Bacha Coffee

Bacha Coffee occupies a salon inside Dar El Bacha, the 1910 palace of Pasha Thami El Glaoui that now houses the Musée des Confluences. The brand traces its story to a coffee room that operated in the palace in the early 20th century, and since the palace reopened as a museum the café has become one of the most talked-about places in the city, with sister coffee houses now open in several other countries.

The setting is a large part of the appeal. The salon is decorated in a lavish, old-fashioned style that matches the grandeur of the palace around it. The coffee list is enormous, with more than two hundred 100 per cent Arabica coffees from around the world, each described on the menu by origin and flavour. The menu also offers pastries, cakes and light dishes for brunch or lunch, and there is a shop selling coffee and accessories.

The main thing to know is the queue. Reservations are not taken, and visitors join a waiting list at the café reception, usually after buying a museum ticket. Waits of one to two hours are common, and longer at peak times, but you receive a buzzer and can explore the museum while you wait. Arriving shortly before the museum opens gives the best chance of a short wait. The café is closed on Mondays; check current hours locally, as published times vary.

It suits coffee lovers, couples and anyone who enjoys a grand setting, but it is less suited to visitors in a hurry or travelling with young children who may tire of waiting. Prices are high by Marrakech standards, reflecting the setting and the premium coffee. Once seated, allow an hour to enjoy it properly.

Dar El Bacha is on the western side of the medina, about ten to fifteen minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa through the souks. Combine your visit with the museum itself, then continue east to the Mouassine quarter and Le Jardin Secret, or west towards Bab Doukkala and Dar Yacout for dinner. If the wait is too long on the day, the museum ticket still gives you the palace itself, which is well worth seeing on its own. Weekdays outside school holidays are generally quieter than weekends.