#ZubzzDotComTakesMorocco - 5 Restaurants To Try In Marrakesh
We’re live in Morocco - #ZubzzDotComTakesMarrakesh!
After being invited to dinner with the ambassador I knew I had to visit, so my second international review of the year is dedicated to Marrakesh, Morocco!
Marrakesh is one of the most popular cities in Morocco, a country in Western North Africa.
The Tourist Visa process is quite simple, you just need to apply at the Moroccan Embassy and have proof of adequate funds and your reservations. The whole process takes about 10 working days and currently costs around $30.
The Moroccan currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD), which is currently 1 MAD = ¢0.0.50-¢0.60 and $0.11, basically ¢100=149MAD & $100 =845-880MAD. Please buy dollars, euros or pounds if you cant find Moroccan dirham because cedis aren’t recognised here. Also, it would seem paying with a card is surprisingly cheaper because the rate each time I paid with mine vs each time I changed money was about 0.3 lower.
Before you head to the airport make sure you have your:
Passport
Mask
Yellow fever vaccination card (if you dont have one you can get the shot at the airport for ¢50)
COVID test results
Money! Turns out as a tourist you need to have at least $300 or the MAD equivalent in cash on you before you’re even allowed to check in.
The Marrakech airport is beautiful! Actually breathtaking at night.
The official airline for the country is Royal Air Maroc, with round tickets from Accra starting from $1250/¢7600 for Economy to $3500/¢21,000 for Business class. All their flights to Marrakesh transit through Casablanca, which is known as the economic and business centre of the country. Transit times can be quite long though, I waited a little over 12 hours for my flight to Marrakech but only 6 for the one back to Accra. There was no solid in-flight entertainment (one shared screen per 4 people) and no wifi so come with something to keep you busy. They give you socks but no blanket so put one in your carry on.
On arrival you can and probably should get a sim card. It takes all of 5 minutes to sign up, and it makes communication easier and definitely cheaper than roaming so I would recommend it. Prices generally depend on your carrier but I got a Maroc Telecom card and it cost me $10. I had a few call minutes and enough data to last my trip.
This is something overlooked a lot, but guys! Buy a travel adapter. EVERY socket here looks like this and you will be very hot without it. There are charging ports inside the international and domestic departures but they all have that socket. They have some usb charging ports as well but those take the old one, not type C. I was able to charge my phones because I “borrowed” my little sister’s usb cable but my laptop was dead till I got to the hotel and requested an adapter. Not every restaurant has a socket for you to charge your stuff, so powerbank way (speaking of, with the exception of 2 restaurants who sell asian food and burgers, all the restaurants in the airport are coffee shops and sell the same thing).
Also about 75% of the people here don’t speak English. Not exaggerating, almost everyone you meet speaks French and/or Arabic only. I have never regretted not learning French as much I did this weekend. Start practicing for your trip, please learn the basics.
Worth noting airport taxis are expensive so pre-book one if you can. Currently if you book a hotel in Marrakesh on booking.com you get a free ride to the hotel, or you could outrightly just book one. Unfortunately I booked directly on the Rotana site to add to my points and so I had to arrange my own. Booking.com had one for $15 but nope, thought I could play the system and I lost! But thanks to my bargaining skills I got the fare reduced from 35 good euros to $25 for a 28 minute ride. Don’t make my mistakes.
Also there is no uber or transport app here so its freestyling taxis and hotel shuttles or taxis. Be very very vigilant because they will finesse you if they can - I’m talking doubling prices and the likes. The hotel shuttles are generally free to certain city centre locations and move at a set time every day, so ask the reception so you don’t end up having to pay for a taxi. If you need a CO-VID test there are a lot of testing centres around the city and your hotel can arrange one for you. If you’re a Ghanaian citizen who has been gone for less than a week however, you don’t need one. You will need to book a test when you return though (It’s $50. Book it here.)
Accommodation options for tourists range from Riads, which are large traditional houses with courtyards to international hotel chains to even desert domes for “Glamping”. I fully considered spending at least one night in a desert dome, but I realised it was something I might be too scared to do alone so I booked Hôtel Du Golf Rotana Palmeraie, a 5 star hotel in the north of Marrakesh. It’s a surprisingly affordable hotel under Rotana hotel brand - Prices per night start from around 900MAD/$100/¢600 for a Classic Room. Apart from the fact that they let me check in early I have to say service was quite disappointing. Beautiful place but it’s a solid 6/10. Ordering anything from room service was a hassle because you’d call all 4 numbers for the reception and room service at least 10 times before anyone would even answer.
VERY solid breakfast though, loved it. Their fries are absolute perfection as well.
There are lot of nice restaurants in Marrakesh. Most of their menus are mainly Moroccan with a few foreign choices - very little rice options, a lot of delicious couscous, vegetables and fall-off-the-bone meats. Making a list was super hard because they were so many good options with delicious sounding meals, but thankfully every one that made the cut was a solid hit. I did not miss!
So!
If you’re a traveling foodie or general tourist visiting the beautiful city of Marrakesh, these are 5 restaurants you definitely need to try!
1. Barometre Marrakesh
Street Moulay Ali, Marrakesh 40000
💸580MAD / ¢400 / $68
With an average of 4 over 5 stars, Barometer is rated really high across review sites. It’s a lovely space - Beautiful plating, creative drinks, low lit warm lights, lovely interior…everything needed for a fine dining experience with a young vibe.
The food menu here is small and centred around seafood & meat with a few side options and the prices are similar to those of Ghana’s upper class restaurants - everything is between ¢150-¢250. Their drink menu on the other hand is pretty extensive and super creative.
I got beef slices in a sweet & sour sauce, gratin dauphinois, vegetables & fruit trilogy (Crying Tiger on the menu) and a Creation, a create-it-yourself drink where you tell the bartender what you want and he makes it for you. You choose your spirits, mixers, spices etc.
The beef was amazing! A lot of places add too much honey in their sweet and sour sauce so it ends up too sweet and thick but this was light and a perfect mix of sweet and sour. The gratin dauphinois , which is made of sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream was actually perfect. 10/10 meal!
My drink was made with vodka, raspberry, ginger and a few other spices (he gave me extra vodka) and was amazing. Literally a perfect experience. I also got a bottle of Morrocan rosé which was really nice.
Reservations aren’t required but seriously recommended especially with the curfew. Everyone was SUPER nice as well, from the bartender to my waiters, to the manager. Easily my favourite review of the whole trip.
The Crying Tiger (Beef slices in a sweet & sour sauce, gratin dauphinois, vegetables & fruit trilogy) - 240 MAD / ¢170 / $28
Creation- 170 MAD / ¢115 / $20
Rosé - 170 MAD / ¢115 / $20
2. Royal Mansour
Rue Abou Abbas El Sebti، 40000
💸450 MAD / ¢310 / $52
With prices starting from ¢9000 / $1500 per night in their riads (no rooms or suites), Royal Mansour is easily the most luxurious hotel in Marrakesh. The hotel is described as a palace, and understandably so. It is beautiful! AND HUGE!
There are 3 restaurants on-site:
La Grande Table Marocaine: the Fine Dining restaurant
Sesamo: the Italian restaurant and
Le Jardin : the Gourmet restaurant
My initial pick was La Grande Table but they are temporarily closed so I went with lunch at La Jardin. Jardin is Garden in English, so this quite literally the restaurant in the garden. I got the Cotes d'Agneau Grillées (grilled lamb ribs) and it was delicious! The lamb was extremely tender and very well spiced and the potatoes and vegetables were baked in a very hard breadlike crust. It went perfectly with the glass of rosé my waiter recommended.
As expected, they’re pricey - some meals go as high as 1100MAD / ¢740 / $120 so go prepared!
Cotes d'Agneau Grillées (Grilled Lamb Ribs) - 320 MAD / ¢230 / $38
Rosé - 130 MAD / ¢90 / $15
3. Dar Zellij
1, Kaa ssour، Marrakesh 40000
💸350 MAD / ¢240 / $40
Dar Zellij is an authentic restaurant inside Marrakech Riads, a group of restored historical buildings. The restaurant which is inside a riad is inaccessible from the main road so you’ll have to walk about 8 minutes off the road.
According to their website, “The story goes that once upon a time, a son of the Medina, with a magic wand, breathed life back into the forgotten palaces of Marrakesh and Fez. Passionate about the Moroccan heritage and architecture, Abdellatif Ait Ben Abdallah spent many years restoring historic dwellings, some of which, are among the most beautiful in the Medinas. A work of patience, dominated by a single and only idea: to share his love for historic properties and open their doors to travelers from all around the world. His charming Riads are different, but they will all enable you to experience the true Moroccan art of living.”
From the interior to the menu, this should be your go-to for an authentic Moroccan meal. I had their Tajine D’Agneau Legumes, which is a lamb tajine & seasonal vegetables. A tajine is a dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked & served. Their tajine was amazing! Super spicy and so soft! The portion was crazy too, it was basically a whole pot of lamb, which I love. Moroccan mint tea is delicious too! Tastes amazing when it’s hot.
Service here is fast, and when you’re done with your meal they can help you get a taxi from the main road. Definitely recommended for a Moroccan dining experience.
Maki Platter (12 pieces) - 130MAD / ¢90 / $15
Pop Star (Prosecco, lemon juice, Ice Pop red fruits, cane sugar) - 120MAD / ¢85 / $14
4. Kabana
Kissariat Ben Khaled Rue Fatima Ezzahra R'MILA Marrakech Medina
💸250 MAD / ¢175 / $30
Kabana wasn’t very easy to find. I would have left 15 minutes into my search but I had already paid 150MAD (¢110 / $18) for a hotel taxi, and that would have been my loss because I loved it. It’s at the top floor of a very ordinary looking market building on a one way street so we drove past a couple of times before finding it.
It’s a very “young vibe” sort of place, from the house music playing in the back to the general theme. They have 2 menus - asian and international, and are mostly for their cocktails and nighttime vibes. Definitely love the vibe here - it’s very tropical.`I got a 12 piece sushi platter for JUST 130MAD (¢90 , $15)!!!! Tasted really really good too. My favourite thing was their cocktail popsicle which was sweet but made with what seemed like natural ingredients. You could taste the strawberry.
Also my bill was brought in a kente holder - Ghana to the worlddd.
Seriously guys, loved it here. Even though there’s the curfew, they are open a few hours at night where they have music and drinks available. Definitely a must visit if you’re in these parts.
Maki Platter (12 pieces) - 130MAD / ¢90 / $15
Pop Star (Prosecco, lemon juice, Ice Pop red fruits, cane sugar) - 120MAD / ¢85 / $14
5. La Table Du Riad at 72 Riad Living
72 arset azwel bab doukkala, Marrakesh 40000
💸230 MAD / ¢170 / $28
For anyone looking a completely Morrocan experience I would recommend not only this restaurant but the place in general. 72 Riad Living is a riad inside a medina, so like Dar Zellij it’s inaccessible directly by car. It’s a 15 minute through Jamaa El Fna Square, a super busy marketplace. For a second I thought I got the wrong place because it looks very unassuming from the outside but inside is quite lovely. There are 12 room/suites here, ranging from €150-€300 and an outdoor, indoor and garden restaurant with a completely Morrocan menu.
I got the Morrocan, which is a combination of 3 types of brioattes, rice, Essaouira organic cheese and LOOOOTS of DELICIOUS homemade bread! The brioattes are what we Ghanaians call samosas. The rice was a bit too oily for me, and as a Ghanaian the lack of stew made it a bit hard to eat but the brioattes were absolutely delicious. Should have gotten a whole pack to go.
Staff here speak a bit more English than most places and are SUPER friendly - I mentioned I was blogging and I got my drink free lol!
A few places I would have loved to visit (like the YSL museum) were closed unfortunately and even though Marrakesh is super famous for it’s dinner shows but they were all closed due to the pandemic. There are still a number of things you can do, like book a carriage ride around the city, go to a Hammam spa or book a desert safari day.
There’s currently a curfew, so the city shuts down at 9:00pm. I got to Marrakech at 11pm and there were police stops every 3-5 minutes on my way to the airport. I felt so safe. It’s important to know that it’s super hot during the day and really cold at night so whenever you’re leaving your hotel/riad, take a bottle or 2 of water. Moving around comfortably involves a lot of walking, so brace yourself. On the first day I reached 9000 steps easily.
Also, really beautiful sunsets!
I had a good time and it was definitely worth the trip. For more information on the visa process, click here or reach out to the embassy via Twitter.
A very big thank you to Her Excellency Ambassador Imaane for all her help with my trip!