A Day of Traditional Marrakech Cuisine: Foods You Must Try
If you will be visiting Marrakech for the first time, be prepared to have your senses elevated by the aromatic spices, oils, and fruits of the region.
The strong flavours of Marrakech food is a result of its importance as a trade-hub and former French-colony. Over centuries, these Berber, Arabic, Andalusian, Mediterranian, and European influences have resulted in truly unique flavour combinations to excite your tastebuds.
We will explore a day in the life of Marrakech dining in this post, with suggestions on which traditional Moroccan foods to try while in the city.
A Day of Moroccan Cuisine in Marrakech
Breakfast
Those staying in a riad will wake up and be able to take advantage of a traditional home-cooked Morrocan breakfast while sitting in the interior garden. Otherwise, you can visit one of Marrakech’s many local cafes. You can expect to be offered a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or a traditional Morrocan mint tea served over sugar cubes.
Most Morrocan breakfasts are served with their white khobz bread, often with honey, soft butter or cheese for dipping. You can start your daywith eggs served along with olives oil, or add some khlea, a type of dried meat. For a savoury, filling breakfast, try b’ssara, a fava bean soup topped with olive oil. Loubia is another traditional breakfast bean dish, made with white beans in a spicy tomato sauce.
You can also expect your breakfast to include some of the rich, local fruits such as oranges, figs, grapes, and pomegranates. For a little extra sweetness, you can also have sfenj, which are deep-fried fritters coated in sugar. These are also a great snack to take with you to start your day.
Mid-Morning
Begin your morning with some sight-seeing. You will want to experience the majesty of Koutoubia Mosque, and the theological university of Medersa Ben Youssef.
Street food is a staple of Marrakech and can be found all around the city. Fresh orange juice is available at many stalls, you can also try chebakia, a traditional Moroccan sesame cookie coated in honey which is traditionally eated with harira soup dring the month of Ramadan. You can also find msemen, a type of bread that resembles a crepe. These are rolled up with honey or soft cheese for a yummy snack on the go.
Lunch
For a sitdown experience, be sure to try some of the lighter delicacies Marrakech is known for. After all, you don’t want to be too full during your afternoon exploration! Consider Morrocan style fish dressed in Morrocan spices and lemon with olives. You can also try tride, a pancake made out of lentils with chicken and an herb glaze.
For meat-lovers, try a b’stilla, a Morrocan sweet and savory pie. The traditional variety is made of pigeon meat, with eggs, almonds and rich spices. The pie we make at Le Trou Au Mur is made with seafood.
Be sure to also enjoy a glass of Moroccan mint tea for its calming and digestive properties.
Afternoon Snack
The afternoon is a great time to visit the souk so you can bring back your purchases to your riad before dinner. Be sure to head to the leather tanneries located in the Bab Debbagh quarter in the north end of the medina and bring back an item made of traditional Moroccan leather!
If you are still a bit peckish after lunch, try some of the local delicacies from the street-vendors in and around the market. Harira is a hearty tomato, lentil and chickpea soup that is readily available to go. Snail soup is a popular staple, said to have digestive benefits. The broth is rich, and you will be given a toothpick to remove the succulent snail meat from the shells.
Dinner
No trip to Marrakech is complete without tagine. Made in a traditional clay pot of the same name, this slow-cooked dish is made with meats, vegetables, and spices. It is usually served with bread so you can sop up the gravy.
Offal meats are also traditional in Morrocan cooking, so if you are feeling brave, try a blend of offal spiced to perfection. For lighter and vegetarian options, try cherchma, a mix of beans and lentils with Moroccan spices served with whole wheat couscous. You might also like berkoukesh, homemade Moroccan pasta with a fresh herb and tomato sauce.
Dining in Marrakech – A Food Lover’s Dream
If you are looking for all these traditional Moroccan dishes with great service and a sophisticated atmosphere, be sure to make a booking on our rooftop here at La Trou au Mur.