Food — Morocco

Moroccan cuisine sits among the richest and most refined in the Mediterranean world. Its foundations rest on two iconic dishes: the tagine, a slow-cooked stew in its conical clay pot — lamb with prunes and almonds, chicken with olives and preserved lemons, kefta with tomato and egg — and couscous, traditionally served on Fridays and infinitely varied by region. Pastilla, a sweet-savoury filo parcel of pigeon or chicken dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon, dazzles with its unique balance; harira, a thick tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, anchors Ramadan evenings and winter nights across Morocco.

The street food of the medinas is one of the most vivid culinary experiences in the country. On Marrakech's Jemaa el-Fna, dozens of stalls come alive after dark: grilled brochettes, sardines, snail broth, sheep's head for the brave. Msemen (flaky square pancakes) and baghrir (thousand-hole pancakes) make a feast of breakfast for a handful of dirhams. Freshly squeezed orange juice, served everywhere for under €1 a glass, is non-negotiable. Spices play a central role: ras el-hanout, cumin, coriander, Taliouine saffron (considered among the world's finest), turmeric.

Moroccan pastries — gazelle horns, chebakia in honey and sesame, almond briouats — accompany sweetened mint tea, the hospitality ritual inseparable from any trip to Morocco. The Meknes region produces respected wines (a rarity in a Muslim country), and argan oil from Souss-Massa is both a culinary specialty and a cosmetic export. For an honest, cheap meal, head for small medina restaurants without an English menu — they almost always serve the best food.

The Moroccan meal is also a social ritual: you share the tagine directly from the dish, break bread together and take your time. A cooking class in a riad or a dinner with a local family will deepen any visit to Morocco far more than a string of restaurant bookings. Vegetarians and vegans are increasingly catered for in Marrakech and Essaouira; elsewhere, signalling preferences in advance smooths the experience.