18 Best Restaurants in Essaouira, The Southern Atlantic Coast

A few miles outside town on the edge of thuya and olive groves, owner Abderrazak welcomes you warmly to his artisanal cheesery and open-air restaurant. Enjoy a fixed-menu lunch of salads topped with local goat- and sheep-milk cheeses, followed by (for nonvegetarians) a mechoui (lamb spit roast), and wine to complement. You'll find it hard to move after the feast.

A long-standing favorite among locals, expats, and tourists, this authentic Italian restaurant serves the best crispy pizzas in the medina, straight from a wood-fired oven. The menu also features home-cooked pasta dishes. Diners eat in an eclectically decorated dining room or upstairs on the enclosed terrace. Wines and other alcoholic drinks are available.

This restaurant and bar with a Mediterranean menu is the place to be in the evenings. It's named after the wind that blows off the sea, which you can feel firsthand if you're having cocktails on the terrific rooftop terrace with views of the port. The menu includes seafood (try the Oualidia oysters when in season), hamburger, and roasted Camembert. At night a band or DJ plays on the roof to a hip crowd. On chillier evenings on the terrace, ask the staff for a poncho.

Tucked away along the skala, this chic restaurant is a real treat, offering a daily changing menu—prepared in an open kitchen—that blends seasonal and local ingredients with French savoir faire. The airy restaurant draws in a clientele of expats and tourists with its muted dove grays, glossy white furniture, and quirky art touches, such as a gorgeous Gnaoua mural. Be sure to try the goat cheese from a women's co-op in nearby Meskala; you also can't miss the chocolate fondant with salted caramel ice cream.

This popular, renovated riad filled with the artwork and collections of its host, artist Didier Spindler, offers an imaginative menu that is a fusion of Moroccan, European, and Asian flavors. The decor is an eclectic mix, with Buddha statues, pop art, and palm trees. There is nightly entertainment in the form of a band or fire eater, as well as a great wine list. The trio of desserts is the perfect sharing dish to conclude your meal (and often features more than three sweet delicacies).  It's recommended to make a reservation for dinner, particularly during peak tourist seasons.

Located in the heart of the medina, this unpretentious Moroccan restaurant is spacious and cool. Hidden among the extensive menu of couscous, tagine, and pastilla variations are a few refreshing surprises like a grilled zucchini short-crust tart or a marinated fish kebab. Wash it down with a zingy freshly squeezed lemon juice with ginger. Along with good food and decent prices, there's also a kids' menu. No alcohol is served.

Come here for the best coffee and the best ice cream in town; its location on the main square is also great for people-watching.  Pick a shady seat on the inside of the terrace under a parasol to avoid the passing street hawkers.

Come to this Moroccan restaurant for a selection of tagines with flavor combinations you don't often find, such as tagine of beef with honey and dried fruits or saffron chicken with almonds. It has an excellent selection of seafood dishes and desserts, along with a selection of Morocco's finest wines. The dark-wood decor is highlighted by colorful lanterns. 

Occupying a former warehouse of the sultan's Jewish traders, this is one of three Madada brand businesses in Essaouira. The restaurant and bar offers fresh seafood prepared imaginatively and according to the seasons, such as a monkfish tagine with caramelized apples. You can also pop in to enjoy tapas and a cocktail. There is live music on the weekends. While pricier than other establishments in the area, Madada's enduring popularity with residents of the local upscale hotels proves it's worth every penny. Be sure to reserve a table ahead of time, especially in summer.

Often overlooked in favor of the smaller, lounge-style restaurants farther along the street, Le Mogadorien has a similar menu but a lot more style, with decor that reflects Essaouira's Amazigh, Arab, Jewish, and Christian heritage and gives you a choice of low-slung Moroccan salon seats or regular chairs and tables. Chef Najiba prepares a range of Moroccan classics and local seafood. The vegetarian tagine features no less than eight vegetables; ask for it with tfaya (caramelized onions and raisins) for an authentic twist. Alcohol is not served.

Moroccan cooking comes with a twist at this French-run restaurant; for example, fish tagines are made with pears, apples, or prunes. The small tables are set around a large, starry lantern, and the deep-red walls, white muslin, and candles create a romantic atmosphere, although it's a little too dark for gazing into each other's eyes. There is a decent list of local wines.

This local institution off the main square dates back to 1929. Prices are very reasonable, so you can start your day with great coffee and breakfasts; you can also take your pick from the French and Moroccan pastries baked fresh every day.  Take away some cakes and coffee in the late afternoon and eat them at one of the cafés on the square—it's what the locals do.

A few blocks east of the beach is one of the city's best cafés, where excellent salads, pasta, pizza, and meat and fish dishes are served all day. Breakfasts come in European or Moroccan style. During Ramadan, the ftour (the meal to break the fast) is particularly good value. Otherwise, just come by for a nous-nous (half milk, half coffee) and watch the world go by.

The food here is simple, traditional, and tasty, but the atmosphere is particularly lovely, especially in the evening, when lights and candles bring the small space to life. This is the most popular of several salon-style Moroccan restaurants in the area, which means you may have to wait for a table.

Cozy and chic, this café and restaurant offers a small seasonal, changing menu of fresh local produce and seafood, and a few surprises such as a mille-feuille of eggplant and goat cheese. After your meal, try a spiced coffee or Amazigh tea.

Near the ramparts, this vegetarian restaurant creates a cozy atmosphere, with quirky design and simple, tasty, seasonal food such as the falafel platter, sardine ball tagine, and stuffed eggplant. The chocolate gâteau is pretty amazing, too.

One of Essaouira's best-kept secrets, this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant never fails to impress. Manager Brahim offers freshly prepared Italian mains (fish, chicken, and pasta), all served with a trio of salads and two juices to start. The ray with caper butter sauce is especially incredible. The place is tiny, so if you can't get in at first, come back later.