Moroccan Food: Best Dishes to Try & Where to Eat

Updated October 27, 2026 · by The Magic Morocco

Moroccan cuisine is one of the world's great food traditions, built on slow cooking, fragrant spices and fresh seasonal produce. Meals are shared, generous and unhurried. Here are the dishes worth seeking out, with advice on where and how to eat them.

The classic dishes

• Tagine: a slow-cooked stew named after the conical clay pot it is cooked in. Try lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon and olives, or vegetable tagine.
• Couscous: steamed semolina topped with vegetables and meat, traditionally served on Fridays after prayers.
• Pastilla (bastilla): a flaky pie of spiced pigeon or chicken with almonds, dusted with sugar and cinnamon, a speciality of Fes.
• Harira: a tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, the traditional dish for breaking the Ramadan fast.
• Tanjia: a Marrakech speciality of beef or lamb slow-cooked in a clay urn, historically in the embers of a hammam furnace.
• Mechoui: whole roast lamb, cooked slowly until it falls off the bone.
• Zaalouk and bissara: an aubergine salad and a fava bean soup, both great vegetarian options.

Street food and snacks

Night-time food stalls in Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech serve grilled meats, sheep's head, snail soup and harira. Along the Atlantic, Essaouira has stalls with just-caught grilled sardines and shellfish. Elsewhere, look for msemen (layered flatbread), baghrir (thousand-hole pancakes) and sandwiches of grilled kefta.

Sweets and drinks

Mint tea, poured from a height into small glasses, is the national drink and a sign of welcome. Pastries include chebakia (sesame and honey), gazelle horns (almond-filled crescents) and sellou, a sweet made of toasted flour, nuts and spices. Fresh orange juice is sold everywhere for a few dirhams.

Regional specialities

Fes is known for refined pastilla and rich stews, Tangier and the coast for fish and seafood, the north for Spanish-influenced dishes, and the south for argan oil, dates and almonds. Our guides to Marrakech and Essaouira include more specific suggestions.

Tips for eating in Morocco

• Choose busy places with high turnover, and peel fruit you buy from stalls.
• Drink bottled water and avoid ice unless you are sure it is made from purified water.
• Alcohol is served in licensed restaurants, bars and hotels, but not in most local cafes.
• Agree prices for guided food tours in advance, and consider a cooking class in Marrakech or Fes.
• Eat with your right hand, using bread to scoop food from the shared dish.

Frequently asked questions

What is Morocco's national dish?

Couscous and tagine are both considered national dishes. Couscous is traditionally eaten on Fridays, while tagine is the everyday classic.

Is Moroccan food spicy?

Usually no. It is fragrant and aromatic, using cumin, cinnamon, ginger and saffron rather than chilli. Harissa chilli paste is served on the side.

Is Morocco good for vegetarians?

Yes. Vegetable tagines, couscous, salads, soups such as bissara and zaalouk are widely available, though you may need to ask for meat-free stock.