Restaurant
Al Fassia Guéliz
A long-established Guéliz restaurant run by an all-female team, serving traditional Moroccan cooking such as pigeon pastilla, tagines and a spread of cooked salads.
Le Marocain at La Mamounia
La Mamounia's restaurant dedicated to Moroccan cuisine, serving refined versions of traditional dishes under chef Rachid Agouray inside the historic hotel's grounds.
At a glance
- Type
- Fine-dining Moroccan
- Area
- Medina (Bab Jdid), Marrakech, Morocco
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Official site
- mamounia.com
Good to know
- Hotel restaurant
- Open to non-residents
Why we recommend it
La Mamounia has been the grandest hotel in Marrakech since it opened in 1929, and Le Marocain is the restaurant within it devoted to the national cuisine. The menu is led by chef Rachid Agouray and is rooted in traditional Moroccan dishes, prepared and presented with the polish you would expect from a hotel of this standing. It sits alongside the hotel's Italian and Asian restaurants, which were redesigned by Simone Zanoni and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Expect the classics done carefully rather than radical reinvention. A meal typically opens with an array of cooked salads, followed by pastillas, tagines of lamb, chicken or fish, and couscous, then pastries and mint tea. Portions are generous and the pacing is relaxed, which makes it a fitting choice for a celebration, an anniversary or a final night in the city. The staff are used to guiding first-time visitors through the menu.
Dining here is also a way to see La Mamounia without staying. Arrive a little early and walk through the hotel's public areas and its gardens, which grew from an 18th-century royal estate of palace and gardens, about 15 hectares in all, given by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah to his son Moulay Mamoun. The hotel also has several bars, including Le Churchill, named after Winston Churchill, who praised the hotel in a letter in the 1930s, if you want a drink before or after dinner.
Book well in advance, particularly at weekends and in the spring and autumn high seasons, through the hotel's website or reservations team. Dress smartly; the hotel expects elegant attire in its restaurants, and beachwear or sportswear will be out of place. Allow two to three hours for the full experience.
La Mamounia is on Avenue Bab Jdid, just inside the medina walls on the western side, about ten minutes' walk from the Koutoubia and fifteen minutes from Jemaa el-Fnaa. Taxis can drop you at the hotel entrance, which is easier at night than walking through the medina. Contact the hotel for current opening days and times before you go. Note that the hotel's grounds are private, so access for non-residents is through a restaurant or bar reservation.
Le Marocain at La Mamounia FAQs
Do you need to be a hotel guest to eat at Le Marocain?
No. Non-residents can reserve a table, and booking ahead is strongly advised.
Who is the chef?
The menu is led by chef Rachid Agouray.
What kind of food is served?
Traditional Moroccan dishes such as salads, pastilla, tagines and couscous, prepared in a refined style.
Is there a dress code?
Smart, elegant dress is expected in the hotel's restaurants.
How long should you allow?
Two to three hours for a full dinner.
What else is there at La Mamounia?
The hotel has Italian and Asian restaurants, tea rooms by Pierre Hermé and several bars, including Le Churchill.
How do you get there?
By taxi to the hotel entrance on Avenue Bab Jdid, or on foot from the Koutoubia in about ten minutes.