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Eating & Drinking in Marrakech
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Old palatial homes in Marrakesh are not only turned into beautiful and romantic hotels, but also into some fantastic restaurants. You have to treat yourself to a traditional meal at one of them at least once. Most are romantically lit by candles, and while they can sometimes go overboard with the décor, many are still an experience to remember. However, although Moroccan cuisine is gaining fans around the world, restaurants in Marrakech are often more memorable for their atmosphere than for the food. You'll eat quite well, and there are many excellent dining options in the city, just don't expect the Michelin star experiences of Paris or New York. But who needs outrageously expensive degustation menus when you have some wonderful sights and smells to offer?
Cafe Arabe
Despite the name, this tastefully-designed café serves Italian food in addition to quiches, salads, and teas. It's a great place for al fresco dining, with a wonderful terrace looking out to a mosque, perfect for a cocktail at sunset.
Kechmara
The name plays with the syllables of the world "Marrakech" but everything about this café is very Paris. The food is what you'd have in the French capital (think salades niçoises or croques monsieurs), while many of the clients are in fact French, as this is a favorite hangout of the city's foreign residents. The décor consists of Murano glass lights and white chairs to go with the rest of the mostly-white space.
Le Grand Café de la Poste
Popular with European expats and locals on a shopping break in Guéliz, this Parisian bistro serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with menus made up of above-average-priced French dishes. Choose to sit on the patio, with bamboo blinds keeping the heat out and ceiling fans cooling you off.
Dar Zellij
An old 17th century palace inside the Medina houses this intimate restaurant serving a Moroccan menu of salads, meat and fish dishes, and traditional sweets. It's also a good brunch option.
Bo Zin
A fusion of Thai and French cuisines is served in a beautiful setting filled with dramatic lighting that the city's movers and shakers believe is worthy enough to drive 15 minutes out of the center for. It is also a glamorous hotspot late at night when the leather banquettes are surrounded by crowds sipping mojitos as they try to look like they live up to the name of the place (Bô and Zin are phonetic spellings of "beautiful" in French and Arabic). A DJ provides a moody, loungy soundtrack at dinner time, but picks up the pace later at night when the big bar area becomes a disco.
Dar Moha
The former house of designer Pierre Balmain is now a stylish restaurant. It's become one of the most famous in the city, serving French and Moroccan cuisine, for which you should book a table, preferably in the garden by the pool.
Crystal
A white Art Deco space is home to a trendy restaurant-lounge serving Mediterranean cuisine to the same type of crowd that invades club Pacha, owned by the same group.
Le Foundouk
A riad turned into a chic cosmopolitan restaurant now serves Moroccan and Mediterranean-inspired food together with some fine cocktails. It's a great place to spend an entire night, as the moody décor invites you to stay and lounge. You can sit in different spaces, below ornate chandeliers surrounded by candelabra, or people-watching on cushions. You need to book on weekends to secure a table.
Villa Rosa
This seems like an attempt to create a trendy Hôtel Costes ambience in Marrakech. It's a hip place where expensive European cuisine is served around a dark Parisian décor. A live DJ provides the background sounds.
Al Fassia
An all-female team, from the management to the chefs, runs this restaurant. It is found in the "new town" district of Gueliz and presents an a la carte menu of Moroccan specialties, including some excellent tagines and couscous.
Jana
One of the city's most beautiful restaurants, this is a riad where fine Moroccan food is served along with belly dancers for company. After their meal, most diners move next door to the Pacha nightclub to dance off the extra calories.
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