Marrakech Medina Restaurants

Once upon a time Dar Zellij was a guesthouse. In fact, it was one of the first traditional houses to be converted into a maison d’hote and was thus partly responsible for kick-starting the whole ‘riad boom’ that has infected Marrakech ever since.

In contrast with many other ‘designer’ spots, Dar Zellij was a spartan affair with 17th-century detailing left nakedly on display rather than being restored by modern artisans. The fine stucco detailing, cedarwood ceilings, decorated doors and eponymous tiling are still the big draw now, even though the place is run as a restaurant.

The main courtyard is an appealing blend of whitewashed pillars and walls, and red carpets and rose petals. Aside from the main dining area there’s a series of more intimate alcoves, rooms and patios to dine in, as well as a charming roof terrace where you can enjoy an aperitif.

The menu is resolutely Moroccan – pastilles, tajines and couscous galore – and comes in the shape of a couple of fixed menu options (350dh/400dh), the contents of which morph on a monthly basis. Musicians play lively Arabo-Andalucian music nightly.

Le Jardin – The Garden – is a large old riad full of tall banana trees and other foliage that provide shade for the tables scattered around the courtyard. Upstairs there are two large terraces. Open from breakfast through dinner, the menu offers a mix of international and Moroccan dishes, including salads, sandwiches, burgers, fresh juices, couscous and tagines.

Terrasse des Epices is a venture from the owners of the ever-popular Café des Epices. The restaurant is sprawled over the entire roof terrace of a Moroccan artisan shopping centre in the medina.

There are plenty of cosy alcoves for groups 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!

The varied Moroccan/International menu changes daily and is set out on handwritten boards that are brought to each table. This is a particularly good venue for lunch.

Until Café Arabe came on the scene, there were no Western-style cafés in the heart of the Medina; or at least nowhere that offered a decent lunch and a glass of rosé.

Café Arabe offers a full range of meals centred mainly around a Moroccan and Italian menu that includes pastas, soups and salads, plus a full bar and good selection of wines. It’s a wonderfully pleasant place to be.

The entrance leads from a dusty street into a frondescent open-air courtyard with walls of Marjorelle blue and a close-knit community of tables. The large roof terrace on the top floor is the perfect venue for pre-dinner drinks in the medina, mixing modern European design with wonderful views. There are waves of beige seats dotted around and the whole restaurant is candlelit at night. This is an incredibly romantic spot for watching the sun set over the city and is also popular for groups of friends to meet up before moving on elsewhere for dinner.

Café Arabe is open all day for eating and/or drinking.

Le Marrakchi, located on the opposite corner to the Café de France on the Jemaa el Fna, can be reached by way of dark, incensed stairs that lead up to two separate floors. The top is the most popular, since it offers superior views across the square – that is, if you get there early enough to get one of the few seats close to the main window.

The restaurant itself is distinctly Moroccan, and while not as chic as many other spots around, the atmosphere and décor are in harmony with the timeless traditions of the square below. Tables are strewn with rose petals, there’s dimmed lighting, and oriental dancers make this a venue suited to group conviviality or quiet intimacy.

The menu offers above-average traditional dishes – pastillas, tajines, couscous – as well as a few pasta and pizza options, and is reasonably priced. Another bonus: it’s one of only two restaurants on the square that serve alcohol.

The first and second floors of this gorgeous oriental brasserie offer a colonial style complete with library and grand piano. Le Salama's menu offers fine traditional Moroccan cuisine. During the day the panoramic terrace offers great views over the medina and Jemaa el Fna. Early evening at Le Salama a local pianist plays on the grand piano, and later on, oriental dancers perform.

Earth Café is Marrakech’s only vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Most of the ingredients are grown on the owner’s farm just outside of Marrakech. Fresh, healthy, imaginative dishes, delicious even for meat eaters!

Le Tanjia serves mainly traditional Moroccan food – with some international fast food at lunchtime. The décor is oriental in style with bubbling rose strewn fountains on each floor and cosy seats. There is a cigar lounge and bar on the ground floor that also has hookah pipes and is very popular for pre-dinner drinks.

There are three floors in total but the most atmospheric by far is the roof terrace, which has a view of the medina and a fireplace for cold winter nights. This floor is covered by a wooden latticed roof so is a pleasant place in which to take refuge from the midday sun.

Kosy Bar is not just a bar, but also operates as a very decent restaurant, tucked away in the corner of the Place des Ferblantiers. Its dark hallway and elegant downstairs bar area create an urbane welcome, although you’ll be heading upstairs to eat – either in one of the salons on the middle floor or, if the weather is good and there is any space left, upstairs on the roof terrace – a fantastic spot that overlooks the square below and offers views right down to the Koutoubia.

The location makes this a pretty useful lunching spot if you’re schlepping around the Medina. The daytime menu is fairly basic – mostly sandwiches, soups and salads – although the place somewhat handily employs the services of a Japanese chef who makes some excellent sushi.

At night, the Kosy Bar really comes into its own. The square is quieter, and dimmed lights and hip lounge music create an incredibly seductive environment. The evening menu is more diverse, offering assorted Moroccan food that includes lamb and fish tajines, alongside Asian fusion, sushi and other meals.

Les Jardins de la Medina is a wonderful hidden oasis located in the Royal Kasbah, great for everything from a fresh squeezed orange juice or glass of wine to a full blown gourmet dinner.

Set snugly into the corner of the old spice market, where old women gather to sell knitted woolly hats and older men sit and sell spices, the Café Des Epices is in a perfect location for taking a break from the heat and hassle of the souks. The building and menu are simple and charming but the juices are fresh and the sandwiches tasty.