Traditional Moroccan Food and Drinks to Try

I don’t consider myself much of a foodie, but I love eating different foods when traveling. Locals always seem to direct me to fast-food restaurants and going to Morocco was no different. On our free afternoon in Marrakech,  my friends and I ate our way through the Medina with Marrakech Food Tours to taste Moroccan cuisine.

In addition to visiting the local baker who bakes and sells bread for shop owners and neighbors, we ate Moroccan street food, snacks, and desserts. If you’re interested in what to eat in Morocco, here is a list of some traditional Moroccan food and drinks worth tasting.

Couscous

Couscous is the National Dish of Morocco. It is traditionally Berber food from the North African region served with slow-cooked stewed meat or vegetables on top. The couscous in Chefchaouen was so good and I had it again during our food tour in Marrakech. The shop on the tour was located in a special souk area for widowed women and mothers.

Men are traditionally the breadwinners in Moroccan culture, but it was nice to know that there is an opportunity for women to generate a source of income for themselves and their children. The restaurant owner also collects lunch orders and caters to souk shop owners.

Moroccan Mint Tea

Often served as a welcome drink, Moroccan Tea is one of the most traditional Moroccan drinks. You can find it in coffee shops, hotels, or when entering a local’s home. Green tea is the most typical type of Moroccan tea brewed with fresh mint and lots of sugar.

Cafe Noir or Nous nous

If you prefer coffee over tea, in Morocco there are two types of coffee that you can order in a Moroccan cafe: cafe noir or nous nous. Cafe noir is a small cup of espresso. Nous nous translates to half and half and is half milk and half espresso. Visiting a local cafe and ordering cafe noir or nous nous coffee will get you to be served as a local.

Nous nous was one of the traditional Moroccan drinks that came in handy for our early mornings, especially on the drive from Fez to Marrakech. Find out how to make impress your friends by making nous nous coffee at home in this post by Maroc Mama.

Pastilla

One meal in Morocco I wish I had a taste of is Pastilla. Pastilla is a stuffed pastry from Morocco, also known as b’stilla or bastilla. Itis traditionally made with pigeon, but commonly served as a sweet, savory meat pie or spicy seafood pie.

On my day trip to Chefchaouen from Fes, others from the tour were able to have pastilla for dinner in a Moroccan home. It is more reason for me to go back.

Tangia & Tagine

Tangia & tagine are common Moroccan foods named after the earthenware pots in which they are cooked. Tagine pots have a conically shaped top while a Tangia pots look like vases. Tangia is a local dish in Marrakech of mainly beef or lamb.

Our tour guide mentioned that Tangia is often called a “bachelor’s meal” since it only consists of meat; we ate ours with olive oil and freshly baked bread.

Poms Drink

Poms is an apple-flavored Moroccan soda. Dining in restaurants, coke products were recommended, but when we were offered poms, we really liked it!

The Poms soda honestly reminded me of a Solo Apple J from Trinidad. My friends loved it so much, that they bought bottles from a local supermarket to take home.

Most of the food in Morocco that we ate during our trip was filled with spices and very flavorful. If you’re visiting Morocco, I suggest going on a Moroccan food tour or finding a Moroccan cooking class on sites like Viator,Airbnb Experiences, or Expedia.

Learn how to make these Moroccan dishes firsthand and come home to share the recipes for these meals with friends and family. We stumbled across places to eat and had some suggestions from our tour, but you can see the restaurants with the best Moroccan dishes and where to eat in Morocco from sites like TripAdvisor.

I hope this guide on traditional Moroccan food to try was helpful in your planning. If you found this useful pin for later and share it with your social community.

You May Also Like

1 Week in Morocco Itinerary: How We Spent 7 Days in Morocco

What to Wear in Morocco as a Woman

Photo Diary of Beautiful Doors in Morocco

Have you tried any traditional Moroccan food or drinks before?