5 Foods You Must Eat in Marrakech

Marrakech is a feast for the senses — from the sizzling street food in the medina to the slow-cooked delicacies simmering in clay pots. If you’re planning a trip to the Red City, here are five dishes you absolutely need to try.

1. Tagine

The heart and soul of Moroccan cuisine. Whether made with lamb and prunes, chicken and preserved lemon, or seasonal vegetables, tagine is always deeply flavorful and aromatic. For a truly special experience, you can even learn to make your own tagine at Lalla Zehra. In a hands-on cooking class, you’ll cook with local ingredients straight from the garden and master the secrets of the spice blends. Best of all — you’ll take the knowledge (and recipe) home with you, so Marrakech lives on in your kitchen.

2. Couscous

Traditionally served on Fridays, couscous is Morocco’s comfort food. Fluffy semolina grains are steamed to perfection and topped with slow-cooked vegetables and meat, creating a dish that feels both celebratory and nourishing.

3. Tanjia

Often confused with tagine but very different, tanjia is a Marrakech specialty. Prepared in a clay urn and slow-cooked overnight in the embers of a hammam, it’s smoky, tender, and steeped in tradition.

4. Pastilla (B’stilla)

A dish that blurs the line between savory and sweet. Layers of paper-thin pastry are filled with spiced chicken (or pigeon), almonds, and cinnamon, then dusted with powdered sugar. It’s a true showstopper at Moroccan celebrations.

5. Bocadillos – The Local Street Sandwich

Step away from the tourist trail and grab a bocadillo, Morocco’s version of a street sandwich. Sold at tiny corner shops and market stalls, these crusty baguettes are stuffed with anything from fried fish and olives to spiced kefta or even French fries. Simple, quick, and utterly satisfying, they’re the kind of local food you’ll crave long after you’ve left Marrakech.

Insider Tip: A food tour is wonderful, but the magic really happens when you cook for yourself. At Lalla Zehra’s cooking class, you don’t just eat Marrakech — you become part of it.