The ‘Clock Culture’ program includes calligraphy and conversation classes, traditional storytelling, films and sunset concerts every Sunday (Dh20), attracting a good mix of locals, expats and tourists. The cafe is incredibly popular in the evenings: book ahead if you can.
Jawarat Bab BoujloudMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Bab Bou Jeloud; mains from Dh38; h8am-12.30am; W)
A friendly cheapie with an enviable spot snuggled up against the bab, this fresh place is the pick of Bou Jeloud's clamouring pavement cafes. Its zellij and a grand carved-wood open frontage make an impression, as do the good-value meals and petite roof terrace – practically close enough to touch the famed blue gate.
Le 44CAFE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0634 70 75 13; 44 Derb Bensalem, Talaa Kebira; hnoon-10pm; aW)
This friendly, relaxing place down a twisty street is a welcome change to most other medina cafes. Delicious healthy salads and juices, hot and cold soups and freshly made pasta dishes are the order of the day, served against a minimalist backdrop inside a medina dar. Work your way up to the roof and there's seating on a shaded terrace, too.
A big plus: the cafe is easy to find as it's well signposted off Talaa Kebira.
Famille Restaurant BerradaMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0662 34 88 19; 57 Sagha el Achebine; mains around Dh50; hnoon-5pm Sat-Thu)
‘Famille restaurant’ says it all here – a small medina place run with much hearty cheer. Everything is very traditional, but they’re used to seeing tourists too, keeping dishes turned over quickly and inviting diners into the kitchen to taste the day's selections before ordering (there's no written menu). Dishes come with bread and salad.
B’sara StallsMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Talaa Kebira; soup Dh6; h7am-2pm)
Don't miss the Fassi speciality of b’sara (fava bean soup with garlic). Served from hole-in-the-wall places throughout the medina, our favourites are at the top of Talaa Kebira and in Achebine. Perfect fuel for exploring the city, the soup is ladled into rough pottery bowls and served with a hunk of bread, a dash of olive oil and a sprinkling of chilli.
Snail StandMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Talaa Seghira & Derb el-Horra; snails small/large portions Dh6/10; hnoon-10pm)
This permanent stand is a good place to fill up on a molluscan snack – the ultimate in pre-packaged fast food. Grab a pin to pluck the beasts out of their shells, then slurp down the aromatic broth. An acquired taste, but a Moroccan comfort food.
oRuined GardenMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0649 19 14 10; www.ruinedgarden.com; 13 Derb Idrissi; tapas selection Dh85, mains Dh80-120; h1-9.30pm Thu-Tue; W)
An innovative approach to local street food is on the menu, served in this delightful garden or cosily around the fire in winter. Chef-gardener Robert Johnstone grows herbs and vegetables and smokes his own salmon. If you book ahead, they'll arrange a Sephardic feast or a traditional mechoui: (slow-roasted lamb). Guests can be escorted to and from the house on request.
If you like what you eat, you can participate in one of the restaurant's cooking classes.
Moi AnanTHAI€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 57 13; www.maisonmoianan.com; 30 Zkak Lma, Chrablyine; mains from Dh90; h7-11pm Mon-Thu & Sat; W)
A Thai restaurant in Fez? Sweep your reservations aside, because Moi Anan is worth a trip. Dishes are displayed on picture cards and while it's not all totally traditional Thai (alas there's no prawn crackers), all the food is incredibly fresh. The restaurant is set in a dar, with a warren of rooms washed in neutral grey and a quirky roof terrace.
Entry is through a chic designer boutique – the baby of Thai native Anan, the chef, who also happens to be a fashion designer.
Dar HatimMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0666 52 53 23; 19 Derb Ezaouia Funduk Lihoudi; 3-course menus Dh130-250; h11am-late)
A family-home-turned-restaurant with beautiful painted ceilings, this welcoming place pulls out all the stops in its food and service. Set menus include kebab and couscous options, as well as a special lamb tajine made to a family recipe. The owners Fouad and his wife Karima will happily arrange to collect you so you won't struggle to find it (because you will struggle).
Le KasbahMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Serrajine; mains from DH70, set menu Dh100; h8am-midnight)
On several floors opposite the cheap hotels at Bab Bou Jeloud, this restaurant occupies a prime spot. The top floor looks out over the medina. The menu itself isn't overly exciting – tajines, couscous and pastillas – and drinks are marked up if you're not eating.
oRestaurant Dar RoumanaMEDITERRANEAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0660 29 04 04, 0535 74 16 37; 30 Derb el-Amer, Zqaq Roumane; 2/3 courses Dh275/350; h7-9pm Tue-Sun; Wv)
Dining at Dar Roumana is a white-linen affair with fine service and fine food, and its gorgeous courtyard creates an atmospheric dining spot. French chef Vincent Bonnin's menu makes the best of local Moroccan produce while celebrating Mediterranean flavours. There are innovative salads and excellent fish and meat dishes, and vegetarians are well catered for (notify in advance). Alcohol is served.
Reserving well in advance is recommended; when booking, you can ask for an escort to and from the restaurant.
Restaurant Riad al AndalibMOROCCAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 76 45 65; www.riadandalib.ma; Ave Ahmed Ben Mohamed Alaoui, R'cif; mains Dh150; hnoon-4pm & 6.30-10pm; W)
This large, light and airy place sits inside an upmarket R'cif heritage hotel, and makes an exceedingly pleasant retreat from the chaos of R'cif. The menu is traditional Moroccan fare, but there's a broad range including some lesser-seen dishes. Food is delicately spiced, thoughtfully presented and delicious. Service is attentive, and alcohol is served.
L'Amandier, Palais FarajMOROCCAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 53 56; www.palaisfaraj.com; 16-18 Quartier Ziat, Derb Bensouda, Bab Ziat; mains from Dh150; hnoon-11pm; aW)
Excellent Moroccan cuisine is served in the restaurant or on the terrace of this exquisite heritage hotel, with spectacular views across the medina. All the classics are here, and they're served with attention to detail in the subtle spicing. Make the most of this elegant dinner choice by arriving early for a snoop around and a pre-dinner drink with a view in the adjoining bar.
Fez CaféFRENCH, MOROCCAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 50 31; www.jardindesbiehn.com; 13 Akbat Sbaa, Douh; mains from Dh135; hnoon-3pm & 7.30-10pm; Wv)
A charming restaurant set in a wonderful garden once owned by a pasha. The set-up is relaxed bistro-style, with a summery verandah and unusual vintage-inspired interior: you won't find anything else like this in Fez. Chef Hicham presents dishes that are a delicious seasonal mix of French and Moroccan, chalked up afresh on a board each day. Alcohol, including cocktails, is served.
The restaurant entrance is low-key, but it's inside the Jardin des Biehn ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 74 10 36; www.jardindesbiehn.com; Akbat Sbaa, Douh; hammam Dh330; h9am-8pm); staff are usually happy to pick you up or drop you off if you can't find your way. Don't miss the gallery of African antiques near the door.
Ville Nouvelle
Chicken MacMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Lalla Meriem; mains Dh25-40; h9am-1am)
Several eateries seem to run into each other along this strip in a continuously busy row of streetside tables and chairs. Chicken Mac is the last one away from Pl Florence, and quickly serves up generous plates of rotisserie chicken (Dh25), fried fish, couscous and other cheap, filling meals. If you're not in the mood to sit, takeaway sandwiches are available.
Restaurant MarrakechMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 93 08 76; 11 Rue Omar el-Mokhtar; mains from Dh79; hnoon-3pm & 6pm-late; a)
Hidden behind thick wooden doors, this restaurant exudes more charm than just about any other food stop in the ville nouvelle. Red tadelakt walls
and dark furniture, with a cushion-strewn salon at the back, add ambience, while the menu offers some interesting variations on the usual Moroccan fare: specialities include couscous with spicy merguez sausage and a chicken pastilla (savoury pie) with almonds.
Kaï TaïASIAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 65 17 00; 12 Rue Ahmed Chaouki; sushi Dh25-45, menus from Dh100; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm; paW)
This is not going to be the best Asian food you've ever eaten, but Kaï Taï is one of the swankiest minimalist restaurants in the ville nouvelle and the Japanese and Thai dishes on offer add a chilli-zing to palates jaded by one tajine too many. It's opposite the new Marriott hotel.
MB Restaurant LoungeEUROPEAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 62 27 27; 12 Rue Ahmed Chaouki; mains Dh130-220; hnoon-3pm & 7pm-midnight; aW)
Making a strong bid for Fez’ classiest restaurant, MB is all about cool stylish minimalism with modern furniture and rough-hewn stone. Food has a strong French influence. Retire to the upstairs bar at the end of the evening or swing by in the middle of the day for the Dh200 lunch menu. It's opposite the new Marriott hotel.
SELF-CATERING IN FEZ
Borj FesSUPERMARKET, FAST FOOD
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.borjfez.com; Ave Allal el Fassi; h9am-9pm)
The first-ever shopping centre in Fez (with the first-ever escalator), this large, modern mall has a large supermarket with a wider range of foodstuffs than you'll find in the medina, and an alcohol section. It also has a food hall with all the international fast-food outlets you could desire, if you're craving Western junk food.
6Drinking & Nightlife
A stroll in the ville nouvelle is a favourite evening pastime. Stop for an ice cream or just sit on a bench and people-watch. Blvd Mohammed V and Ave Hassan II have the greatest concentration of cafes.
Many ville nouvelle hotels have their own bars serving alcohol; it's also possible to find a drinking spot in the medina, though the vast majority of licensed venues only serve alcohol with food.
oAbdullah'sCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Lmachatine; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu)
There's something a bit special about Abdullah's nook-in-the-wall tea shop, and it's not just the owner's beaming smile and zellij-decorated counter piled high with fresh herbs to pop in your brew. Abdullah swears by the water he uses to make his teas (featuring not just mint, but also herbs such as absinthe): it comes straight from the holy Kairaouine complex. A blessed infusion, indeed.
To find him, take the street off Pl Seffarine opposite Cremarie La Place until you're about halfway down, where a few of Abdullah's seats spill out onto the street.
oRiad FèsBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.riadfes.com; 5 Derb ben Slimane, Zerbtana; h10am-midnight)
You're spoilt for choice at Riad Fès, without doubt the classiest place for a drink in the whole city. Its courtyard Alcazar bar is a delight, with stucco columns that catch the light reflected off the central ornamental pool. The riad also now has a wine bar next to the new swimming pool, and an ultra-modern Sky Bar peeping over the medina rooftops.
MezzanineBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 17 Kasbah Chams; hnoon-1am; W)
Scoring highly on the fashion meter and for late opening, this bar is more Ibiza than Moulay Idriss, and popular with the hip young Fassi crowd. The covered roof terrace overlooking Jnan Sbil (Bou Jeloud Gardens) is a good place to chill with a beer or cocktail, and there are tapas and larger Mediterranean dishes if you're peckish.
Cremerie La PlaceCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl as-Seffarine; h8am-6.30pm)
Put a cafe in one of the most interesting spots in the medina, and you have a near-perfect combination. Over juice, tea, coffee and pastries, the parade passes before you, accompanied by the tapping of the square’s coppersmiths.
MBBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 12 Rue Ahmed Chaouki; hnoon-3pm & 7pm-midnight)
Dark leather, stylishly rough stone walls and a well-stocked bar make this place the perfect ville-nouvelle retreat for a classy drink or two, served with tapas. It's just a shame it's a little out of the way.
Hôtel BathaBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Batha; h8am-10pm)
There are a couple of options for drinks around this handily located medina hotel. The Churchill Bar is inside the hotel and in winter even features a log fire to warm yourself. At the back of the hotel (side entrance), the externally run Nightclub Batha (10.30pm to 2am) offers drinkers somewhere to wobble onto if the mood takes.
Café Restaurant La NoriaCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; off Ave Moulay Hassan; h7am-11.30pm)
On the edge of the Jnan Sbil gardens and surrounded by crumbling city walls, this leafy cafe has seen better days but still makes a good refreshment break if you're strolling through the gardens en route to the mellah. It's named after an ancient noria (waterwheel) – still in situ but no longer working. It's inaccessible from within the gardens; head around the back.
3Entertainment
Live-music buffs know the best time to visit Fez is during the well-respected Festival of World Sacred Music. Café Clock has regular Sunday sunset concerts worth checking out.
Institut Français ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 62 39 21; www.institutfrancaisfes.com; 33 Rue Loukili; h8.30am-12.15pm & 2.30-6.30pm Mon-Fri) organises a packed program of films, concerts, exhibitions and plays.
7Shopping
Fez is the artisanal capital of Morocco. The choice of crafts is wide, quality is high, and prices are competitive, so take your time to shop around. As usual, it’s best to seek out the little shops off the main tourist routes (principally Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira in the medina).
For leather, the area around the tanneries, unsurprisingly, has the highest quality and best selection of goods – note that elsewhere in the medina there are some unscrupulous shops selling cheap imitation leather goods and trying to pass them off as the real deal.
In the medina, there are many well-restored riads and fondouqs that have been converted into carpet showrooms. While they certainly offer a great opportunity to sit with a mint tea in spectacular surroundings and look at some fabulous rugs, the hard sell is like no other place in Morocco. You can pick up some wonderful pieces, but also pay over the odds for factory-made rubbish.
Blue-and-white Fassi pottery is highly prized and everywhere in the medina. Head to Art Naji (%0535 66 91 66; www.artnaji.com; 20 Ain Nokbi; h8am-6pm) for the highest quality pieces and to see the fascinating production process from start to finish.
Médin ArtARTS & CRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Talaa Seghira; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm)
Silky scarfs, beautiful leather bags, handmade books, boho clothes and oversized jewellery from French and Moroccan designers make this gallery-style shop a bit less bazaar and a bit more oh là là than Fez' usual shops. Note it's sometimes closed on Fridays.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
FASSI POTTERY
Ceramics are everywhere in Fez – from the distinctive blue pottery to the intricate mosaics decorating fountains and riads. Art Naji is the place to go to see the real deal being made. The centre is a professional operation and free guides will take you through the entire production process, from pot-throwing to the painstaking hand painting and laying out of zellij (tilework) – it’s a joy to behold. The potteries are about 500m east of Bab el-Ftouh, an easy trip in a petit taxi.
The clay to make the pottery comes from the hills around Fez and the region's fascinating traditional production methods are still very much en vogue. Pieces made here are of the highest quality and lead-free, and prices in the large showroom reflect that, running much higher than what you will see in the medina. Expect to pay from Dh100 for a tiny bowl – big plates start at about Dh500 (though there's no pressure to buy). You can even commission a mosaic and arrange for it to be shipped home.
8Information
Dangers & Annoyances
It’s not really safe to walk on your own in the medina late at night, es
pecially for women.
Knife-point robberies are not unknown.
Hotels and many restaurants are usually happy to provide an escort on request if you’re out late.
Fez has long been notorious for its faux guides (unofficial guides) and carpet-shop hustlers, all after their slice of the tourist dirham.
Faux guides tend to congregate around Bab Bou Jeloud, the main western entrance to the medina, although crackdowns by the authorities have greatly reduced their numbers and hassle.
Even many official guides will suggest visitors turn their tour into a shopping trip, and the pressure to buy can be immense. Fez’ carpet sellers are masters of their game. If you really don’t want to buy, it might be best not to enter the shop at all: once the parade of beautiful rugs begins, even the hardest-minded of tourists can be convinced to buy something they didn’t really want (honeyed words suggesting that you could always sell the carpet later on eBay at vast profit should be treated with extreme scepticism). It’s also worth remembering that any time you enter a shop with a guide, the price of the goods immediately goes up to cover their commission. Shopping in Fez needn’t be a battle – indeed it’s best treated as a game – but it’s worth being prepared.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 60