terrace is decidedly uninteresting, so enjoy the atmosphere inside for a top-class dinner.

Occupying a former warehouse of the sultan's Jewish traders, this is one of three Madada brand businesses in Essaouira. The restaurant and bar offers fresh seafood prepared imaginatively and according to the seasons, such as a monkfish tagine with caramelized apples. You can also pop in to enjoy tapas and a cocktail. There is live music on the weekends. While pricier than other establishments in the area, Madada's enduring popularity with residents of the local upscale hotels proves it's worth every penny. Be sure to reserve a table ahead of time, especially in summer.

This place prides itself on fine wines, treating customers to a fantastic range of options from France and beyond. There's a proper bistro ambience in the dining area, which offers reasonable prix-fixe menus for both lunch and dinner, while the mezzanine bar serves French-style tapas, including a very respectable cheese board.

There's a bit of everything at this multilevel space, starting with a buzzy bar area on the ground floor that serves wine and tapas and is popular with the after-work crowd. Head upstairs for dinner at the restaurant, which has a French-inspired menu that's known for its market-fresh produce and excellent steaks. Later in the evening the music gets louder, with a DJ or live performers, and the atmosphere really gets going. There's a sports screen, too, for major events.

With decor featuring a long leather banquette, retro-style chairs, and a wall of family-style photos and old plates, this homey spot run by two sisters, Zineb and Malika, is a wonderful find, though easy to miss: it's up a few steps in a lovely old house. The French menu is limited but exquisite, featuring lots of fish. The restaurant is easy to miss---it's up a few steps in a lovely old house.