Where to eat in Fez, the thousand and one flavors of moroccan cuisine
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A little history to better understand and be transported by Moroccan gastronomy
The richness of Moroccan cuisine certainly comes from multiple influences linked to the kingdom's turbulent history.
The simple dishes based on fresh vegetables, semolina, and wheat come from
the original Berber settlement. When the Arabs arrived in Fez in the 9th
century, the cuisine of Morocco has been enhanced with new spices
(saffron, ginger) and new ways of cooking meat. Recipes for honey, almond, and pistachio cakes date from this period. With the Andalusians and the Jews
expelled from Spain in the 15th century, Moroccan cuisine was enriched with
refined dishes based on meat, fish, and subtly sweet/salty mixtures such as
the famous tajine of prunes or the pastilla of pigeons.
The Turkish influences recognized by eating skewers and grilled meats in Morocco would come from Algerians who fled their country in the 16th century, occupied by the Turks. To be exhaustive, it would also be necessary to speak of African influences, brought by trans-Saharan caravans and more recent English and French influences.
On the markets and on the street or how to eat cheap in morocco
In Morocco, it is possible to eat for a few dirhams whether in the cities
or in the countryside. Strolling through the streets of Fez we made whole
meals from market to market and from sidewalk to sidewalk. The R'Cif
market, in the shade of the reeds, is one of the largest markets in the
medina of Fez.
Grills and sandwiches of skewers
Street vendors or small grilled eateries treated us to meat sandwiches
flavored with spices and herbs. For 5 to 10 dirhams for 6 skewers, you will
find them in particular near Bab Boujeloud (at the beginning of rue Talaa
Kebira, towards the butchers), RCif, or Bab Ftout. We realized that it was
sometimes necessary to negotiate the price announced to tourists. Surprised
by the 25 dirhams that we were asked for the first time, compared to the
prices of the menus in the taverns and the standard of living, we paid a
little surprised. As far as we remember, we had almost never negotiated the
food while traveling. But by observing and renewing our grilled snacks, we
quickly understood that there it was necessary to ask the price before being
served!
Fassi style snails
We were surprised by these stands of snails cooked in a spicy broth, which
the inhabitants of Fez are so fond of.
Briouates
These sweet or savory puff pastry triangles that are easily spotted on the
stalls form a delicious snack, typical of Fez.
Traditional dishes on a corner of the table in a Gargote
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Immersed in the atmosphere of the medina, eating a rustic Moroccan dish in
a street eatery is an experience not to be missed in Fez.
Outside the house, it was one of my favorite times for dinner in the
evenings when I spent 2 months in Fez during an internship, about ten years
ago. I let myself be carried away by the smells of the adjoining markets and
the steaming dishes, the noise of casseroles, conversations in Arabic, and
the “balek balek” (attention) of porters and loaded donkey drivers crossing
the alleys of the medina.
Eight years later, these table corners are invaded by tourists with menus
in all languages and clearly identifiable signs with the TripAdvisor
recommendation symbol! Towards Bab Boujloud, you will find a whole line of
well-rated eateries from Chez Rachid to Chez Thami, supplied by many touts
who are not really unfriendly and polyglot ready to offer you the menu at 50
dirhams instead of 70. Even if the place is no longer authentic at all, you
will eat your fill of cheap tajines and couscous in the heart of the
bustling medina.
We much preferred to eat in the Bab Allah Gargotte a stone's throw from the
top of Talaa Kebira opposite the Bouanania restaurant. Here no tout, but a
couple of charming Moroccans. She, with the help of her sister, prepares
delicious dishes served all day until 11 p.m. He walks the few meters in
front of his 4 tables to tempt the customer and serves with great delicacy.
It is possible to order more elaborate dishes from them one day in advance,
such as fish tagines or pigeon pastilla.
Chickpea cakes
For a few dirhams, you can quench your appetite with this savory cake
sometimes slipped into a piece of baguette.
Some bread
The kresa, bread in the form of a flat pancake, is an essential element of
the Moroccan meal. To buy at the local communal oven or in all the stalls
for 1dh.
When everything seems closed at certain times on Ramadan days, you can
always find bread to buy that you can garnish with cheese spread, vegetables, or dried meat preserved in fat (khlia) found in the souks and markets.
Very appetizing pastries and delicacies
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Whether with squares of fried puff pancakes (msemen), fried pastries with
honey and sesame (shebbakia), gazelle horns (kaab el-ghzal), gourmets will
be spoiled for choice.
Our favorite gazelle horns in the medina are that of Haj Abdullah Namou,
attached to the Qaraouiyine Mosque. It is also the oldest ice cream parlor
in the city. The adjacent café offers a few tables, some of which are on the
mezzanine, which allows you to breathe a few minutes away from the sometimes
oppressive effervescence of this part of the medina.
But according to the inhabitants, the best gazelle horns, those prepared
with real almonds and not peanuts flavored with sweet almond extract, can be
bought in the new town, at the Qaraouane pastry shop for example.
There are also dried fruits, dates, and nougat stalls for snacks. Brightly
colored, these very photogenic stalls are scattered all over the medina, but
especially near the Qaraouiyne mosque and the mausoleum of Moulay
Idriss.
Fresh fruits
Depending on the season, fruit carts include exotic and local prickly
pears. They are prepared in front of us to eat on the go.
Picnic at the jnan sbil garden
Between Fes-el Bali and Fes-el Jdid, these magnificently rehabilitated
historic gardens were a nice surprise for this second stay in Fez (closed
for work the first time in 2008). Unexpected for picnicking or taking a
quiet break in the shade of palm trees and eucalyptus or near the water of
the ponds or the wadi, this favorite place for walks of the Fassi people is
a godsend for slow-travelers like us!
A little thirst perhaps after all that?
If we did not dare to drink water from the cup of the fountains, we took
advantage of the stalls of fresh fruit juice squeezed in front of us (from 4
to 7 DH) and various and varied cold drinks from the shops of the souk
(large bottle fresh water and small sodas at 6dh). Mint tea is drunk in a
café (full of chatty men playing with little horses or smoking a cigarette)
or on the panoramic terrace of a restaurant! Count 5 and 10 dirhams
depending on the place for a glass of mint tea.
Where to eat in fez in restaurants
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Often installed in beautiful historic residences, they are rarely cheap.
Some serve gourmet cuisine whose menus are around 300-400 dh and more. The
views of Fez from their terraces are all more beautiful than the
other.
If we have rarely eaten there, they represent our favorite places to have a
drink or take a break to rest our feet. Getting high on the roof terraces of
restaurants in Fez is an exquisite breath of fresh air in the heart of the
medina.
Here are some of our good addresses to take a gourmet break in fez
The Kasbah, at Bab Boujloud. The two terraces, the smaller of which
overlooks the lively Place Serrajine and the Baba Boujloud gate, are very
pleasant and inexpensive places to stop. The dishes are very good. It was my
canteen for going out and writing during my 2 months internship in
Fez.
the Clock Cafe (rue Tala Kebira), is more expensive, this cultural
and trendy café/restaurant on several floors has charming little terraces.
The perfectly flavored and spicy mutton burgers can satisfy those who are
hungry during a long trip! You still have to pay 90 dirhams to taste it with
fries.
The terrace of palace of fez place R'Cif: An address renowned for
its cuisine but which also offers some beautiful rooms (6 or 7 around 100
euros per night) in a refined atmosphere while remaining family-friendly.
The terrace is splendid and the fresh orange juice certainly more expensive
than in the street will leave you with a beautiful memory…
Café Noria: Just after leaving the Jnan Sbil garden, on the Fez Jdid side.
The address offers very good keftas (portions of fried fragrant minced
meat). We took a menu for two, which is not shocking at all in Morocco in
small restaurants. Very rich with an extra drink, we paid 110 Dh in all. The
garden of the restaurant is a haven of peace, you will find there as many
tourists as Moroccans on a walk.
In the houses of fez: ancestral or revisited Moroccan cuisine
It is undoubtedly at the inhabitant and in the riads that we ate the best
cuisine in Morocco. Indeed, Moroccan recipes take hours to prepare, which is
not possible for a restaurant.
In the street, we ate the day of our arrival a dish of chickpeas and meat.
We understood more or less afterward that it was about sheep's knees. Tasty
but quite difficult to eat and very gelatinous. In fact, this dish is
according to Moroccans very good but requires a lot of cleaning and a very
long preparation not always possible for small street cooks…
The quality of fresh products and the subtle know-how of mixing spices
requires experience like that of the women in the house or a real passion
like that of certain talented cooks and cooks.
In general, eating in Fez with the locals requires warning the day before
to possibly make your choice of the menu, allow the supply to the market,
and the preparation of the meal.
Sleep and eat in fez in the dar of mr and madame everyone
The dar is the traditional house of the Moroccan medinas. Protected from
the outside gaze, it lets nothing appear from the outside. Walking through
the narrow streets of the medina of Fez, one sees only high walls and a few
rare windows protected by grids of Moucharabiehs. Once past the chicane
entrance, the house is organized around the patio. The architecture of the
riad is also formed around a real open-air garden. There would be more than
10,000 houses in the medina of Fez. Real estate speculation linked to the
purchase of these residences with dream potential by foreigners,
fortunately, has not reached the level of Marrakech, and the fassi can
continue to live there (for the moment).
We slept with locals with a unique association in
Morocco, Zayaratesfes. To renovate or sometimes simply to be able to
maintain the dar of their ancestors, these Fassi families, often modest,
have fitted out a few inexpensive rooms in the medina of Fez to accommodate
travelers. The breakfast, often including all kinds of pancakes, is very
generous to start the day off right! Zorha prepared an exceptional couscous
for a whole day! Often count around 100 dirhams for a full meal.
Eat and sleep in a gourmet Riad in Fez
Many riads in Fez have been renovated into rooms or guest houses. There are
hundreds of them on Airbnb and Booking. Looking for a place
to sleep we tried to select the "official" guest rooms and those where the
owner lived on site (if possible Moroccan).
The Riads of ARMH FES pay particular attention to gastronomy.
They also organize Fez Gourmet, a dedicated event, for a fortnight in the
spring (possibility to book in all participating Riads with a single price
of 280dh for the full meal with water and mint tea).
Breaking the bank to sleep in one of these Riads is quite a magical
experience. Some of them even make it possible to reconcile sleeping like
princes in Fez and at a low price.
This is the case of the riad Dar Al Safadi where we slept a few
romantic nights during our last trip to Fez. On order, the meal (180
dirhams) consists of multiple exquisite dishes inspired by Moroccan cuisine
and revisited. Chantal and Fedoua prepared a typical Fez dish medfouna for
us, delicious starters of fresh produce (fragrant sardines, beets with fresh
goat cheese and mint, etc.), and even a dessert to end this feast just out of
gluttony! We had not chosen the menu this time and loved having the surprise
of the dishes brought throughout the dinner, like guests…
The last evening of this great weekend in Fez was the icing on the
cake!
Moroccan cooking class in fez
Having become a bit of a fashionable activity, learning to prepare a
Moroccan specialty is easy to organize during a trip to Fez. Cooking classes
are flourishing in particular in certain cafes and riads. Graciously or for
a hundred dirhams in the Riad where you are staying, up to 600 dirhams per
person at the Clock café, learn to make mint tea, a tajine, or discover
spices from the market stalls to the plate, is an experiment to be tested.
An equally fun activity when traveling to Morocco with children.
Our 10 favorite Moroccan specialties not to be missed during a trip to fez
THE EVER-PRESENT TAJINE
The essential dish in Morocco, was originally cooked by smothering it in an
earthenware cooking vessel by the Berbers. More and more prepared in a pot
to save time while nevertheless preserving the flavors, there are hundreds
of tagine recipes. Consisting of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit… the most
popular are perhaps the lamb tagine with prunes and almonds and the chicken
tagine with candied lemons.
THE FAMOUS COUSCOUS
Popular all over the world, this dish was traditionally eaten on Friday at noon after prayers. Sharing couscous with the family is a convivial moment.
It is prepared with meat, vegetables and legumes, and wheat semolina.
THE PASTILLA, FOR GREAT OCCASIONS
Without doubt, the Moroccan specialty that I prefer. Originally from Fez, it
is a kind of pie of pastry sheets traditionally stuffed with pigeon but also
with chicken and fish. The top is covered with icing sugar and
cinnamon.
This is the entrance to great occasions!
My first pigeon pastilla eaten at an engagement with my fingers around
small low tables will remain one of my most pleasant memories of my first
trip to Fez. Another long recipe to prepare, which is why the one you eat in
the street (usually not homemade) gives a little insight but does not come
close to the pastillas tasted in home.
THE LITTLE FORGOTTEN SEFFA MEDFOUNA
We tasted this dish from Fez that we did not know about in March during our last
trip. This is a recipe for chicken covered (because medfouna means buried)
with angel hair pasta steamed in a couscoussier several times in a row…
Another delicacy of Moroccan cuisine!
THE KAAB EL-GHZAL OR GAZELLE HORNS
Pastries in the shape of a crescent moon with almonds and orange blossom,
we particularly appreciate the Moroccan version. On the spot during a trip
to Morocco, it is a great snack that does not crush too much in the
backpack. The recipe is to be tried back home for guaranteed success!
THE INEVITABLE MINT TEA
A reflection of Moroccan hospitality and friendliness, mint tea is a
special ritual. Preparing mint tea requires knowing the ingredients of the
mint tea recipe but also the sequence of precise actions to be performed
with the metal teapot: washing the tea and removing its bitterness, infusing
the tea and the leaves of mint while preventing it from burning, mix the tea
and enhance its flavors. Without being connoisseurs, we quickly realize that
sometimes it is succulent and sometimes missed! Prepared with Chinese
green tea, it actually arrived quite late in Morocco around the 17th
century. In homes when mint tea is served with pastries, the “ceremonial”
mistress swirls hot water and a towel to rinse her hands.
HARIRA AND RAMADAN CUISINE
Moroccan soup, is rich, and very appreciated by Moroccans at the breaking of the
Ramadan fast. High in protein, it contains tomatoes, onions, pulses, meat,
coriander, and spices.
Traveling during Ramadan to Fez is not to be particularly avoided. It just
requires adapting and being a bit understanding (dedicated article to come
on traveling to Muslim countries during Ramadan). We felt welcomed with open
arms. An excellent way to discover Moroccan culture and cuisine, during this
month is both full of restraint (fasting, dress code, religious
prohibitions) and full of excess (lack of sleep, gargantuan meals,
etc.).
THE BRIOUATES
These filled donuts will certainly remind you of something! There are many
variations of it around the world. In India and Asia, they are called
samosas, in Africa sambusa, in Portugal chamuça…
In Morocco, briouates are also sweetened with almonds and honey.
A treat, to be enjoyed with your fingers during a walk in the medina. A
must for street food in Fez!
THE ORANGE AND CARROT SOUP HIDE ITS GAME WELL
The orange, which is frequently found in Moroccan cuisine, goes very well
with the carrot, and the touch of cumin is associated with this soup. Established
in Morocco by the Berbers, we discovered it in Tamtatouch at the auberge
Baddou in the Todra Valley and found in Fez at the Ryad el Safadi. Seeming
like child's play to redo, we tried to prepare the orange soup and the
Moroccan carrot on our return from our long romantic weekend in Fez, to
introduce it to our minibars. Without success… Ah… the art of seasoning and
handling spices… we still have work to do!
MOROCCAN SALADS DO YOU WANT IT?
Arranged on small plates around the main course, they also reflect all the
subtlety of Moroccan cuisine. Nothing to do with the cubed or grated beets
and carrots that are served in Fez on tourist menus! The raw material is
certainly fresh but the taste is not there. With friends, homestays, or at
tables d'hôtes, we feasted on the tomato and cucumber salad garnished with
candied lemon, herbs, and spices or the kind of eggplant ratatouille cooked
in olive oil and wonderfully scented (Zaalouk) to name but a few.
What's up Doc? Eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day is good, especially
when they are fresh!
Discovering the flavors of Moroccan cuisine is a delicious experience not
to be missed during a trip to Fez. Fruit of an impressive melting pot, it is
difficult to get tired given the variety of gastronomy. Unfortunately, the
stereotypical tourist menus of the medina might lead you to believe
otherwise. So push open the doors to find where to sleep and where to eat in
Fez, with locals and in the tables d'hôtes of the riads.
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