Located just steps away from Avenue Mohamad V, Al Fassia serves some of Marrakech’s most authentic food in a cozy and welcoming environment. For a taste of traditional items such as tagines, lamb dishes, pastillas and desserts, eating at Al Fassia is a must. The restaurant is a family affair originally opened by the Chab family and is still led by chef Halima Chab. It is also run as a cooperative employing only women, many of whom have a financial stake in the restaurant and their passion is seen in the service as well as in the cooking itself. Make sure not to miss the lamb shoulder for two or the pigeon pastilla.

Note: There are two branches of the restaurant. The one in Gueliz is the original while the location in Aguedal caters to large groups.

This compound, which is a 20-minute drive from the city center, is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch by the pool or a romantic dinner in the garden.

Right in the heart of the medina and the bustling souk is a hip café where you can get a quick bite without leaving the colorful whirl of the bazaar. The décor pays homage to the craftsmen at work in the area but has modern updates like wifi and black and white art photos on the deep red walls. In good weather, the best tables are those up on the rooftop terrace. You must try the spiced coffee, which is flavored with many spices including cinnamon, ginger and ginseng. If you like the atmosphere, consider its sister restaurant, Terrasse des Epices, for lunch or cocktails.

Considered by many to be the best Italian restaurant in Marrakech. When you tire of tagines and cous-cous, you can come to this modern restaurant in the new town (Gueliz) and enjoy excellent pastas and grilled meats as well as cheeses and olive oils flown in from Italy. Open every day for lunch and dinner.

Comptoir Darna is a chic French spin on a Moroccan lounge. It has a decidedly more modern atmosphere than most high-end restaurants here, with no carpets or tilework, just a few pillows and artwork scattered around. The food, too, is Moroccan with an update, like Moroccan pizza and spring rolls. It’s in a freestanding building (only a short walk from La Mamounia) with a pretty courtyard and a boutique with shawls, slippers, ceramics and jewelry from Morocco and India. This is definitely worth a visit, if not for dinner, then for drink and jazz after dinner. Evenings begin quietly, with diners who come for a mix of Eastern and Western cuisine, but things heat up late at night.

Alongside Le Tobsil, this is Marrakech’s most famous restaurant.  It’s also among the most touristy. Some diners embrace their Disneyfied version of Marrakech: buzzing, mobbed restaurants set in beautiful old riads with ornate decoration (once upon a time New York magazine food critic Gael Greene proclaimed Yacout one of the most romantic dinner spots in the world). Others leave horrified, describing the experience as akin to dining at Tavern on the Green. Come prepared with a reservation, or choose to stay away, but know that everyone will ask you about these, so it’s good to make a mental note. Yacout has the ultimate Arabian Nights atmosphere, but locals say that the food at Tobsil is better.

A lavish red-and-gold color scheme serves as the backdrop of this restaurant and bar, which is co-owned by Paris DJ Claude Chall. The scene is akin to the ones you would find at a Costes brother establishment (Hotel Costes, La Sociète) in Paris. Alessandra Lippini and Fabrizio Bizzari, owners of Ministero del Gusto recommend this hot spot for a meal or drink.

This full-on colonial French café, just off of the Place du 16 Novembre, has an atmosphere that evokes old Saigon as much as it does Morocco. Ceiling fans whir overhead. The tiled floors may well have been laid in the 1902s, and wicker furniture and potted palms complete the scene. The expat-in-an-exotic-locale vibe is so vivid, you almost expect to see Camus sitting in a linen suit and straw hat smoking in a corner. It’s most popular at lunch when the tables out front fill up fast and those lucky enough to grab them will linger.

Strategically located across (but outside) the Majorelle Gardens, this café is a gem.  If you are tired of heavy Moroccan food and want a quick, healthy bite, this is the place to come.  Particularly beloved by vegetarians and vegans, Kaowa has excellent salad and juice bars.  Additionally, there are good paninis, burgers, as well as very special miniature Moroccan crispy dumplings, called briowates (not to be missed!).  The setting is very casual but charming with a fun bright tiled floor in the main space, in addition to seating in a gallery indoors and on the terrace outdoors.  The Egyptian owner, Yehia, speaks flawless English (as well as several other languages) and is a fascinating character. 33 Majorelle, the concept shop, is attached to Kaowa (and co-owned by Yehia), facilitating shopping after eating.

Few spots embody the new spirit of Marrakech more than Kechmara, a hip café in the new city where the plastic molded seats, high counters and slick metal lighting might make you think that you are in Tokyo or New York’s East Village. The restaurant’s motto is cuisine and entertainment for hungry people so in addition to serving up excellent international bistro food, Kechmara also offers live music Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. The best seats are on the upstairs terrace. Open every day except Sundays.

Luckily for foodies, this hotel changed its guests-only dining policy a few years ago and now accepts outsiders for dinner in its magical restaurant, run by a chef who trained with Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon. Many of the herbs are picked from the on-property garden, and the menu changes often depending on what inspires the chef. Meals are served poolside, a romantic spot surrounded by verdant gardens. Be sure to browse the hotel boutique for treasures.

Le Restaurant, the fine-dining Moroccan restaurant of La Maison Arabe has been one of Marrakech’s best for years and is a great spot for a special dinner. The more contemporary Les Trois Saveurs is equally exceptional. Its name (“three flavors”) refers to the Moroccan, French and Asian-fusion cuisine. It is some of the most sophisticated and delicious food in the city. The dining room’s décor is a more modern take on Arabic style, but there are also tables set out around the pool.

The poolside setting of Le Pavillon at La Mamounia is lovely for lunch, when you can escape the bustle of the medina at this stunning property. The Mediterranean buffet is expertly prepared. Later in the day, the central bar is a see-and-be-seen spot for cocktails.

For dinner favorites are Le Marocain and L’Italien restaurants. The opulent décor of L’Italien, with velvet swathed banquettes and tassel-edged armchairs, reminds you that you are in a palace fit for a pacha but the cuisine is entirely imported from Italy, the Amalfi Coast to be more precise. Legendary chef Alfonso Iaccarino, who holds two Michelin stars for his Amalfi Coast restaurant Don Alfonso 1890, has brought his trademark Italian home cooking to Marrakech. The kitchen even serves such signature dishes as his buffalo mozzarella soufflé with tomato and basil sauce and vesuvio rigatoni, which is a delicate pasta dish that erupts (like the volcano for which it is named) with sauce under the cheese. Save room for dessert, though. Options include the famous vanilla panna cotta, chocolate pizza and orange granita with foam. Reservations recommended.

Only a short walk from La Mamounia, La Table du Marché in the Hivernage hotel opens at 7 a.m. and has a popular café and pasty shop with an outdoor terrace where you can buy sweets or stop for a coffee throughout the day.

Hands down the best thin-crust pizza in the city and since they also serve French standbys like steak frites, Catanzaro is one of the most popular family restaurants in Marrakech.

A candlelit chill-out zone offering innovative French/Italian and Moroccan food in a lovely old riad with a gorgeous roof terrace. If you’ve had your fill of tagines, you can feast on Caesar salad, beef and béarnaise sauce, and poached salmon. The hotel Riad Farnatchi orders in meals from here.

On the famous shopping street in Gueliz, which is home to cult shoe shop Atika and La Maison Rouge, Le Loft feels like a slice of the Marais in Marrakech with exposed brick walls, cozy banquettes and tall tables in the back with counter stools and views to the kitchen. The menu features classic fare like chèvre chaud salad and entrecote but ask to see the plats du jour which are presented on a black board brought to the table. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

Although Marrakech is not particularly known for seafood, Le Patron has set out to change this reputation. With dishes like paella with calamari, the restaurant has drawn a loyal, buzzy following. The dining room is bright and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows but incorporates Moroccan elements like dangling chandeliers, patterned flooring and brightly colored velvet upholstery.

Just around the corner from the Grand Café de la Poste, Le Studio could not be more different in feeling. There are no inviting tables outside on the street; rather wooden boards cover the windows, except for a narrow slat, so you can see nothing of the interior until the doorman grants you access. Inside, the scene is warm and casual. There’s a wine bar where red silk shades cast a rosy glow to the room. Giant blackboards announce the daily specials, which may include French staples like mussels and escargots as well as salmon ravioli or Wok shrimp. Reserve ahead as the restaurant is small and wildly popular.

Alongside Dar Yacout, this is Marrakech’s most famous restaurant.  It’s also among the most touristy. Some diners embrace their Disneyfied version of Marrakech: buzzing, mobbed restaurants set in beautiful old riads with ornate decoration. Others leave horrified, describing the experience as akin to dining at Tavern on the Green. Come prepared with a reservation, or choose to stay away, but know that everyone will ask you about these, so it’s good to make a mental note. Le Tobsil is a more intimate version of Yacout. It’s considerably smaller, but it still has rooms with fireplaces and pillowed banquettes with Moroccan music and food. Just as the décor is a little lighter on ornamentation, the food a bit lighter, too, and considered better than that served at Dar Yacout.

If you’re shopping in Marrakech’s industrial zone, Le Zinc is the loveliest place to dine. French-owned, this bistro has outdoor seating under a canopy as well as tables inside. Food is generally very good with an ever-changing menu scrawled in script on a huge blackboard.  In addition to upscale fare, you can enjoy a good glass of French (or Moroccan) wine.  Be forewarned, Le Zinc is usually packed at lunch with an expatriate crowd (largely French), many of whom own galleries or ateliers in the vicinity.  Strike up a conversation with your neighbor to find out if there are any art openings or special events that week. Lunch is offered from Monday to Saturday, and dinner from Wednesday to Friday.

Centrally located near the medina’s souks, Nomad is a chic three-story restaurant that serves modern Moroccan food. With an emphasis on fresh, local produce, the menu caters to dietary restrictions of all kinds and appeals to the Western taste palete. With both indoor and outdoor terrace space, it makes a great stop for lunch while shopping. After eating, stop by the restaurant’s small boutique, Chabi Chic, located on the ground floor.

When you pass the entry to Jad Mahal, you can be forgiven for thinking that you have been transported to LA or New York. The entrance is right next to a Louis Vuitton boutique and the sleek SUVs line up to let the beautiful people be whisked by doormen into the club of the moment. Inside the rooms are Arabian Nights fantasy with lots of candles, velvet and yes, the belly dancers come out after dinner and then they turn things over to the DJs who are often flown in from Europe. It’s a scene but a fun one.