Practical information checked on 29 October 2026. Opening hours, addresses, offers and prices of restaurants and experiences change: check them before you go or book.
In Ouarzazate, the food is that of the south and the mountains: slow-cooked tajines, Friday couscous, winter soups, stuffed breads and dates from the oases. Outside town, in the kasbahs of Aït Ben Haddou or the lodges of Skoura, you often dine on site, with produce from the garden. This guide does not list every Moroccan dish again: it helps you discover and eat in Ouarzazate and the surrounding area, meaning what to taste, where to look and how to plan outside town.
For a broader overview of the dishes, see our article The 30 must-try Moroccan dishes and our guide to Moroccan gastronomy.
What to eat in Ouarzazate: southern specialities
Here are the most useful dishes to try on a first visit, with when they are usually eaten.
| Dish | What is it? | When to eat it |
|---|---|---|
| Tajine | Meat and vegetables slow-cooked in an earthenware pot; chicken with preserved lemon and olives, or lamb with quince and honey in autumn | Lunch or dinner |
| Seven-vegetable couscous | Traditionally served on Fridays and feast days | Lunch |
| Stuffed bread (aghroum toudount) | Bread filled with onions, spices, parsley and coriander | Lunch, on the road |
| Harira | Tomato, lentil and chickpea soup; Ouarzazate also has a semolina version | Starter or snack |
| Tchicha | Berber semolina soup, eaten mainly in winter in the Atlas | Evening, cold days |
| Mechoui | Roast lamb | Feasts |
| Idernane | Semolina and egg pancake, served with butter and honey | Breakfast |
| Dates | Fruit of the southern palm groves | Any time, with tea |
| Mint tea | The sign of hospitality | Any time |
Baddaz. This Berber couscous made from corn semolina, steamed three times and flavoured with smen, is served with dried meat. It is family cooking: ask your guest house whether they can prepare it.
Where to eat in Ouarzazate and the surrounding area
Rather than a list of restaurants, here is where to look depending on where you are staying.
The city centre and Taourirt
Around Avenue Mohammed V and the Taourirt kasbah, Moroccan restaurants, cafés and snack bars are within walking distance of each other. The large hotels in the centre also have their own restaurants.
Tamassinte and the Marrakech road
Near the Atlas Studios, hotels and kasbahs often have their own restaurant. To go out for dinner in town, plan on a taxi.
Aït Ben Haddou
Around the ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, the village restaurants mainly welcome day visitors. In the evening you often dine at your guest house: some ask you to book dinner in advance. One guest house in our selection, Dar Mouna, offers Moroccan cooking classes.
The Skoura palm grove and the oases
In Skoura, Fint or Tikirt, the lodges serve meals on site, often with produce from the farm and garden. Check that dinner is available when you book. The Sawadi ecolodge, for example, cooks organic produce from its farm and orchards.
Markets and food products
In the town's souks you will find dates, almonds, spices, olives and fresh bread. Dates from the southern palm groves are eaten with tea, at home as in cafés.
Planning meals outside town
- Book dinner at the guest houses of Aït Ben Haddou and the lodges of Skoura: some cook to order.
- Plan lunch on the road if you go on an excursion: ask which places are open.
- Keep bottled water in the car, especially in summer.
- Ask about dinner times when you arrive, especially out of season.
Where to eat, by what you want
This table is a guide by need, not a ranking.
| What you want | Area or type of experience |
|---|---|
| A choice of restaurants | City centre, Avenue Mohammed V |
| Dinner in a kasbah | Aït Ben Haddou guest houses, by reservation |
| Farm produce | Lodges of Skoura and the oases |
| A meal on the way | Aït Ben Haddou village restaurants |
| Berber home cooking | Guest houses, on request |
A culinary experience
The tours and excursions available around Ouarzazate are gathered on the Ouarzazate page; check each listing to see whether a meal is included. To cook yourself, ask your guest house: some offer classes.
With children
Moroccan meals are shared: dishes for the table suit a group well. For children, choose mild dishes, brochettes, pancakes or dates. Outside town, dining at your guest house saves an evening journey: handy with young children.
Vegetarians and special diets
Moroccan cuisine offers good meat-free options: vegetable tajine, vegetable couscous, Moroccan salads and harira depending on the recipe. Note that a "vegetable" dish may be made with meat stock or smen. State your restrictions when booking dinner, especially outside town.
Moroccan breakfast
Bread, msemen or pancakes, olive oil, honey, butter, olives, eggs, mint tea and coffee. Most guest houses and lodges serve it on the terrace: check what is included when you book. See our guide on where to stay in Ouarzazate and our selection of places to stay in Ouarzazate.
What budget for eating in Ouarzazate?
Prices vary by place and area: we do not publish rates. Think in three levels:
- Small budget: snack bars and small restaurants in the centre.
- Mid-range budget: traditional restaurant, dinner at a guest house.
- Higher budget: restaurants in the large hotels, dinner at a lodge.
Check whether the menu shows prices and whether dinner is included in your booking.
A food day around Ouarzazate
An example, to adapt to your tastes and timing:
- Breakfast on your guest house terrace: pancakes, honey, mint tea.
- Visit the Taourirt kasbah, then stroll through the souks: dates and almonds.
- Lunch: a tajine in a restaurant in the centre or in Aït Ben Haddou village.
- Tea and dates on a terrace facing the ksar.
- Dinner at your guest house or lodge: couscous or a seasonal tajine.
To plan your stay, see our practical guide to Ouarzazate.
FAQ — Food in Ouarzazate
What to eat in Ouarzazate?
Tajines, seven-vegetable couscous, stuffed bread, harira, tchicha in winter, dates and mint tea.
Where to eat in Ouarzazate?
In the city centre for choice, at your guest house or lodge outside town.
Can you have dinner in Aït Ben Haddou?
Yes, mainly at the guest houses, often by reservation.
Are there vegetarian options?
Yes, many Moroccan dishes can be made without meat. State your restrictions when booking.
How much does a meal cost in Ouarzazate?
It depends on the place and the type of cuisine. Check the prices on the menu.
Discovering Ouarzazate through its food
Eating in Ouarzazate means tasting the south: slow-cooked tajines, dates from the palm groves and tea shared on a terrace facing the kasbahs. All our ideas for visits are gathered on the Ouarzazate page.
Opening hours, addresses, offers and prices may change. During Ramadan, restaurant hours and offerings change: check them before you go.
