Where to Eat in Morocco: 7 Best Restaurants in Casablanca
SOURCE: MOROCCO WORLD NEWS
BY: JIHAD DARDAR
Casablanca has a variety of unique restaurants that offer their guests an authentic experience with delicious Moroccan and global delicacies.
Morocco’s cuisine is one of the main attractions of many tourists, and Casablanca has various restaurants that anyone traveling to the big city should visit to experience some of the best authentic and diverse Moroccan gastronomy.
Casablanca is Morocco’s economic capital and the largest city in the Maghreb region with a population of nearly four million. The economic hub is Morocco’s main Atlantic port and has the largest financial centers in Africa. It also possesses a rich history that is evident in its multi-culturalism, mixed Moorish and modern architecture, and of course, exquisite food.
Morocco’s cuisine is characterized by its rich and diverse flavors that merge Amazigh, Andalusian, and Mediterranean cuisine as well as European, Arab, and sub-Saharan influences.
Given that Morocco primarily follows a Mediterranean diet, many of its famous traditional dishes are healthy and mainly consist of vegetables and whole grains, such as tagine, couscous, rfissa, salads, and soups, an asset for vegan tourists.
You can find exquisite restaurants in many places in Casablanca. Most of them are not restricted to serving a solely Moroccan menu; you will find other delicacies from around the world such as French, Indian, Spanish, Syrian, Mexican, Italian, and Japanese. These are seven of the best restaurants in Casablanca that will help you decide where to eat during your trip to Morocco.
La Sqala
La Sqala offers a traditional Moroccan dining experience and is one of the best restaurants in Casablanca. It is located in the 18th century fortified bastion in the old medina, north of Casablanca center. The restaurant is unique with its charming environment and delightful flavors.
If you are looking for a relaxing and laid-back restaurant that is both beautiful and offers a variety of traditional Moroccan dishes, then La Sqala is perfect for you. With its diverse interior, you can choose to dine either inside the glass-walled porch, the traditionally decorated restaurant, or in the courtyard, which boasts an Andalusian garden with gorgeous greenery and a fountain decorated with colored tiles.
The restaurant’s menu mainly consists of Moroccan cuisine, serving famous traditional dishes such as tagine, couscous, chicken briwat, bastilla, and kebabs. For pastries and drinks, La Sqala also offers a variety of Moroccan delicacies, such as harcha, msemen (Moroccan pancakes), fresh fruits cocktails, coffee, and Moroccan mint tea.
In addition, the restaurants also offer their guests cultural events such as photo exhibitions, fashion shows, musical evenings, and artisan gatherings.
Le Cabestan
The Moroccan restaurant Le Cabestan has one of the best locations in Casablanca. It is situated beneath the lighthouse in La Corniche, Casablanca’s bustling beachfront, which is home to an entertainment center that attracts people looking for a fun night out or a relaxing view of the beach.
Besides its breathtaking ocean views, Le Cabestan is a chic and fancy dining place with a modern interior design and bright colors, as well as a DJ in the background playing all the new hits and keeping guests entertained.
Established in 1927, the luxurious restaurant offers a Mediterranean menu influenced by French and Spanish cuisine and Moroccan flavors, serving classical dishes such as fois gras, sole meuniere, goat cheese salad, parrillada, as well as fresh drinks and cocktails.
Rick’s Cafe
Inspired by the iconic 1942 film “Casablanca,” Rick’s Cafe is a restaurant in a courtyard-style mansion in the old media. The old mansion was transformed in 2004 into a unique restaurant, bar, and lounge. It is one of the best restaurants for lovers of film and history and a must-visit for fans of the film “Casablanca.”
The interior decor and ambiance take you right back to the old movie’s setting, with a piano, bar, brass light fixtures, curved arches, and fireplaces.
Rick’s Cafe’s intimate and intriguing atmosphere attracts many guests that become frequent customers due to the lovely service, beautiful music, and a menu that consists of mixed Moroccan and French cuisine.
The film-inspired restaurant offers a variety of dishes made of fresh seafood and vegetables such as black pepper filet mignon, sea bass with saffron rice, lamb chops, chili, and hamburgers. The place also offers drinks and cocktails.
Restaurant du Port de peche
If you are a seafood lover, the Port de Peche in the center of Casablanca’s port is your next destination. The capital city is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and home to one of the major ports in North Africa, giving rise to many seafood restaurants. Port de Peche is definitely one of the more famous ones and easily ranks among the best restaurants to visit in Casablanca.
The restaurant is especially packed during lunch and dinner hours, attracting locals and tourists alike. Port de Peche is a spacious restaurant with a unique sea-themed interior design, using nets and boating knots as curtains.
With its professional and welcoming service, Port de Peche offers various delicacies fresh from the sea, such as shrimp, oyster, shellfish, calamari, fried fish, and the restaurant’s classic paella.
Nkoa
Nkoa is a fusion restaurant in Casablanca that offers a unique experience with its laid-back atmosphere and mix of different cuisines such as African, Mexican, European, and Asian. With its Moroccan touch and style, Nkoa is one of the best restaurants to visit in Casablanca.
The contemporary and hip restaurant has a European atmosphere with modern interior design, art, and elegant furniture that attracts guests of all ages. The restaurant’s decor is not the only thing that attracts frequent visitors—it has tasty food and unique flavors that are different from what you might find elsewhere.
The restaurant creates its dishes by mixing global cuisines and European culinary arts for a sophisticated food experience with reasonable prices. Some of its must-try delicacies are the Zulu, a black bun burger with fig sauce, as well as the Iranian herb frittata and Chilean crevice.
ILOLI
Many of the best restaurants in Casablanca do not restrict their menu only to Moroccan food but offer different types of cuisines for locals and the tourists visiting from around the world.
If you are craving some Japanese food during your trip to Morocco, then ILOLI restaurant in Casablanca is where you need to be. The sophisticated restaurant has a charming, warm, and zen atmosphere that will put you in the mood to try some sushi.
Served on handmade ceramic ware, the Japanese restaurant offers a variety of seafood dishes, with meat and vegetable additions such as the classic sushi, sashimi, black cod, and turbot meuniere with yuzu. ILOLI is defiantly the restaurant for you if you are looking to indulge in some tasty Japanese food and enjoy a relaxing evening.
Al Mounia
Al Mounia is a traditional Moroccan restaurant in Casablanca, located in an ancient and beautiful courtyard villa that offers an authentic food experience for its guests. You can choose to enjoy your meal either in the elegant Moroccan saloon with colorful zellige tilework or in the green garden with beautiful arches.
The restaurant is one of the oldest dining places in Casablanca and it is famous amongst the locals and tourists for its welcoming atmosphere, warmth, and professionalism, making it an ideal showcase of Moroccan hospitality.
The menu consists mainly of Moroccan traditional dishes such as couscous, vegetable or lamb tagine, bastilla with chicken or pigeon, and kebabs. It also serves delicious Moroccan desserts and pastries, as well as fresh juices. Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or a meat lover, you will find your perfect Moroccan dish at Al Mounia.
Morocco’s commercial city and economic capital, Casablanca has a rich history and diverse culture that makes it home to some of the best restaurants in the country.
Traveling to Casablanca might be overwhelming at first, and you may not know where to eat to have a memorable experience when you travel to Morocco. These seven restaurants are some of the best in Casablanca, offering delicious food as well as a gorgeous atmosphere.