Restaurants

As much of a mosaic as the region itself, northern Moroccan cuisine combines influences from several other cultures with added spices and native ingredients—and notably features Spanish tapas (sans ham, though there is a cured turkey variety that is mischievously called jambon de dinde, or "turkey ham"). Tapas are one way to roll here, as you can eat a filling meal for free with the purchase of a few beers at many of the bars. Tagines are made with particular flair in the north, where olives and spices are local. The abundance of fresh seafood makes it a natural choice in coastal areas. Fresh grilled sardines, shrimp, and calamari are standard fare here, as are larger more-gourmet Mediterranean catches such as pageot (red sea bream), swordfish, sole, St. Pierre (John Dory), and dorado (mahimahi). A local delicacy that can be purchased on almost every street corner within the medina is the brouchette, a kebab filled with swordfish, vegetables, and spices. There is no shortage of restaurants and cafés in Tangier and the major regional towns, but they tend to get quite busy in the summer months, and the most popular restaurants require reservations.