What to Eat in Morocco

Moroccan cuisine is one of the most celebrated in the world, shaped by Berber, Arab, Andalusian and Mediterranean influences accumulated over thousands of years. Slow-cooked tagines, hand-rolled couscous, spiced street food and fragrant mint tea all define the table in Morocco. From the bustling medinas of Tangier and Tetouan to coastal seafood shacks along the Atlantic, eating in Morocco is one of the richest cultural experiences a traveler can have.

Here are the top dishes to try in Morocco.

1. Tagine

Tagine is arguably Morocco’s most iconic dish and the one most closely associated with the country around the world. Named after the conical clay pot in which it is cooked, tagine is a slow-cooked stew of meat, fish or vegetables layered with a complex blend of spices including cumin, coriander, saffron, cinnamon and paprika. Classic combinations include chicken with preserved lemon and olives, lamb with apricots and almonds, and kefta with eggs in tomato sauce. Every family and every region has its own variation. It is served with khobz, the round Moroccan flatbread used to scoop up the sauce.

2. Couscous

Couscous is a staple of Moroccan cuisine and carries deep cultural significance. Hand-rolled semolina grains are steamed over a fragrant broth and served piled high in a communal dish, topped with slow-cooked vegetables, chickpeas and meat. Friday is the traditional day for couscous in Morocco, when families gather to share the dish after midday prayers. The most celebrated version is couscous with seven vegetables, believed to have originated in Casablanca. It is eaten with the right hand in a traditional setting, with bread used to gather the grains.

3. Pastilla

Pastilla is one of the most distinctive dishes in Moroccan cuisine, blending sweet and savory in a way that surprises first-time visitors. Spiced pigeon or chicken meat is combined with almonds, eggs and cinnamon, wrapped in paper-thin warqa pastry and baked until crispy, then dusted with powdered sugar. The result is at once flaky, rich and fragrant. Seafood pastilla, filled with shrimp and fish, is also popular along the coast. Fes is considered the home of the traditional pigeon pastilla, though it is found across the country.

4. Harira

Harira is Morocco’s beloved national soup, a thick, warming broth made with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, fresh herbs, lemon and a whisked flour mixture that gives it a uniquely silky texture. It is the soup that breaks the fast during Ramadan and is eaten year-round at breakfast and as a light meal. It is commonly served with dates, honey-drizzled chebakia (fried sesame pastries) and khobz. A bowl of harira at a medina restaurant on a cool morning is one of the most authentic food experiences Morocco has to offer.

5. Brochettes

Brochettes are Morocco’s version of grilled kebabs and one of the most popular street foods across the country. Cubes of lamb or beef are marinated with onion, parsley, cumin, paprika and olive oil, then skewered and grilled over charcoal until charred and juicy. They are served with khobz, harissa (a hot chili paste) and a pinch of cumin and salt. In Tangier and Tetouan, brochette stands and small grills are a fixture of the medina streets, and the smoke from the charcoal is one of the defining aromas of a Moroccan market.

6. Msemen and Baghrir

Moroccan breakfasts are a feast of flatbreads and pancakes. Msemen is a flaky, layered square flatbread made by folding and griddle-cooking a simple dough until golden and crisp on the outside with a soft, buttery interior. It is typically served with honey, argan oil or jam. Baghrir, sometimes called the thousand-hole pancake, is a spongy semolina crepe cooked on one side only and traditionally eaten warm with honey and butter melted into its open surface. Both are found at bakeries and street vendors across northern Morocco from early morning.

7. Chermoula Seafood

Morocco’s Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines produce outstanding seafood, and chermoula is the marinade that defines coastal Moroccan cooking. A thick blend of garlic, olive oil, lemon, saffron, paprika, ginger, coriander and parsley, chermoula is used to marinate and sauce fresh fish such as sardines, sea bass and bream before grilling or baking. Grilled sardines with chermoula are one of the signature dishes of northern Morocco and are found at port-side restaurants and street stalls throughout Tangier. Fresh shrimp and squid tagines are also popular along the coast.

8. Zaalouk and Taktouka

Moroccan vegetable salads are a revelation. Zaalouk is a warm, smoky eggplant and tomato salad cooked down with garlic, olive oil, cumin and paprika into a thick, deeply flavored dip. Taktouka is a similar preparation made with roasted peppers and tomatoes. Both are served at room temperature as starters, scooped up with fresh bread, and they appear on almost every traditional restaurant menu in Morocco. They are a perfect introduction to the complexity of Moroccan spicing and the country’s gift for transforming simple vegetables into something extraordinary.

9. Briouats

Briouats are small, crispy fried or baked pastries made with warqa dough and filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. Savory fillings include spiced minced lamb, chicken with preserved lemon, kefta and cheese. Sweet versions are filled with almond paste and drizzled with honey. They are commonly served as a starter in Moroccan restaurants, often presented as a trio of different flavors. In Tangier and Tetouan, where Spanish influence is felt, cheese-filled briouats are a local specialty that reflects the city’s unique culinary heritage.

10. Mint Tea and Moroccan Sweets

Mint tea is the heart of Moroccan hospitality. Gunpowder green tea is brewed strong with fresh spearmint and sweetened generously with sugar, then poured from a height to create a light froth. It is offered to guests as a welcome drink, sipped at cafes throughout the day and served at the end of every meal. Alongside tea, Moroccan pastries are a world unto themselves: chebakia (fried sesame and honey pastries), kaab el ghzal (gazelle horn almond pastries) and basbousa (semolina cake) are among the most beloved. Stopping at a patisserie in the medina is one of the great simple pleasures of visiting Morocco.

Royal Caribbean shore excursions offer an immersive way to experience Moroccan cuisine beyond simply dining at a restaurant.

• Moroccan Cuisine Cooking Class – Small Group: Walk through the vibrant markets of Tangier’s old medina to select fresh ingredients, then step into a culinary classroom to learn how to prepare one of Morocco’s most iconic dishes under the guidance of a local chef. This small-group excursion offers one of the most hands-on and culturally immersive food experiences available in Morocco.

Tangier’s dining scene reflects its position as a crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Arab world. From atmospheric medina restaurants to upscale harborside dining, here are some of the top restaurants to visit.

Le Saveur du Poisson – Tangier

One of the most talked-about restaurants in Tangier, Le Saveur du Poisson operates on a no-menu concept: a multi-course meal is prepared daily based on whatever the freshest catch of the day happens to be. Dishes are prepared using traditional Moroccan spices and cooking techniques. The result is a genuine culinary journey through the flavors of the Moroccan coast, and an experience unlike any other restaurant in the city.

El Morocco Club – Tangier

Located in Tangier’s historic Kasbah, El Morocco Club is the city’s most sophisticated dining destination. The elegant interior is inspired by Tangier’s glamorous cosmopolitan past, and the menu blends Moroccan and Mediterranean flavors prepared with premium local ingredients. It is where Tangier’s expat community and discerning visitors go for a special evening, with a strong cocktail bar and an excellent Moroccan and European wine list.

Dar Harruch – Tangier

A charming restaurant in the heart of Tangier, Dar Harruch blends Spanish and Moroccan cuisine in a space filled with traditional Moroccan artwork and tilework. It is known for its beef tagine, prepared with a deeply spiced gravy and sweet dried fruits, and has earned consistent praise from locals and visitors alike for quality and hospitality. The mint tea here is considered excellent.

Chez Hassan – Tangier

Located in Petit Socco in the heart of the medina, Chez Hassan is a family-run restaurant serving traditional Moroccan dishes made with time-honored recipes. Tagines, couscous and grilled meats are the focus, and the warmly decorated dining room and friendly service make it one of the most authentic and welcoming places to eat in Tangier.

Restaurant Al Maimouni – Tangier

Serving authentic Moroccan cuisine in Tangier’s medina, Al Maimouni is a well-regarded family-run establishment offering traditional tagines, couscous and grilled meats in a warmly decorated setting with ornate tile work and carved wood details. It is consistently praised for its reasonable prices, friendly atmosphere and consistently good mint tea.

La Terrasse – Dar El Kasbah (Kasbart) – Tangier

Located on Rue Hafa along the western side of the Kasbah, La Terrasse offers Moroccan classics including tagine, zaalouk, taktouka and couscous alongside a rooftop terrace with some of the most beautiful views in Tangier. It is a favorite among food travelers for the combination of quality cooking, spectacular setting and a wide selection of fresh juices.

The most popular foods in Morocco include tagine, couscous, pastilla, harira, brochettes and msemen. Moroccan cuisine is defined by its use of layered spices, slow-cooking techniques and the blending of sweet and savory flavors across centuries of Berber, Arab, Andalusian and Mediterranean influence. Whether you are eating grilled sardines on the Tangier waterfront, sipping mint tea in a medina courtyard or learning to cook tagine in a hands-on culinary class, food in Morocco is one of the most rewarding and memorable parts of visiting this extraordinary country.