Moroccan cuisine typically starts with a hearty, thick soup, called Harira, made primarily of beans and noodles. As an alternative, you might start with a salad (often very finely chopped) or have this as an accompaniment to your main meal, which is usually a plate full of kebabs, such as kafta (minced lamb) or brochettes (tiny pieces of lamb on a skewer). A stack of soup bowls at the front usually indicates a Hole in Wall restaurant specializing in soup and serving it by the bowlful throughout the day. In addition to Harira, some locations serve bisara, a thick pea soup topped with olive oil, particularly for breakfast.
Tajine, essentially a stew cooked slowly over a steaming pot with a conical clay cover, is another ubiquitous meal. Similar to “casserole,” “tajine” actually describes the dish and lid rather than the meal. Traditional tajines are chicken with olives and lemon or lamb or mutton with prunes and almonds. Rarely, you might get a tajine with fish or vegetables or one with meatballs and eggs on top.
In the Medina, kebabs and tajines may be had for no more than 30dh (£2.25/$3.50) at little, unassuming eateries with two or three tables. Although haggling over prepared food is not expected, if you don’t inquire about rates before placing your order, you can pay more in these types of establishments. Frequently, there is only an Arabic-language board or no menu at all.
For breakfast or a snack, many bread or grocery stores sell half-baguettes, which you may take into a café to order a coffee along with butter, jam, cheese, or eggs if desired. A meal consisting of bread, butter, and jam is a common breakfast option in most hotels, and many cafés, even ones without any other food options, may also serve omelets. Along with bread, some places serve soups, like Harira, and others have stalls outside that sell traditional griddle bread by the weight, like Baghrira (full of holes like a very thin English crumpet), Melaoui or Msammen (sprinkled with oil, rolled out thin, folded over and rolled out again, like an Indian paratha), and Harsha (quite heavy with a gritty crust). If that’s not enough, you can purchase additional things like Yoghurt, soft white cheese (Ejben), dates, or olives.
Street food options include Sfenj (doughnut-shaped fritters), which are offered from small stores, especially in the morning, and spicy merguez sausages or small kebabs grilled at roadside kiosks (make sure the sausages are well done).
Restaurant meals
Particularly around the coast, restaurants typically serve fish, lamb (Agneau), or mutton (mouton), usually in a tajine, and chicken (poulet), which can be served spit-roasted (rôti) or in a tajine with lemon and olives (poulet aux olives et citron). Pastilla, a delectable pie made with filo pastry and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, is also occasionally available. It is a specialty of Fez.
The most well-known Moroccan meal is undoubtedly couscous, a massive bowl of boiled semolina topped with vegetables, mutton, chicken, or even fish. Its origins are Berber. Because Moroccans don’t really go out to dine, restaurant couscous can be disappointing because this is a dish that is typically made at home, especially on Fridays or special occasions.
Mechoui, or roast lamb, is another dish you could encounter at festivals, which are always good for unique cuisine, and at the priciest tourist eateries. It can even be served as a full-roasted sheep on a spit. Tanjia, or jugged beef or lamb cooked slowly on the embers of a hammam furnace, is another specialty found in Marrakesh.
Pastries, crème caramels, or perhaps Yoghurt—which is frequently the restaurant’s own, even in budget restaurants—may be served for dessert. If not, you might receive fruit—an orange, maybe, or a fruit salad.
While cheaper establishments might be open in the morning and during the hours mentioned, restaurants normally operate from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner. If you don’t verify the price before ordering, places that don’t display prices are likely to overcharge you.
Tajines
Similar to paella or casserole, tajine only refers to the cooking vessel and not the food that is cooked in it. A tajine is a thick ceramic dish with an identical material conical lid. The nicest tajines, with their vibrant colors and patterns, originate from Safi; yet, the greatest tajines for practical usage are simple, reddish-brown, and originate from Salé. In a tajine, the veggies are stacked around the meat, which is positioned in the center. After closing the cover, the tajine is allowed to cook gently over low heat or, for best results, over a charcoal burner (kanoun), which is typically one that is designed especially for tajines and marketed together with them. The basic tajines blend meat, fruit, and spices. Chicken is usually cooked in a tajine with brined green olives and lemons. Lamb or beef is frequently cooked with prunes and almonds. When eating a tajine, start with the veggies on the outside and work your way to the meat in the center, scooping it up with bread.
eating just vegetarian food
Most of Morocco is not very understanding of vegetarianism, however, some restaurants are starting to realize that tourists might be vegetarians, and several do provide vegetarian couscous or tajine. There’s even a vegetarian restaurant in Marrakesh (try Café Argana), and big towns usually have pizzas. Other than sandwiches and omelets, menu options aren’t particularly clear. Most dishes are cooked in animal fats, however, Harira (bean soup) may or may not be served with beef stock. Bisara (pea soup), a popular breakfast dish, should be meatless. It is possible to say “I’m a vegetarian” (ana Nabaati in Arabic or je suis vegetarian/vegetarian in French), but you may not understand; to emphasize the point, you could add La Akulu Lehoum (wala hout) in Arabic or je ne mange Aucune sorte de Vande (ni poisson), both of which mean “I don’t eat any kind of meat (or fish)”.
If you follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, it might be worthwhile to pack some basic supplies (vegetable stock cubes, peanut butter, and yeast extract), as well as a small camping gas stove and pan. Canisters are inexpensive but somewhat difficult to find (Carrefour hypermarkets and Mr. Bricolage, a DIY chain), and some budget hotels let visitors cook in their rooms.
The scenarios where you are invited to eat at someone’s home are the hardest. People might give you meat when you specifically ask for veggies because they don’t know you’re against eating meat, and you might conclude that it’s more essential to make sure you don’t offend someone who is being kind to you than to strictly enforce your abstinence. Selecting veggies from a meat tajine won’t make your hosts angry, but turning down the meal completely could result in the wife, mother, or sister in the kitchen receiving criticism.
Fruit Morocco has an incredibly wide variety of seasonal fruits. Apart from the diverse varieties of dates, which are available throughout the year but are optimal when consumed fresh from October harvests, there are also grapes, melons, strawberries, peaches, and figs that need to be cleaned before consumption. For a few dirhams during the winter season, you may purchase large quantities of peeled cactus fruit, known as prickly pears, from a street vendor. This is a great way to quench your thirst and soothe your tummy.
Tea, Coffee, and Soft Drinks
Mint tea (atay Deeyal naanaa in Arabic, thé à la menthe in French, “Whisky Marocain” as locals boast), Chinese gunpowder green tea flavored with sprigs of mint (Naanaa in Arabic: the gift of Allah) and sweetened with a large amount of sugar, often from a sugar loaf (you can ask for it with little or no sugar – Shweeya Soukar or ble Soukar). In the winter, Moroccans frequently add wormwood (Chiba in Arabic, absinthe in French) to their tea “to keep out the cold”. Additionally, black tea (also known as thé rouge in French or Atai Ahmar in Arabic, which translates to “red tea”) is available. It is invariably prepared using Lipton’s tea bags, which Moroccans adore and consider to be traditionally English. Verbena is the primary herbal infusion (verveine or louiza).
A variety of delicious freshly squeezed juices are also frequently found at cafés and street vendors: orange juice (jus orange in French, ‘asir Burtuqal in Arabic; if you prefer it without sugar, you must express this), almond milk (jus D’amande or ‘asir Louze), banana “juice,” which is a milkshake (jus des bananas or ‘asir mooz), and apple milkshake (jus de pomme or ‘asir TufaH). Asir panaché, a mixed fruit milkshake that frequently has raisins, is also very popular. Leben, or fermented milk, tastes better than it sounds and is a great remedy for sick stomachs.
Even though Moroccan tap water is typically chlorinated and safe to drink, most visitors would rather use bottled water. Mineral water is commonly known by its brand names, such as the naturally effervescent Oulmès or the ubiquitously still Sidi Ali or Harazem (some people swear they can differentiate one from the other). Filtered and processed non-mineral water is sold in bottles by the Coca-Cola business under the Ciel brand. French-style cafés serve the best coffee (café), which comes in three varieties: noir (black), cassé (with a drop of milk), or au lait (with a lot of milk). Similar to teabag tea, instant coffee is branded after its manufacturer, in this case, Nescafé.
Beer and wine
Morocco is an Islamic country, hence alcohol consumption is frowned upon, and purchasing alcohol is typically not an option in the city’s Medinas. While women may feel uncomfortable in typical pubs (where there may be female bartenders, Moroccan women patrons are usually game), upscale bars, particularly those in tourist hotels like Marrakesh or Casablanca, are often fine. When it comes to beverages, Moroccan wines can be fairly good, if a bit strong to sip on its own without food. The greatest is the deliberately light French claret-style Clairet de Meknès, which has a pinkish-red color. Beauvallon is another wonderful option, but it is typically held for export. Other red varietals to try include Cabernet, Ksar, Guerrouane, and Siraoua, As well as rosé Gris de Boulaoune and dry white Spécial Coquillages.
When Moroccans go Out to pubs, they normally only drink beer—probably the regional Stork or Flag. Many people consider the version brewed in Casablanca To be inferior to the flag from Fez (you can identify which by looking at the label). Heineken is the most well-known international brand; It is produced in Morocco under license.
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