Marrakech
Dining And Drinking

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In compliance with its tourist obligations, Marrakech abounds with restaurants. Some of them are only tourist traps revamped with belly-dance shows, while others are true gastronomic jewels. But Marrakech is also a city of culinary fusion where world cuisine is prized, and you’ll find a little bit of everything in the “Red City.”

Gastronomic Moroccan Restaurants
You cannot leave Marrakech without having sampled a pigeon pastilla (basteeyah - a sweet and sour squab pie) or one of the many recipes of tajine (a dish made from meat and vegetable sauce, whose name comes from the traditional pot in which it is cooked). In most of the best Morrocan dining – at both restaurants and guesthouses (riads) – elderly women are the cooks. The best Moroccan restaurants enjoy also a setting as genuine and as groomed as their cuisine, like that of Dar Moha, Dar Zellij, Dar Yacout and Stylia. Spread in the northwestern part of the medina, those restaurants are also true jewels of ancient architecture and attest to the beauty of Marrakech in the past centuries. As for Le Restaurant, it gives to cordons-bleus the opportunity to take Moroccan cooking courses. Movie-goers should head toward the Dar Essalam, which, incidentally, appears in a Hitchcock movie. But Morrocan cuisine is diverse, as demonstrated at the Dar Fez, where the cuisine of the city of Fez is celebrated. These restaurants tend to be rather expensive, but don’t panic - the budget traveler can opt for a perfectly tasty meal at the lively and distinctive setting of Jemaâ El Fna square.

French & Mediterranean Cuisines
Marrakech features a sort of “Tropezian” atmosphere, with Mediterranean restaurants mostly attended by European (especially French) clientele. This is the case at La Table Du Marché, whose concept comes directly from St. Tropez inspiration. Great Michelin Guide-rated French chefs have chosen to donate their flavors to Marrakech, for the pleasure of our taste buds! Marrakech fine dining chefs combine the refinement and the creativity of French cuisine with the freshness of Mediterranean cuisine revamped with Moroccan products. If that sounds like what you’re interested in, try Pavillon in the medina, Dar Ennassim, or Ksar Char Bagh in the Palmeraie. As for famed French chef Alain Ducasse, he added his touch to the restaurant Crystal, located at the Pacha Marrakech, the biggest night-club in Marrakech.
For lovers of Italian cuisine, rendez-vous at Gueliz to sample the refined dishes of La Trattoria or enjoy the warm atmosphere of Catanzaro.

Party Time
Some trendy Marrakech spots are a perfect mix of night-club/lounge plus restaurant, like Comptoir Darna, Palais Jad Mahal and La Casa, which are all located in the Hivernage district, or KosyBar in the medina and Bo&Zin. Beware, though, as the check increases quickly and the dishes are not always up to standard. But these more informal dining spots are a nice change from the gargantuan set meals (prix fixe) of many touristy restaurants. (And you can dance the night away after your meal!)