4 Best Restaurants in The Southern Atlantic Coast, Morocco

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.

One of the better choices among the many Moroccan-style Italian restaurants in the area, Little Italy is a little more subdued in decor and laid-back in style than others on the strip. You'll eat pasta and pizza surrounded by black-and-white photos and dark wooden banisters.

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.

The decor may be kitsch, but the food is robust, with a good selection of fish dishes (hot shrimp, bass with fennel, and sole) and great pizzas. Go for a window seat.