Listed as a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site since 2020, couscous is part of all celebrations in Morocco, and on all family tables on Friday, the traditional day off.
Couscous is the traditional dish in Morocco, the one that has always brought the family together on Friday noon, after the great prayer. In Morocco, couscous reflects a rich multicultural heritage. No longer durum wheat semolina but barley semolina in the Berber tradition, in a sweet/salty Jewish-style version or a seven-vegetable bidawi… Each region, each family has its own couscous without counting the contemporary versions imagined by creative chefs.
From vegan couscous to dchicha soussia to milk broth, here are 6 restaurant to eat best couscous in Marrakech :
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1. Jajjah by Hassan Hajjaj
Every Friday at noon, you can watch the couscous of the day being made before enjoying it, the kitchen is open to the dining room. A bias for Hassan Hajjaj, the pop artist behind this place which is a tribute to pop culture. Recycled furniture, ambient soundtrack, and works by contemporary Moroccan artists: the decor is quirky but the couscous is a piece of art almost- soft beef, tasty vegetables, and small onions.
The price: 6.5 euros per couscous.
Address: Jajjah. 114-116 Sidi Ghanem Industrial District. Such., Marrakech
2. Amal
With its large shaded terrace, it is the meeting place for Moroccan people on Fridays at lunchtime. This means that it is advisable to reserve your table in advance from noon. In the kitchen, which can be seen behind a large window, a brigade of cooks: this place is the showcase and the training center of an association supporting women in difficult situations. With beef, chicken, or vegetarian, the couscous is delicious, served with durum wheat semolina, fine as the regulars like it. For dessert, try the exquisite homemade cornes d’gazelle (gazelle horns).
The price: 4 euros for vegetarian couscous, 5 euros for chicken or beef couscous, by reservation only on Fridays.
Address: Amal . The intersection of rue Allal Ben Ahmed and rue Aïcha. Such.
3. Some Coffee Shop
Here is a couscous that has every chance of transforming the most convinced carnivore into a fan of vegetarian cuisine! Not an ounce of meat to top the barley semolina prepared by the nimble fingers of a women’s cooperative in the Atlas, but stewed onions and raisins flavored with cinnamon, – the tfaya –, decorated with dried fruits. And vegetables: crunchy turnips, tasty carrots, or melting pumpkin. Everything is grown organically, and you can feel it from the first bite savored under the foliage of the lemon tree of this beautiful Art Deco villa in the Guéliz district. Reservation recommended, couscous is only served on Fridays!
The price: 7 euros for the couscous.
Address: Some Coffee Shop , 76 bld El Mansour Eddahbi. Such., Marrakech
4. Palace Cour de Lions (Es Saadi Palace)
In the sumptuous chiseled decor of La Cour des Lions, the Moroccan restaurant of the Es Saadi Palace, the couscous menu is an ode to the diversity of the kingdom. The menu was designed by Fatema Hal (La Mansouria), anthropologist, chef, and ambassador of Moroccan cuisine in the spirit of this address attached to tradition. We witness the incredible transformations of the tiny seed, which can take on ethereal forms when like the Berber version with fragrant mountain barley accompanied by squash, turnips, and dried fava beans. Did you know that semolina can also be shaped with corn? A gluten-free version is enjoyed alongside saffron-infused monkfish: in Morocco, the ocean also influences couscous!
The price: 26 euros for couscous, 20 euros for the vegetarian version.
Address: La Cour des Lions . Ibrahim El Mazini Street. Wintering. Such., Marrakech
5. The Douar (M Avenue)
Issam Rhachi, the chef of this address on the brand new M Avenue, drew his inspiration from the repertoire of the douars (villages) where all the variations flourish, and from the great multicultural pot of Morocco. You can taste this variant on the bohemian chic rooftop which dominates the avenue with, as a bonus, five stands where you can see the women rolling the seeds, preparing the spices, or shaping the cakes. And a shop on the ground floor to stock up on tableware for a home remake.
The price: from 16 euros for couscous, 6 euros for dessert.
Address: The Douar Meydene . M Avenue Avenue de la Ménara. Such., Marrakech
6. La Grande Table Marocaine at Royal Mansour
Every Friday at lunchtime, La Grande Table Marocaine of Royal Mansour welcomes guests for a menu designed around couscous. A real experience for all the senses where refinement is in the smallest detail, from the infinitely nuanced marbles to the gilded tableware. We start by learning about the delicate blend of flavors with cooked salads, pumpkin with almonds, or carrots with mauve olives before savoring the couscous offered in three versions, including a dchicha soussia with barley semolina, chicken, turnips, and beans in a most royal fondant! Couscous here is, as it should be, a pillar of the menu.
The price: 40 euros for the couscous menu also includes Moroccan salads and a dessert (milk pastilla or orange salad), from 40 euros for the whole wheat couscous with vegetables à la carte
Address: Royal Mansour . Rue Abou El Abbas Sebti, Marrakech. Such.
