Le Jardin is a moroccan restaurant in Medina, Marrakech.
Kamal Laftimi's emerald-green oasis hidden in the Marrakech souks, Le Jardin plates Moroccan classics and bistro food in a 16th-century riad.
Signature dishes: Tanjia served in clay urn, Club sandwich frites, Mint tea
Must order: Tanjia, the clay-urn lamb served straight from the amphora, with khobz bread.
Tip: Reservations don't take; arrive before 13:00 for lunch or you wait. Chameleons live in the lemon trees.
Address: 32 Souk Jeld Sidi Abdelaziz, Marrakech 40000
Le Salama rises three floors off Rue des Banques in Marrakech's medina: colonial library downstairs, belly-dance dining mid-floor, panoramic Sky Bar above.
Signature: Pastilla, Lamb tagine, Rooftop cocktails
Order: Pastilla downstairs, then climb to the Sky Bar for cocktails with Koutoubia views.
Tip: Save the rooftop for last; the climb from ground floor to Sky Bar is half the night out.
Cafe Arabe on Rue Mouassine has plated Italian-Moroccan fusion in Marrakech's medina for over 20 years; a rare alcohol-licensed rooftop near the Koutoubia.
Signature: Ricotta-spinach cannelloni, Couscous aux sept legumes, Italian wine list
Order: The cannelloni, then climb to the rooftop for Koutoubia sunset; alcohol-licensed.
Tip: The downstairs courtyard is mister-cooled in summer; the rooftop is best at sunset for the Koutoubia silhouette.
Le Salama rises three floors off Rue des Banques in Marrakech's medina: colonial library downstairs, belly-dance dining mid-floor, panoramic Sky Bar above.
Signature: Pastilla, Lamb tagine, Rooftop cocktails
Order: Pastilla downstairs, then climb to the Sky Bar for cocktails with Koutoubia views.
Tip: Save the rooftop for last; the climb from ground floor to Sky Bar is half the night out.
Le Comptoir Darna has anchored Marrakech's Hivernage nightlife since 1999, plating Moroccan-Mediterranean in a 1930s Art Deco villa with two nightly shows.
Signature: Lamb tagine, Tagliatelle al tartufo, Signature cocktails
Order: Book the dinner-show; the belly-dance performances start at 21:30 and 23:20.
Tip: Two shows nightly at 21:30 and 23:20; book the earlier seating for dinner timing.
Azar in Marrakech's Gueliz blends Lebanese mezze and grills with Moroccan plates; live oriental dance and shisha bar after 21:00, 20-plus years running.
Signature: Mezze, Shawarma spit-roast, House hummus
Order: The shawarma cut to order from the spit, with the house hummus and pickles.
Tip: Children under 5 not admitted. Book a banquette away from the dance floor if you want quieter conversation.
Amal Center in Marrakech's Gueliz trains disadvantaged women in Moroccan cooking and serves the practice meals as lunch; non-profit, founded 2012.
Signature: Lamb tagine with prunes, Couscous, Daily seasonal plate
Order: Whatever the daily plate is; the Friday couscous is the standing classic.
Tip: Lunch only, closed Sundays. Book ahead; the dining room fills fast with NGO regulars and food-tour groups.
Cafe Arabe on Rue Mouassine has plated Italian-Moroccan fusion in Marrakech's medina for over 20 years; a rare alcohol-licensed rooftop near the Koutoubia.
Signature: Ricotta-spinach cannelloni, Couscous aux sept legumes, Italian wine list
Order: The cannelloni, then climb to the rooftop for Koutoubia sunset; alcohol-licensed.
Tip: The downstairs courtyard is mister-cooled in summer; the rooftop is best at sunset for the Koutoubia silhouette.
Latitude 31 near Marrakech's Bab Doukkala gate serves revisited Moroccan in an orange-tree courtyard, a quieter alternative to the souk-side rooftops.
Signature: Revisited tagine, Vegetarian seven-veg plate, Citrus tart
Order: Whichever revisited tagine is on the day's blackboard; the kitchen rotates seasonally.
Tip: The dining room is in an inner courtyard; ask for a courtyard table over the interior salon.