Moroccan food blends Amazigh (Berber), Arab, Andalusian, Jewish and French influences into one of the world's most celebrated cuisines. It balances sweet and savoury, using spices such as cumin, saffron, ginger, cinnamon and paprika, alongside preserved lemons, olives, dried fruit and fresh herbs. Meals are shared from a common dish and eaten with bread.

Tagine

A tagine is both a conical clay pot and the slow-cooked stew made in it. Classics include chicken with preserved lemon and olives, lamb with prunes and almonds, and kefta (meatballs) with eggs and tomato. Tagines are eaten by scooping the food with pieces of khobz, round Moroccan bread.

Couscous

Couscous, steamed semolina served with vegetables and meat, is traditionally eaten on Friday after midday prayers, when families gather. Couscous was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2020 as a shared tradition of Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia.

Other classics

  • Pastilla (bastilla): a flaky pastry pie traditionally filled with pigeon or chicken, almonds, eggs and spices, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar. A seafood version is also popular.
  • Harira: a tomato, lentil and chickpea soup with herbs, eaten to break the fast during Ramadan with dates and chebakia (sesame and honey pastries).
  • Tanjia: a Marrakech speciality of beef or lamb cooked for hours in a clay urn in the embers of a hammam furnace.
  • Mechoui: whole lamb slow-roasted until it falls apart, served at celebrations.
  • Rfissa: shredded msemen or trid pastry with chicken, lentils and fenugreek, traditionally served after childbirth.

Street food

Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech, a UNESCO-recognised cultural space, fills each evening with food stalls serving grilled meats, snail soup, sheep's head and fried fish. Elsewhere, try msemen (square flaky pancakes), bissara (fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin), sfenj (doughnuts) and fresh orange juice.

Mint tea

Mint tea, green tea brewed with fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar, is Morocco's national drink and a symbol of hospitality. It is poured from a height to create foam, and guests are typically offered three glasses. Turning down tea entirely can seem impolite.

Hospitality and eating customs

  • Eat with your right hand, using bread to scoop food from your section of the shared dish.
  • Wash your hands before the meal; hosts often bring a basin and kettle to the table.
  • Expect to be offered more food repeatedly. Leaving a little on your plate signals you are full.
  • If invited to a home, bring sweets, pastries or tea; do not bring alcohol unless you know your hosts drink.

Ramadan

During Ramadan, most Moroccans fast from dawn to sunset. Many cafés and restaurants close during the day, especially outside tourist areas, and working hours are shortened. At sunset, iftar begins with dates, milk and harira, and cities come alive at night. Non-Muslims are not required to fast but should avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during the day.

Other customs

  • Greet with "salam alaikum"; handshakes are common, and close friends of the same sex exchange cheek kisses.
  • Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, particularly outside resorts.
  • Haggling is expected in souks, and is good-natured.
  • Ask before photographing people.
  • Non-Muslims generally cannot enter mosques, with Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque the main exception.

For costs and data, see our Morocco country guide or read about moving to Morocco.