BEST restaurants in Essaouira (ultimate guide on where to eat)
You wouldn’t necessarily expect this small, windswept Atlantic port to be one of Morocco’s best places to eat. But Essaouira has always been a crossroads, shaped over the centuries by Portugal and France and layered over its Berber, Arab and Jewish roots, and all of that history turns up on the plate. Fresh fish straight off the boats, fragrant tagines, Italian trattorias hidden down medina alleys, rooftop tables that fill at sunset. For such a small city, the choice is enormous.
We’ve eaten our way around town over several visits, so this guide pulls together our favourite restaurants in Essaouira, the ones worth booking, the best cheap eats, and what to order when you get there.
Quick answer: the best restaurants in Essaouira
Short on time? Here’s where to start:
Best for a special dinner: La Clé de Voûte, La Coupole Essaouira Beach
Best rooftop in the medina with live music: Salut Maroc, KSOU
Best for a Moroccan twist and cocktails: Dar Baba
Best family lunch in the medina: Délices & Saveurs de Mogador
Best for sea views and sunset: La Coupole Essaouira Beach, Ocean Vagabond, Beach and Friends
Best Italian: Gusto Italia, Taverna Bolognese Da Maurizio
Best garden escape outside the walls: Koozina Garden
Best cheap eats: Fishburger, Jojoba Crepes
Roughly how much: a meal for a family of four at a smart restaurant comes in around £20-£30 per person with drinks. Street food and café breakfasts cost a fraction of that. Alcohol is the one thing priced closer to European levels.
Why Essaouira is such a good place to eat
Until the 1960s, Essaouira was known by its Portuguese name, Mogador, and that trading-port past is exactly why the food here is so varied. Waves of merchants, sailors and settlers all left something behind, so alongside the local cuisine you’ll find French bistro plates, Spanish influences, Italian pasta and European fusion, often on the same street. Even the traditional Moroccan cuisine here has its own coastal accent, built around the day’s catch as much as the spice box.
The spices are the constant. Cumin, cinnamon, paprika and saffron scent almost everything, from a slow-cooked tagine to a bowl of harira lentil soup. And then there’s amlou, the nutty, moreish spread made from ground roasted almonds, argan oil and honey that’s surprisingly good on warm bread at breakfast. Argan trees grow only in this corner of Morocco, so Essaouira is one of the best places anywhere to try it.
The choice of restaurants, cafés and bars is huge, with the heaviest concentration packed inside the medina walls. Turn left or right through the maze of streets, and you’ll find ornate doorways opening onto Tardis-like eateries, and cool, contemporary bars lit by traditional lanterns and candlelight. Head out along the seafront instead, and you reach a cluster of chic, boho places where you can watch camels being led across the sand against a backdrop of crashing waves.
Eating in the medina
The walled medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is where most of your meals will happen, and half the fun is stumbling on somewhere you’d never have found on a map. On every corner you’ll come across something to eat, whether it’s backpackers pulling up plastic stools for eggs and bread, little cafés serving strong coffee and slices of cake, or the market stalls sitting among fishmongers, bread sellers and argan oil merchants.
Place Moulay Hassan, the main square, is the natural hub, ringed with cafés and crepe stands and perfect for people-watching over a mint tea. From there the streets fan out, and the rewards are down the quieter alleys, where you’ll find the hidden doorways that lead somewhere special.
Dar Baba
We loved it here. Set in the heart of the medina, its entrance tucked between rugs for sale, Dar Baba is cool and contemporary with a Moroccan twist. Three dimly lit floors, brilliant interiors, hanging chandeliers and basket lanterns, pink walls and pops of colour.
The drinks are excellent – my margarita was made perfectly, and the menu leans European with a Spanish accent. I had punchy chicken and preserved lemon croquettes and some wonderfully tender octopus. The kids had steak, my friend had lamb that fell apart at the fork. There’s a rooftop and a good bar too, so it works just as well for a drink as a full dinner.
Salut Maroc
Salut Maroc is another favourite we keep coming back to. A lively spot with two-tiered rooftop dining, and the Gnaoua musicians here are excellent. Be warned, it’s high up and can get chilly, though the staff will bring you blankets. We prefer the first tier, under the heaters.
The menu isn’t huge, but the food is good. We had a seafood paella loaded with prawns, calamari and mussels, while the kids devoured the burgers. The chips are a hit, huge rectangles stacked on the plate. It’s loud and lively, so don’t come here for a quiet candlelit dinner – come for the atmosphere. This is also where the kids dared me to get up and dance to the Gnaoua, and I did, joining half the waiting staff. They were mortified. I loved it.
Délices & Saveurs de Mogador
Wander through the medina towards the old Jewish quarter, and the little blue chairs and yellow tablecloths of this family restaurant catch your eye. It’s a lovely spot for traditional Moroccan food away from the crowds, and everyone was jealous of my meatball and egg tagine, deeply tomatoey and tasty, with the whole table dipping their khobz (bread) into it. Great menu, warm welcome, and a good place to duck into when you need a breather from the medina.
La Clé de Voûte
If you want one standout dinner in Essaouira, book this one. Hidden down a small alley near the French Institute on Rue Laalouj, it’s easy to walk straight past. Inside, it’s a husband-and-wife team, with the wife heading up the kitchen, cooking a refined fusion of French and Moroccan built around the market and the day’s catch. The lamb shank is the dish everyone talks about, but the crab ravioli, the giant prawns and the monkfish are all worth your time, and there’s a real wine list to go with them, which is rarer than you’d think in Morocco. Prices are higher by local standards but a fraction of what this level of cooking would cost in Europe.
The Loft
A small, stylish room decked out in salvaged wood and playful retro furniture from the sixties and seventies, The Loft is a fun change from traditional Moroccan cooking. The menu is Mediterranean and seafood-led, and the dish to order is the avocado and crab tartare, closely followed by the grilled octopus. It doesn’t serve alcohol, but the fresh juices and mint tea more than do the job. Book ahead, as it’s small and popular.
Restaurant Sayef
A warm, family-run place in the heart of the medina, on Rue d’Agadir, serving classic Moroccan and Mediterranean cooking. Think tagines, couscous, grilled fish and a rotating board of daily specials, all at fair prices. The owner speaks several languages and goes out of his way to make you feel welcome, and the candlelit room is a cosy spot for dinner. Regulars rave about the tuna steak and the crispy goat’s cheese starter.
Taverna Bolognese Da Maurizio
Blink, and you’ll miss this tiny Italian restaurant, hidden down an alley off the medina’s main thoroughfare. Run by an Italian family, it could be a trattoria in a little Italian village, and it’s the spot to head to when you want a break from Moroccan food. The freshly made pizzas are excellent, with a long list of toppings, and there’s pasta, risotto and salads, too. It’s tiny, so book ahead, though there’s a little seating outside.
Rooftop dining and live music
Eating up high is a rite of passage in Essaouira, and the best rooftop terraces fill quickly with the in-crowd. Some look out over a sea of medina rooftops, others over the waves, all angling for a table as the sun drops. Salut Maroc is our go-to for a rooftop dinner in the medina, with live music and a two-tiered terrace, and KSOU (in the recommendations below) is another strong medina option. Down on the seafront, La Coupole’s upstairs terrace is the pick for a sunset over the water.
That live music is often Gnaoua, the hypnotic, trance-like sound that defines the city, born from sub-Saharan African, Berber and Sufi roots. Even if you don’t seek it out, you’ll hear it drifting out of restaurants across the medina after dark, and it’s a huge part of what makes eating out here feel like an event.
Eating by the beach
Follow the seafront away from the medina and the mood shifts. The buildings thin out, the crowds ease, and you reach a run of chic, boho beach restaurants with an ocean view and the odd camel wandering past. This is where to head for a long, lazy lunch with your toes more or less in the sand.
La Coupole Essaouira Beach
One of our Essaouira favourites, about a five-minute drive from the medina. It’s an arty, eco-minded beachfront spot facing Mogador Island, with a sunny ground-floor terrace and an upstairs terrace that’s the one to book for sunset. There’s always a warm welcome, a chic, tropical vibe and a DJ spinning something jazzy as the light drops. The menu is Mediterranean and fusion, balancing land and sea, and last time I had the lamb shank, which came off the bone, and a goat’s cheese salad. Others rave about the octopus, the John Dory and the gourmet burger. It’s one of the pricier spots, but still great value against home; three courses with wine works out far less than it would in the UK. There are good options for kids too, with generous portions, so it’s a safe bet for families.
Ocean Vagabond
The original beach hangout and still the coolest, Ocean Vagabond has been part of Essaouira’s surf scene since 1995, and it’s as much a way of life as a restaurant. The motto, painted up somewhere, is “no time, no news, no shoes”, and that tells you everything. You sit on a tree-lined terrace or a sun lounger with your feet more or less in the sand, facing the island of Mogador, watching camels and horses saunter past, and kitesurfers skim the bay beyond. It doubles as a surf and watersports centre, so there’s always a bit of life about it.
The food is Mediterranean and market-led, a short menu of fresh fish, seafood and seasonal veg with the odd flourish, from a Bali bowl with salmon and avocado to Saint-Pierre in coconut milk. There’s usually a big board of specials, which I went for, and my moussaka was delicious, served with a generous pile of salad, while my husband’s lamb kebab was tender. The pizza is a real hit, light and crisp-based, and it comes up again and again as some of the best on this stretch of coast. It’s a good 20 to 25 minute walk along the beach from the medina, or a quick petit taxi, and worth the wander. There’s a happy hour and live music some evenings, and it opens for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights year-round.
La Panoramique
Right on the sand near Ocean Vagabond, La Panoramique is a beautifully done-out beachfront spot, all pared-back Japandi style, natural wood and plenty of shaded corners, with entrances from both the beach and the road behind. It works from morning to night, and people who stay in the area tend to end up here again and again for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s one of the best breakfasts on the beach, we had crepes and omelettes looking out over the water, and it’s a low-key start to a beach day.
Come back later, and the menu widens out to burgers, a well-liked fishburger, a sardine-ball tagine, salads and grilled fish, with good coffee, milkshakes and cocktails. The kitchen is happy to adapt dishes, handy if anyone’s gluten-free or fussy, and portions are generous for the price. You could easily settle in for the whole day, then stay on for a sunset dinner.
Beach and Friends
Down at the far end of the beach, where the surfers surf and the camels hang out, Beach and Friends is the most party-ish of the bunch. Sink into one of the big sofas or grab a lounger with your feet in the sand, watch the kitesurfers and horses go by, and settle in. It’s a full-on beach club, with a huge shaded terrace, chilled by day, livelier by night, with DJs, live bands and the odd karaoke evening, and it’s a favourite sundowner spot because the sun sets over the Atlantic right in front of you.
The menu is easygoing and international, with pizzas, burgers, salads, tapas and daily specials, with a decent kids’ selection of ice creams, soft drinks and simple plates, plus beer on tap, wine and cocktails at fair prices. It’s a good 20-minute walk from the medina, or a flat-fee petit taxi for a few dirhams, and it’s exactly where you want to be when you’ve had your fill of the medina and just want to lie back and do nothing. One heads-up, arrive on foot and the camel and horse handlers will try their luck, harmless enough, but they can be persistent.
Gusto Italia
Also out near the beach, Gusto Italia is the pick if you’re craving real Italian. It’s the smartest Italian restaurant in town, a modern room run by an Italian owner, with ingredients brought in from Italy, homemade ravioli, crisp thin-based pizzas, fresh fish and a big wine list. It’s dinner only, and it’s an easy stroll along the beach from the medina, or a short taxi if you ask for Gusto by name.
Beyond the medina: a garden escape
Koozina Garden
Just outside the medina, Koozina is a little oasis when the heat gets too much. It’s a French-inspired garden patio with a shop attached and small chequered tablecloths, and it’s all about fresh food and freshly squeezed juices. We had avocado sourdough toast with eggs and mint tea, and the specials board ran to octopus and fresh fish. The owner, an elegant lady, chatted to us and made us feel completely at home, and it was great value. A lovely find in pretty surroundings, and a good lunch stop if you want a breather from the medina.
Les Jardin des Douars
For a treat, drive out towards the airport to Les Jardin des Douars, a hotel with a restaurant open to non-guests for lunch and dinner. We came a few times to play padel, then bought day passes to use the pool before a late flight home. Lunch is served under palm trees on a shaded terrace, with a wide range of European-inspired food, I had burrata and beetroot to start, fresh and moreish, then a fish burger with plenty of tartare sauce. Prices are on the higher side, but you’re paying for the setting as much as the food.
Street food, cafés and cheap eats
You do not need to spend much to eat well in Essaouira. Some of our happiest meals were the cheapest, grabbed on the hoof between wanders through the souks. Even the bread became a ritual: khobz, the round, flat, rustic Moroccan loaf, was a staple at every single meal for us, perfect for dipping into tagines and sauces and great with cheese. We found a bakery near our villa and set out each morning for loaves still warm from the oven. You’ll find it everywhere, but there’s something special about buying it fresh first thing.
Jojoba Crepes
You can’t miss the green-fronted crepe stall in the heart of the medina. Imagine any sweet filling and combination you fancy and it’ll be on the menu, the kids went straight for Nutella and Biscoff every time. Crepes are my own weakness, and there are stands all around Place Moulay Hassan too if you can’t make it to Jojoba.
Fishburger
Right by the entrance to the medina, Fishburger is a popular, cheap spot with shaded tables. If you’ve never considered a battered fish burger, try one here, it makes a brilliant change from a meat burger, and they’re really tasty. An easy, quick lunch when you don’t want to sit down for an hour.
Mandala Society
One of the best cafes in the medina for a pause, we stopped here for an iced tea, a coffee and a snack, and it turned out to be a brilliant people-watching spot, all locals and tourists mingling past the window. A warm welcome, great coffee and lots of choice on a menu that spans breakfasts, light lunches and cakes. Good to know for a mid-afternoon break rather than a big meal.
Self-catering from the market
It’s also worth doing what we did and shopping the medina market and stalls for breakfast and picnic bits, fresh khobz, fruit, cheese, olives and some fruit juice. With a villa or riad terrace to enjoy it on, it keeps costs right down and gives you a lazy morning between all the eating out.
More restaurants worth knowing about
We didn’t make it to every one of these ourselves, but they come highly recommended, whether by locals, friends or the crowds you see spilling out of them each night. Here’s what to expect at each, grouped by what you’re in the mood for.
For traditional Moroccan food
Restaurant Berber Essaouira 2006 is the one everyone raves about, a tiny, family-run place run by Lalla Khadija with just a handful of tables tucked down a quiet medina alley. This is home cooking, tagines, couscous, harira and fish soup, made with decades-old spice blends, and people love it enough to come back most nights of their stay. It’s cash only, doesn’t take bookings and fills fast, so arrive early. There’s spaghetti bolognese on the menu too, handy if the kids need a break from Moroccan food.
Dar Dasha is the more polished take on the same idea, a newer spot with a stylish, plant-filled room and beautifully plated Moroccan dishes with a modern twist. Think chicken bastilla and slow-cooked tagines in a calmer, more design-led setting. Come relaxed and take your time, it isn’t a quick in-and-out.
La Casa is a cosy, dimly lit local favourite down a side street, and the one to seek out for a really good-value tagine or couscous. The sardine tagine and chicken pastilla get singled out again and again, and there are vegan options too. It’s small and popular, so go early for a table.
For a rooftop with a view
KSOU is one of the medina’s best rooftop spots, with panoramic views, cosy tented booths and live Gnaoua music, plus the odd fire show, as the evening goes on. The menu runs to mezze, grilled squid, cheese cigars and couscous. It’s the sort of place you settle into for the whole evening rather than a quick bite.
For a garden setting
Ombú is a lovely lunch-and-brunch spot built around a 250-year-old Ombú tree, a rare South American transplant that shades the whole courtyard at the Ensemble Artisanal. The menu is internationally inspired with a Moroccan accent, alongside good coffee and fresh mocktails, and the octopus comes highly recommended. A peaceful escape from the medina bustle.
For fine dining
KSOU aside, if it’s a refined dinner you’re after, the The Loft and La Clé de Voûte above are your best bets, but Ombú and Dar Dasha also plate up beautifully if you want somewhere that feels a bit special without the full fine-dining price tag.
For burgers and casual bites
Munchies is the spot for American-style burgers, loaded fries, chicken wings and, crucially, thick, old-school milkshakes, a rarity in Morocco. It’s a small side-street place off Avenue Princesse Lalla Amina, popular with families, and portions are huge. Blaan Food is another easy, low-key option for a quick, casual meal when you don’t want to sit down for a long dinner.
For coffee and a browse
L’Atelier, a relaxed café-boutique, is a nice spot to pause for a coffee and a browse mid-wander. Handy to know when you want a break rather than a full meal.
Between all of these you’ve got pretty much every craving covered, from a candlelit tagine in a four-table hole in the wall to a milkshake the thickness of setting concrete.
What to eat in Essaouira
Being right by the harbour, fresh seafood is my go-to here, and it’s about as fresh as it gets, straight off the boats at the fish market. But whatever you’re after, whether that’s traditional Moroccan, French, Spanish, Italian or European fusion, you’ll find it. Even my fussy eater found something on every single menu.
A few things not to leave without trying: a traditional tagine, slow-cooked and heavy with spice; fresh grilled fish by the harbour; pastilla, the sweet-savoury filo pie you’ll find here with seafood or chicken; a simple Moroccan salad of chopped tomato, cucumber and onion; khobz at every meal; amlou at breakfast; and couscous, traditionally the Friday dish. Wash it all down with sweet mint tea or a freshly squeezed orange juice, and if you drink, look out for the surprisingly good Moroccan wines on the better wine lists.
How much does eating out in Essaouira cost?
Essaouira can be as cheap or as pricey as you make it. Street food, café breakfasts and a stall crepe cost very little. At the other end, a meal for a family of four at a smarter restaurant runs to around £20-£30 per person with drinks, which by European standards is a bargain for the quality. The one thing that pushes a bill up is alcohol, priced closer to European levels, so if you like wine with dinner, factor that in. Fine-dining spots like La Clé de Voûte sit at the top end but still cost far less than the equivalent back home.
Do you need to book restaurants in Essaouira?
Reservations are recommended, especially for a larger group, but you don’t need to plan days ahead. We usually found a table the same day, whether by email, online, or through a restaurant’s social media DMs. The rooftops are the ones that fill fastest at sunset, and small places like The Loft and Taverna Bolognese Da Maurizio are worth booking because there simply aren’t many tables. The friendly service is one of the things that stayed with us, wherever we went the welcome was warm, and we never once met a member of staff who wasn’t pleased to see us.
FAQs on where to eat in Essaouira
What is the best restaurant in Essaouira?
It depends what you’re after. For a special dinner, La Clé de Voûte serves refined French-Moroccan cooking with a real wine list. For sunset over the water, La Coupole Essaouira Beach is hard to beat, and for a medina rooftop with live music, book Salut Maroc. For something contemporary with a great bar, try Dar Baba.
Where can I find the best seafood in Essaouira?
Essaouira is a working fishing port, so seafood is everywhere and reliably fresh. Salut Maroc does a generous seafood paella, La Clé de Voûte and The Loft do excellent octopus and fish, and the beach restaurants along the seafront are a good bet for fresh fish with a view.
Is Essaouira good for vegetarians and fussy eaters?
Yes. Menus here span Moroccan, French, Italian and European fusion, so there’s plenty of choice, and most kitchens are happy to adapt. Our fussy eater found something everywhere, from pizza and pasta to crepes.
Can you drink alcohol in Essaouira restaurants?
Many restaurants serve alcohol, particularly the rooftop and beach spots and fine-dining places like La Clé de Voûte. Some, including The Loft, don’t. Expect European prices for wine, beer and cocktails wherever it’s served.
Are Essaouira restaurants family-friendly?
Very. Most places welcome children, and several, including La Coupole and Beach and Friends, have dedicated kids’ menus with generous portions. The cheap eats and crepe stands are a hit with children too.
What is amlou?
Amlou is a rich Moroccan spread made from ground roasted almonds, argan oil and honey. It’s nutty, lightly sweet and often eaten at breakfast with bread or crepes. Because argan trees only grow in this region, Essaouira is one of the best places to try it.
How many days do you need in Essaouira?
Two to three days is enough to get a real feel for the medina, the beach and the food scene, though plenty of people happily settle in for longer. It also works well as an overnight or two from Marrakech, around a three-hour drive away.
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