Things to do in Central Morocco & The Atlas Mountains
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Les Terrasses de L’Alhambra
Shaded balconies offer a prime view over the storytellers and potion-sellers and respectable Italian espresso besides. The pizza is flimsy and under-seasoned, but a serviceable carbo-load for your next lap of the souqs.
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Théâtro
Don’t bother schmoozing the bouncer for entry to the boring VIP area, because the dance floor in this converted theatre is where the action is: packed, sweaty, carefree, fabulous. Saturdays are white nights, with white-clad clubbers grooving til dawn on the signature mix of house, techno, R’n’B and Morocco-pop.
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Comptoir
Never mind the restaurant downstairs; the flash lounge upstairs is the place to be for dashing diplomats, visiting fashion designers and married Casa playboys to mingle over cocktails or bottles of wine. There’s no avoiding the belly dancers, who descend en masse every other hour like scantily clad chaperones to break up all that flirting.
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Kosybar
The Marrakesh-meets-Kyoto interiors are full of plush, private nooks, but keep heading upstairs to low-slung chairs on the rooftop terrace. At the aptly named Kosybar you can enjoy wines with a side of samba as storks give you the once-over from nearby nests; skip the cardboard- tasting sushi and stick with bar snacks.
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Jad Mahal
Through the restaurant at the far end of the courtyard, the Jad Mahal’s bar is a local favourite spot to linger over cocktails by the bronze elephant until staff crank up the volume on a catchy song, the house cover-band arrives or diners break into spontaneous dance moves over an ‘80s tune, whichever comes first.
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Institut Français
Offers French language courses and hosts worthwhile concerts, films and dance performances.
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Diamant Noir
For its rare gay-friendly clientele on weeknights and seedy charm on weekends, the gravitational pull of ‘Le Dia’ remains undeniable. The dark dance-floor thumps with hip hop and gleams with mirrors and bronzer-enhanced skin, while professionals lurk at the shady end of the upstairs bar. Cash only.
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Cinéma Eden
The crowd here is rowdy, local and all-male, and where Bollywood sing-alongs reign supreme. Films are usually dubbed into Darija, except for the songs.
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Café Arabe
Gloat over souq purchases with cocktails on the roof at sunset or a glass of wine next to the Zen-zellij courtyard fountain. The pasta is limp and bland, but the lamb tajines are tasty, and wine prices are down to earth for such a stylish place.
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Bougainvillea
Recharge for your next lap of the souqs in this centrally located, arty fuschia riad with fresh-squeezed juices and serviceable sandwiches near the wall-o-water zellij fountain.
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L’Abyssin
Stay cool and look cooler lounging in white canvas pavilions set in the garden of the Palais Rhoul villa and spa. Once you’ve made your grand entrance down the reflecting-pool runway, you’ll want to make an evening of it here, and the Mediterranean and Moroccan food will see you through dinner (try the duck).
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Villa Flore
Dine in an art-deco-fabulous black-and-white riad on reinvented Moroccan salads and aromatic, meltingly tender lamb and duck, all presented in neat circles by stylishly suited waiters. Pull up a sofa near the French doors or sit in the sunny courtyard and unwind with a glass of wine, right in the heart of the souqs.
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Tobsil
In this intimate riad, 50 guests max indulge in button-popping five-course menus with aperitifs and wine pairings, as Gnawa musicians play in the courtyard. No excess glitz or bellydancers distract from upstanding mezze (salads), bastilla, tajines (yes, that’s plural) and couscous, capped with mint tea, fresh fruit and Moroccan pastries.
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Plats Haj Boujemaa
A reliable option where you can grab a stool under a sidewalk umbrella and trust the Haj to cook the meat of your choice to perfection. But be advised that even when properly cooked until golden, sheep’s testicles have a floury texture that’s hard to get over, not to mention stringy bits that stick in your teeth. That said, the chips are fantastic.
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Oliveri
Thermometers aren’t necessary in Marrakesh; all you need to gauge the heat are the lines at Oliveri. Ice creams have been made on these parlour premises for 50 years, and while the seasonal fresh fruit varieties are admirable, it’s the pistachio that inspires repeat pilgrimages.
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Nid’Cigogne
Get up close and personal with the storks across the way at the Saadian Tombs in this rooftop eatery. The grilled kefta (meatball) sandwiches, light salads and tajines are passable, but the view is memorable and service pleasant considering those steep stairs.
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Narwama
Opposites attract at Narwama, true to its name (fire and water) with unconventional combinations: Thai green curries and almond-and-cream bastilla (pastry), a DJ spinning Brazilian/Italian/Arabic tunes, and the best Moroccan mint mojito in town, all in a 19th-century riad with 21st-century Zen decor. Alcohol is served here.
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Mechoui Alley
Just before noon, the vendors at this row of stalls start carving up steaming sides of mechoui (slow-roasted lamb), as though expecting King Henry VIII for lunch. Point to the best-looking cut of meat, and ask for a ‘nuss’ (half) or ‘rubb’ (quarter) kilo. Some haggling might ensue, but should procure a baggie of falling-off-the-bone delicious lamb with fresh-baked bread, cumin, salt and olives (though you’re better off picking out your own across the souq).
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Le Chat Qui Rit
Come here for proper pasta: al dente, tossed with fresh produce and herbs, and drizzled with fruity olive oil. Corsican chef/owner Bernard comes out to ask about everyone’s pasta with the delight of a chef who already knows the answer. Seasonal seafood options are also a good bet, with fixings just in from the coast daily.
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Haj Mustapha
As dusk approaches, several stalls set out paper-sealed crockpots of tangia (lamb slow-cooked all day in the ashes of a hammam). This ‘bachelor’s stew’ makes for messy eating, but Haj Mustapha offers the cleanest seating despite dire bachelor decor (e.g faded photos in shattered picture frames). Use bread as your utensil to scoop up tangia, sprinkle with cumin and salt, and devour with olives.
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Café 16
The blonde-wood decor and the prices may seem European, but the welcome is Marrakshi and so are intriguing ice-cream flavours like mint tea and kaab el-gazelle (almond cookie). The home-made gold-leafed chocolate-coffee cream cake and raspberry-mousse cake are standouts.
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Beyrouth
Bright, lemony Lebanese flavours, with a mix-and-match mezze that’s a feast for two with tabouli, spinach pies and felafel for Dh160. The smoky, silky baba ghanoush (eggplant dip) here gives Moroccan eggplant caviar serious competition for the best Middle Eastern spread.
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Amandine
Observe local internet daters lingering over their coffee or knocking it back in record time at the marble-top espresso bar, and then pop over to the sunny desert salon for flaky croissants or velvety chocolate-mousse cake studded with raspberries.
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Kif-Kif
A hip boutique that engages the city’s most inventive artisans to come up with clever gifts. These include tote bags made of pop-art awning fabric, rings with interchangeable felt baubles and adorable striped-jersey baby jellabas – and 15% of the price on all kids’ items goes to a local non-profit organisation supporting disabled children.
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Al-Kawtar
A wonderful non-profit boutique, where you can find luxe household linens minutely embroidered along the edges for less than you’d pay for plain cotton back home. You can also get fabulous hand-stitched Marrakesh-mod tunics, dresses, shirts and pants off the rack or tailored to fit you – there’s no extra charge for alterations. All the items here are made by disabled women, and your purchases pay for their salaries, training programs and a child-care centre.
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