12 Best Restaurants in Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco

Loved by locals and visitors alike, Dar Naji is one of the city's most authentically Moroccan, medina-based restaurants and features interesting dishes more often found in Moroccan homes. Look for trid (soft layers of pastry layered with a meaty sauce) and medfouna (a rustic stuffed bread). Prices are reasonable, and attention to the quality of the salads, tagines, and couscous dishes is unrelenting. 

Set among verdant gardens, this enchanting eatery offers a menu that encapsulates the Brittany region of France: think luscious salads and buckwheat crepes oozing with all you can imagine, as long as it's (mostly) French. The experience is made even better by the fantastic service and the pleasant, knowledgeable staff. Alcohol is served, and if you're looking for picnic fare, there's a wonderful array of charcuterie and cheeses on your way into the restaurant.

The Café Maure is a charming place in the Oudayas gardens of the kasbah to pause for a glass of tea and local pastries. The shaded terrace is decorated with mosaic tilework and looks across the river to Salé.

Rabat's original Italian restaurant serves pastas, pizzas, grilled meats, and other classic Italian fare. Expect an inexpensive and cheerful place with a central brick oven and a homey cucina vibe.

Located near the flower market on Place Pietri, Le Goéland is a convivial place that specializes in French-style cuisine, with lots of fresh fish and a good selection of tapas. On weekends, DJs spin into the early hours and a party atmosphere prevails. Alcohol is served.

If you're looking for genuine local food, Le Petit Beur (aka Dar Tagine) has it all: couscous, brochettes, tagines, and harira (a chickpea-based soup with vegetables and meat) served in a friendly, casual setting. The pretty tiled walls and painted ceilings add a further level of authenticity.

This top-of-the-line patisserie has a spectacular array of cakes, tarts, macarons, cheesecakes, and cookies that you can take away in a box or enjoy on the spot. A pleasing array chairs and couches inside and out makes this a very pleasant spot for coffee and a treat. 

This Japanese franchise has restaurants in various Moroccan cities and is known throughout the country for its high-quality food. The Rabat branch is large and airy, with a relaxed vibe, a nonsmoking section, and a sushi conveyor belt. The selection of fish is always fresh, and the staff are helpful. Alcohol is available.

A café, bakery, and French restaurant all rolled into one, Paul is a popular spot in the Agdal district for coffee and pastries. The bakery, a standout in its own right, makes some of the best bread in town. Lunch and dinner are also available.

This friendly Mediterranean-style restaurant offers "cuisine du marché," or cooking from the market. It serves a broad selection of fish, meat, and pasta dishes in a charming setting: white linens top the tables in the cheery dining room, and the beautiful airy garden, where intimate tables snuggle amid the greenery, is a delight. Alcohol is served.

Set in an exquisite Art Deco villa, this restaurant focuses on refined French classics. Alfresco diners can choose a seat on the swish yet sunny garden patio; inside, the dining rooms stretch out with French poise. The wine list is excellent and service is immaculate.

This is the place to discover a delicacy from Marrakesh—the tanjia (a type of casserole slow-cooked in a large earthen jar in the coals at the hammam)—along with other authentic Moroccan dishes. It’s cozy and friendly, with very reasonable prices. Alcohol is available.