Créé par Romane, le 7 mai 2026
Votre guide Ryo
© Shutterstock
The typical dishes of Marrakech highlight the best that regional lands produce. Gathering around a friendly table, you will taste sun-kissed vegetables cooked with raisins, dates or almonds. The taste of meats and fish is enhanced with sweet and savory blends and spices. Let's talk for a moment about these extraordinary spices! A multitude of aromas await discovery: cinnamon, chili, coriander, saffron and ginger will broaden your taste horizons.
A rich culinary heritage awaits you on the fire in Marrakech.
Stroll through the Medina to admire the colors of delicacies and street food. Observe, smell, taste everything, if you dare! Stimuli will be everywhere and will keep you hungry throughout the day. Know that gastronomy is considered an art in Marrakech. Culinary specialties are loved for their fragrances, intense flavors and above all, their great generosity.
What to eat in Marrakech? Our selection of 9 Marrakech specialties
Moroccan specialties and Maghreb recipes meet and merge in Marrakech. All the more so since throughout the world, North African dishes are often grouped under the anonymous umbrella of "Maghreb cuisine" or wrongly referred to as "oriental cuisine". Lovers of Moroccan cuisine will lift the veil on the history of emblematic dishes and recipes rich in every way, passed down from generation to generation.
1. Msemen
Discover Moroccan-style thick pancakes during your stay in Marrakech. Msemens are served with many local specialties, to sauce a dish or to wrap street food for example. These savory (or sweet, according to taste) pancakes are characterized by their thickness, their rich oil content and their cooking on a cast iron plate.
2. Pastilla
Taste the poultry puff pastries emblematic of the country! Traditionally, pastillas are served during festivals. The thin and crispy pastry is filled with a chicken or pigeon stuffing (most often), then flavored with fresh herbs, eggs, almonds and spices. Pastilla is unique depending on where it's prepared. Don't worry, you won't have to wait for local festivities to taste them, as local restaurants now serve them year-round.
3. Tajine
A stay in Marrakech inevitably comes with a delicious tajine! Hidden under a terracotta dome, you will taste all the culinary tradition of the country. There are plenty of tajine recipes: with meat, fish, vegetables. They are garnished with numerous spices, vegetables and/or fruits. In Morocco, tajine is a symbol of abundance and conviviality. To taste it in the most typical way, eat your tajine carefully with your fingers, using bread flatbreads.
4. Couscous
This dish of Berber origin quickly became a culinary essential of the Maghreb. Your generous plate of durum wheat semolina will be garnished with a vegetable stew and various meats. No panic for vegetarians, you will also eat your fill. Vegetarian couscous is just as hearty and served with a mix of zucchini, carrots, turnips, potatoes and chickpeas. Don't hesitate to taste several couscous during your stay, as different family recipes exist in all corners of the city.
5. Tanjia
Here's an ideal dish for meat lovers. Prepared in an eponymous terracotta jar, this specialty consists of large pieces of meat coated in a marinade with saffron, cumin and ras-el-hanout. To this is added a quartet: garlic, olive oil, preserved lemon and smen butter. Once the jar is generously filled, it will be sealed with a sheet of paper and go to cook on hot ashes all night long. For the anecdote, this dish was originally a male privilege, which men prepared and enjoyed among themselves at the end of the week. Today, tanjia delights everyone, so don't deprive yourself.
6. Briouates
Pronounced "briwats", these are the typical samosas of Morocco. You'll recognize them by their triangular shape – or tube-shaped, occasionally – and their brick pastry wrapper. The latter gives them a pleasantly crispy first texture, followed by a tender filling of meat or vegetables. Most often, you'll taste briouates with chicken, cheese, tuna, ground meat. To be enjoyed as an appetizer for a delicious introduction to the rest of the meal. Otherwise, for small hunger pangs, alongside some fresh vegetables. Note that there is a sweet version of this specialty. If so, the pastry will seem sticky with syrup and will be sprinkled with sesame seeds or sliced almonds.
7. Pastries
Essential in Marrakech, Moroccan pastries have made a name for themselves around the globe. Adored for their absolute indulgence, they are nibbled with fingers accompanied by hot mint tea. Know that there are a multitude of varieties like the famous gazelle horns, baklavas with pistachios or walnuts, baghrir, sellou, mhancha and many others. The people of Marrakech don't lack imagination when it comes to enhancing honey, dates and almonds. Nevertheless, with such a sugar content, we recommend consuming them in moderation.
8. Amlou
Amlou is to the Maghreb what peanut butter is to the United States. What's more, this indulgent spread is excellent for health. Traditional Amlou contains only 3 ingredients: roasted almond paste, argan oil and orange blossom honey. For this reason, many people from Marrakech prepare it themselves, to accompany their breakfast. Taste it in the morning, to fill up on energy before your city visits.
9. Mint tea
Why drink water in Marrakech when you could drink tea? Oh that's right, there's the sugar, again! In that case, mint tea will be the reward of a long day of exploration. Tea is, by far, the unmissable drink of your trip. The recipe is simple: water, green tea, fresh mint and (lots of) sugar. Served in small thin glasses, tea is gladly accompanied by local pastries. More than a simple break, mint tea is a symbol of hospitality. For this reason, there is always a teapot on the fire in Moroccan homes. Mint tea will also be served to you during most activities in Marrakech, as a sign of sharing.
