Every visitor to Essaouira hears about the port grills within the first day. The blue boats, the fish on the ice, the smoke over the coals — it is the town's signature meal and a genuine pleasure. But treating the grilled sardine as the whole of Essaouira's table is like going to Italy and eating only pizza. Here is what the rest looks like.
The port grills, properly understood
The grill stalls between the harbour and Place Moulay Hassan are more than a meal — they are a ritual of the catch. You choose your fish from the ice — sardines, sea bream, calamari, prawns, sometimes lobster — agree a price by weight, and watch it cooked over coals in front of you, served with bread, a tomato salad and lemon. It is the freshest, most honest food in town, eaten elbow to elbow at communal tables.
Choose a busy stall, confirm the price before it goes on the coals, and you will eat brilliantly for very little. Or let us arrange a cooking experience where you source the fish at the port and learn to cook it yourself.
The Essaouira fish tagine
Where the interior does lamb-and-prune tagines, Essaouira does the fish tagine: white fish layered with tomato, peppers, a green chermoula marinade of coriander, garlic, cumin and preserved lemon, and cooked gently in the conical pot so the flavours meld. It is the seafood soul of Moroccan slow cooking, and the dish to order when you want a sit-down meal rather than the grill. Many riads do an excellent home-style version.
Mezze and the salad table
Before the fish comes the spread of small plates — smoky zaalouk (aubergine), taktouka (pepper and tomato), lentils, beetroot, carrot with cumin, olives and warm bread for scooping. Harira, the hearty tomato-and-lentil soup, is a meal in itself, especially in the cooler months. Order generously and share; this is how the town eats, slowly and together.
Argan, amlou and the local pantry
Essaouira sits in the heart of argan country, and the nutty argan oil turns up on the breakfast table beside amlou — the addictive spread of ground almonds, argan oil and honey eaten with bread. A drizzle of culinary argan over a salad or a tagine is distinctly local. Lifting a spoon of amlou onto warm bread on a riad rooftop is one of the quiet pleasures of a stay here.
Vegetarian and vegan eating in Essaouira
Essaouira is one of the easier places in Morocco to eat plant-based. Vegetable tagines, zaalouk, taktouka, lentils, harira (ask — some versions use meat stock), salads and bread with argan oil and amlou make a satisfying meal with no fish or meat at all. Vegans should ask about butter (smen) and honey, which appear in some dishes. Most restaurants accommodate dietary requests readily.
Cooking classes and social kitchens
A half-day cooking class is one of the best single experiences Essaouira offers. The format we prefer begins with a market or port walk to source ingredients, then a session in a riad or social-enterprise kitchen learning to make a fish tagine and a table of salads — and often argan and amlou too. You eat what you make, and your money supports local livelihoods. We include this in our cultural tours and can arrange it as a standalone for guests travelling independently.
What to drink
Morocco is a Muslim country; alcohol is available in licensed restaurants and some hotels but not everywhere. The default is sweet mint tea, poured from a height, offered as a gesture of welcome, alongside strong coffee. Fresh orange and almond-milk drinks are everywhere. Tap water is treated but heavily chlorinated; we advise guests to drink filtered or bottled water throughout.
Frequently asked
Is Moroccan food spicy?
Moroccan cuisine is fragrant rather than fiery. Cumin, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, paprika and the spice blend ras el hanout are the dominant notes. Chilli is rarely built into a dish; a side of harissa is offered if you want heat. In Essaouira the seafood is usually cooked simply, so guests with low spice tolerance almost never have an issue.
What is a tagine and what's the Essaouira version?
A tagine is both the conical earthenware pot and the slow-cooked stew made in it — meat or vegetables with preserved lemon, olives and spices. In Essaouira the standout is the fish tagine: white fish layered with tomato, peppers, chermoula marinade and preserved lemon, cooked gently so the flavours meld. It is the seafood counterpart to the lamb-and-prune tagines of the interior.
What should vegetarians and vegans order in Essaouira?
Essaouira is good for plant-based eating. Vegetable tagines, zaalouk (smoky aubergine), taktouka (pepper and tomato), lentils, harira soup, bread with argan oil and amlou, and abundant salads make a generous meal with no meat. Vegans should ask about butter (smen) and honey in some dishes, but it is easy to eat well.
What is the best way to eat fish in Essaouira?
Straight off the boats. The grill stalls between the port and Place Moulay Hassan let you pick your fish from the ice — sardines, sea bream, calamari, prawns, the odd lobster — and have it grilled over coals on the spot with bread, salad and lemon. It is the freshest, simplest and most local meal in town, and far cheaper than a sit-down restaurant.
Can you do a cooking class in Essaouira?
Yes, and we recommend it as one of the best half-days of any visit. A good class takes you to the market or the port to source ingredients, then into a riad or social-enterprise kitchen to cook a fish tagine and salads. You eat what you make. Several classes also cover argan oil and amlou. We include this option in our culinary itineraries.
Is tap water safe to drink in Essaouira?
Tap water is treated and generally considered safe but tastes heavily of chlorine, and most visitors and locals drink filtered or bottled water. Restaurants use treated water for cooking without issue, and ice in established restaurants is fine. Carry a refillable bottle and top up from filtered sources.
Eat well in Essaouira
We'll build a culinary thread through your itinerary.
From a port fish grill to a riad cooking class and an argan-cooperative visit, Essaouira Tours weaves the best of the coast's food into every programme — including dietary accommodations arranged in advance.
Enquire about a culinary itinerary