Brought up in Brussels, with stints in Paris and London, Nargisse Benkabbou was raised on her Moroccan family recipes. So it’s little surprise that the chef, author and culinary force behind Instagram’s @mymoroccanfood has made it her mission to champion Morocco’s rich, inventive cuisine.
On her feed, you’ll find bright, modern takes on the classics: mint tea reimagined as a refreshing granita, or a salad-style riff on tayb o’hari, the beloved Moroccan street food that sees chickpeas and chicken livened up with a punchy green harissa dressing. Recently, her quest to celebrate Moroccan flavours has even led to a partnership with Intrepid Travel, and a kitchen-visiting tour of the North African country, with Benkabbou guiding travellers through the markets, kitchens and restaurants that shaped her cooking.
Here, Benkabbou shares five of her favourite places to eat across Morocco, from a women-led training kitchen in Marrakech serving couscous steamed to perfection, to steaming tagines simmering behind Fez’s blue gates; from fresh seafood served with sweeping Atlantic views in Casablanca to a sunlit terrace in Tangier.
On her feed, you’ll find bright, modern takes on the classics: mint tea reimagined as a refreshing granita, or a salad-style riff on tayb o’hari, the beloved Moroccan street food that sees chickpeas and chicken livened up with a punchy green harissa dressing. Recently, her quest to celebrate Moroccan flavours has even led to a partnership with Intrepid Travel, and a kitchen-visiting tour of the North African country, with Benkabbou guiding travellers through the markets, kitchens and restaurants that shaped her cooking.
Here, Benkabbou shares five of her favourite places to eat across Morocco, from a women-led training kitchen in Marrakech serving couscous steamed to perfection, to steaming tagines simmering behind Fez’s blue gates; from fresh seafood served with sweeping Atlantic views in Casablanca to a sunlit terrace in Tangier.
The Amal restaurant in Gueliz, Marrakech
Open for lunch six days a week, the menu changes daily, but you can expect fragrant tagines, fresh salads and – on Fridays – their legendary couscous: steamed to perfection and topped with tender meat and vegetables. “It's a true taste of Moroccan home cooking, prepared with immense love and skill,” Benkabbou says.
amalnonprofit.org
instagram.com/sa_caleta
The menu is simple and classic: lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon and olives, grilled brochettes – all served with piles of bread to mop up the moreish sauces. “It’s unpretentious, affordable and always hits the spot,” Benkabbou says. “If you’re wandering the medina and want a quick, satisfying meal full of heart, this is the place.”
instagram.com/restaurant_chez_rachid
Amal Women's Training Center Restaurant
Marrakech
“This place holds a special spot in my heart,” Benkabbou says, “not only for its incredibly authentic, delicious food but also for its powerful social mission.” Amal, in Marrakech’s up-and-coming Gueliz district, is a non-profit restaurant training disadvantaged women for culinary careers, giving them the tools to achieve financial independence in a country where women make up just a quarter of the workforce. Founded by Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen in 2012, it's as much about community as cuisine.Open for lunch six days a week, the menu changes daily, but you can expect fragrant tagines, fresh salads and – on Fridays – their legendary couscous: steamed to perfection and topped with tender meat and vegetables. “It's a true taste of Moroccan home cooking, prepared with immense love and skill,” Benkabbou says.
amalnonprofit.org
Sa Caleta
Rabat
When in Morocco’s coastal capital, Benkabbou heads to this airy, modern tapas bar for its Spanish-inspired plates and ultra-fresh seafood. “Every dish is thoughtfully prepared with quality ingredients,” she says. Her go-tos? “I always return to the grilled skewers with dates and blue cheese – an unexpected but delicious pairing – and their croquetas, which are crisp and golden with a creamy centre. When I’m in the mood for something heartier and more communal, the generous paella is always a great choice.”instagram.com/sa_caleta
Chez Rachid
Fez
In Fez? Try Chez Rachid. Tucked just behind the bustling Bab Boujloud gate, this no-frills spot serves the kind of comfort food Benkabbou grew up eating. “Both my parents are from Fez, so there’s something deeply nostalgic about sitting down to a bowl of harira or a steaming tagine here,” she says.The menu is simple and classic: lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon and olives, grilled brochettes – all served with piles of bread to mop up the moreish sauces. “It’s unpretentious, affordable and always hits the spot,” Benkabbou says. “If you’re wandering the medina and want a quick, satisfying meal full of heart, this is the place.”
instagram.com/restaurant_chez_rachid
L’Orangerie terrace at Villa Mabrouka | Credit villamabrouka.com
Choose between the mirrored dining room or the flower-scented L’Orangerie terrace. The food is light, seasonal and Mediterranean in spirit: think vibrant salads, grilled fish, and crisp fritto misto. “It’s the kind of place where you want to linger,” Benkabbou says. “Under the parasols by the pool, or at a table tucked into the shade of the garden, with birdsong in the background and the sea just beyond.”
villamabrouka.com
Come for dinner and stay late, she advises. “There’s nothing quite like eating here with the sound of the waves and the city lights in the distance.”
le-cabestan.com
Villa Mabrouka Restaurant
Tangier
Housed in Yves Saint Laurent’s former residence, Villa Mabrouka is Benkabbou’s favourite place to eat when in the bohemian Moroccan city. “This is one of the most beautiful places to eat in Tangier,” she says. “Set in lush gardens overlooking the sea, it feels like stepping into a dream – all soft green shutters, tiled floors, elegant cures and corners that open onto the horizon.”Choose between the mirrored dining room or the flower-scented L’Orangerie terrace. The food is light, seasonal and Mediterranean in spirit: think vibrant salads, grilled fish, and crisp fritto misto. “It’s the kind of place where you want to linger,” Benkabbou says. “Under the parasols by the pool, or at a table tucked into the shade of the garden, with birdsong in the background and the sea just beyond.”
villamabrouka.com
Le Cabestan
Casablanca
“Le Cabestan is a true Casablanca classic,” Benkabbou says of this 1920s-founded restaurant that commands cinematic ocean views from its clifftop position on the Corniche. “It feels effortlessly glamorous but never over the top, and the food is just as impressive: lobster pastilla, grilled meats, beautifully cooked seafood.”Come for dinner and stay late, she advises. “There’s nothing quite like eating here with the sound of the waves and the city lights in the distance.”
le-cabestan.com
The Lowdown
Benkabbou has teamed up with Intrepid Travel for A Taste of Morocco, a trip designed to showcase the flavours that inspire her modern Moroccan cooking, including a lunchtime visit to Amal in Marrakech.
