Restaurant
Gayza Restaurant
The fine-dining restaurant of Riad Fès, where a long-serving Fassi chef and a Meilleur Ouvrier de France create French and Moroccan menus.
The restaurant of Karawan Riad in the Andalous quarter, serving bistronomic Moroccan or Mediterranean dishes in its dining room, patio or terrace.
Good to know
The Karawan Restaurant is part of Karawan Riad, a boutique hotel in a 17th-century house in the Andalous quarter of the medina, next to the El Amal cinema towards R'cif. The riad holds a MICHELIN Key for its hospitality, and its restaurant brings the same care to the table. It is open for lunch and dinner and is a good option for a meal on the quieter, eastern side of Fes el-Bali, away from the busiest streets around Tala'a Kebira.
The riad describes its cooking as bistronomic, meaning relaxed but carefully made dishes, with Moroccan or Mediterranean options. That gives diners a choice between classic flavours of Fes and lighter plates, which is useful on a longer stay or for groups with different tastes. Menus change, so ask what is on when you book, and mention any dietary requirements in advance.
One of the pleasures of eating here is choosing where to sit. You can dine in the restaurant room, in the patio at the centre of the riad or up on the terrace, which overlooks the medina. The terrace is especially pleasant at lunch in spring and autumn and for dinner on warm evenings, while the indoor room suits cooler nights. Eating in a restored historic house is part of the experience, and the riad's decoration, with suites named after winds, reflects a theme of caravans and journeys.
The location is convenient if you are exploring the Andalous quarter, where the Mosque of the Andalusians and the Sahrij Madrasa stand, or the area around Place Seffarine and the Qarawiyyin across the river. A lunch here fits well into a morning of sightseeing on this side of the medina. For dinner, ask the riad for directions or to meet you, because the lanes are hard to follow after dark.
Book ahead, particularly for terrace tables and in high season, using the riad's phone lines or the enquiry form on its website. The restaurant suits couples and small groups who want a calm, well-cooked meal in an attractive setting. If you enjoy the experience, the riad's hammam and spa, Leelah Spa and Hammam, are under the same roof.
Bistronomic cuisine with Moroccan or Mediterranean options.
Yes, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner.
In the restaurant room, the central patio or on the terrace overlooking the medina.
At Karawan Riad, 21 Derb Ourbia, Makhfia, in the Andalous quarter next to the El Amal cinema towards R'cif.
Call +212 535 637878 or +212 691 809447, or use the enquiry form on the riad's website.
Karawan Riad holds a MICHELIN Key for its hospitality.
Yes, it fits well into a morning exploring the Andalous quarter and Place Seffarine.
The riad has Leelah Spa and Hammam on site.
Attraction
A 14th-century Marinid madrasa near Bab Bou Jeloud, built for Sultan Abu Inan Faris and known for its marble courtyard, carved cedar and minaret.
Café
A café and cultural space off Tala'a Kebira, home of the camel burger, with a roof terrace, nightly live music and classes in cooking, oud and…
Bar
A late-opening Lebanese restaurant and bar at Hotel Sahrai, with wine, cocktails and a terrace on the hill above Fez, open nightly until 2am.
Tour operator
A Fes-based company, trading as Plan-it Morocco, that runs food tours, cooking classes, medina and craft tours and day trips to Volubilis and the Middle Atlas.