Here’s your ultimate vegan guide on how to find vegan food in Marrakech.
Marrakech is one of those places that hits all your senses at once – the call to prayer echoing over the rooftops, the smell of spices in the souks, scooters weaving through tiny alleyways, and sizzling grills loaded with kebabs.
When I first started planning a trip as a vegan, I wondered: “Will I actually find enough vegan food in Marrakech?”
The short answer is: yes, absolutely.
Vegan food in Marrakech may not be labelled on every menu, but with a bit of planning and a handful of key phrases, you can eat incredibly well here. From colourful vegetable tagines and fresh Moroccan salads to rooftop restaurants and fully vegan cafés tucked inside the Medina, there is so much to enjoy.
In this guide, I’m sharing how I personally find vegan food in Marrakech – the exact apps I use, the phrases I show waiters, the vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants I bookmark, and the local Moroccan dishes I look out for.
By the time you finish this article, you’ll feel confident navigating the Medina, Jemaa el-Fna and beyond, while staying fully plant-based.
Is Marrakech Vegan-Friendly? How Vegan Food in Marrakech Really Works
Let’s be honest: Marrakech is not a fully vegan city.
You’ll see a lot of lamb, chicken, kebabs and mixed grills. But that doesn’t mean vegans are left out.
In fact, vegan Marrakech is easier than it looks at first glance, especially in and around the Medina, Gueliz, and other popular areas with travellers.
Many restaurants offer at least one or two clearly vegetarian dishes, and those can often be made vegan by removing cheese, yoghurt or butter.
Traditional Moroccan cuisine includes a surprising amount of naturally plant-based food – think slow-cooked vegetable tagines, fluffy couscous with seasonal vegetables, rich bean stews and a rainbow of cooked salads.
You will not always see the word “vegan” on menus, and staff might not fully understand what it means. That’s totally normal.
Instead, I find it easier to explain that I don’t eat meat, fish, chicken, eggs or dairy, and then work together with the waiter or chef to adapt a dish.
Once you know what to ask for, finding vegan food in Marrakech becomes more of a fun scavenger hunt than a struggle.
Before You Go – Plan Your Vegan Trip to Marrakech
Research Vegan Food in Marrakech Ahead of Time
The best time to start planning your vegan food in Marrakech is before you land. I always create a custom Google Map and save all the vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants I might want to visit.
And I search things like “vegan Marrakech”, “vegan restaurant Marrakech Medina” and “vegetarian restaurant near Jemaa el-Fna”.
I also like scrolling through Instagram and TikTok using hashtags such as #veganmarrakech, #veganmorocco, and #vegantravel.
Seeing real-life plates of food gives me a better sense of portion sizes, prices and vibes. That way, when I’m wandering through the souks and hunger hits, I already know which direction to walk for a plant-based meal.
Learn Essential French & Arabic Vegan Phrases
The single most powerful tool for finding vegan food in Marrakech is a short list of French and Arabic phrases.
English is everyday in touristy spots, but as soon as you step into more local cafés or street stalls, you’ll feel more confident if you can say:
- “Je ne mange pas de viande, de poulet ou de poisson.” – I don’t eat meat, chicken or fish.
- “Je ne mange pas de produits laitiers ni d’œufs.” – I don’t eat dairy or eggs.
- “Sans beurre, sans lait, sans fromage, s’il vous plaît.” – Without butter, milk or cheese, please.
I keep these written in my phone notes and sometimes even show them directly to the waiter.
This simple step has unlocked a lot of accidental hidden vegan food in Marrakech, because the staff suddenly realise they can leave off the yoghurt or cook the vegetables in oil instead of butter.
How to Find Vegan Food in Marrakech Using Apps, Maps and Local Tips
Use Vegan Apps & Online Maps to Find Vegan Restaurants in Marrakech
For me, the Holy Trinity of tools to find vegan restaurants in Marrakech is:
- HappyCow – I use the vegan restaurant map of Marrakech to see fully vegan, vegetarian and veg-friendly spots. I always filter by “vegan-friendly” and sort by distance.
- Google Maps – I search for “vegan”, “vegetarian”, and “healthy food”, and look for green leaf icons and recent reviews mentioning vegan options.
- TripAdvisor – While not perfect, it’s helpful to scan photos and see if vegan travellers have commented on specific dishes.
I recommend checking reviews from the last 3–6 months because menus in Marrakech can change quickly. Once I see a promising place, I save it to my map so I can find it offline later.
Ask Locals, Facebook Groups & Riads About Vegan Food
Online tools are great, but nothing beats human recommendations.
Before I arrive, I often post in Morocco or Marrakech-focused Facebook groups, mentioning that I’m vegan and asking for recent experiences.
Fellow travellers are usually generous with their favourite cafés and updated restaurant info.
When I check into my riad, I always ask the host, “Where can I find good vegetarian or vegan food in Marrakech, preferably nearby?”
Locals often know small family restaurants that don’t appear on apps but are happy to put together a vegetable tagine or a totally plant-based couscous. These tips have led me to some of my favourite meals in the city.
Best Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Marrakech
Now for the fun part: where I actually eat.
This isn’t a strict “top 10” list, but rather a selection of vegan and vegan-friendly spots that I like to keep bookmarked when I’m navigating vegan food in Marrakech.
Vegan Restaurants in Marrakech Medina
In and around the Medina, there are a few gems that make vegan travellers very happy:
World Storytelling Café Vegan is exactly what it sounds like – a cosy space that combines food and stories. The menu is entirely vegan, with dishes like hearty bowls, mezze platters and desserts. It’s such a relief to sit down and know that everything is safe to order.
Ayaso is another favourite. It leans towards health-conscious food, with clearly marked vegan dishes, fresh juices and smoothies, and often plant milks for coffee. I love their colourful bowls and salads when I’m craving something lighter.
La Famille, a beautiful garden-style vegetarian restaurant, is also worth mentioning. While it’s not fully vegan, there are a couple of solid vegan options, and many dishes can be tweaked to accommodate vegans. Think seasonal salads, vegetable-focused plates and a peaceful atmosphere that feels like a mini-retreat from the busy Medina.
La Famille Marrakech meal
Rooftop Cafés and Scenic Vegan Food in Marrakech
For that classic Marrakech rooftop moment, I like to head to spots such as Nomad, Café des Épices, or Atay Café. They’re not dedicated vegan restaurants, but they do offer a few vegetarian dishes that can usually be made vegan.
At Nomad, for example, I look for vegetable-based plates, salads or a vegetable pastilla without cheese or yoghurt. At rooftop cafés like Café des Épices and Atay, I lean into mezze-style eating: bread, olives, dips and simple vegetable tagines. The main draws here are the view and the ambience – the vegan food is pretty simple, but it’s still gratifying.
Trendy Cafés and Brunch Spots with Vegan Food in Marrakech
If I’m in the mood for a more modern vibe, Marrakech has a growing café scene with smoothie bowls, avocado toast and salads. Spots like Some Concept Coffee Shop, Simple Restaurant, GM Café Gourmet, and others in Gueliz or the Medina often offer smoothies, grain bowls, or sandwiches that can be made vegan.
When in doubt, I ask: “Can you make this bowl/salad vegan – no cheese, no yoghurt, no mayonnaise?” Most of the time, the answer is yes.
Vegan-Helpful Riad Dining & Cooking Classes
One of my favourite ways to enjoy vegan food in Marrakech is to eat where I sleep. Many boutique hotels and riads are happy to prepare vegan breakfasts and dinners if you tell them in advance. This can mean fresh bread, jams, olives, fruit and mint tea in the morning, and vegetable tagines or couscous at night.
I also like to look for cooking classes that explicitly mention vegetarian or vegan options. Learning to cook a vegetable tagine or Moroccan salad platter from scratch is a delicious way to deepen the experience of vegan Marrakech.
What Vegan Moroccan Food to Look For in Marrakech
Traditional Vegan Moroccan Dishes You Can Order
Even in restaurants that don’t advertise vegan options, several traditional Moroccan dishes are naturally plant-based or can easily be made vegan:
- Moroccan salads – warm or cold cooked vegetables like carrots with cumin, beetroot, aubergine (zaalouk), peppers and tomatoes (taktouka). These are usually served as starters and are often vegan, but it’s worth confirming they’re cooked in oil, not butter.
- Vegetable tagine – slow-cooked vegetables (often carrots, courgettes, potatoes, onions and tomatoes) with spices. I always say “no meat stock, no butter” and ask for it to be cooked just with oil and water.
- Vegetable couscous – fluffy semolina topped with seasonal vegetables. Ask specifically for vegetable broth, no meat stock and no butter.
- Bissara – a thick fava bean soup, often naturally vegan. I quickly confirm that no meat stock is used.
- Loubia – white beans in a tomato-based sauce. Again, I check that it’s cooked only with vegetable stock and oil.
Add to that the endless baskets of khobz (Moroccan bread), olives, nuts and fresh fruit, and you’ve got a solid vegan base without even stepping into a fully vegan restaurant.
Vegan Drinks and Desserts in Marrakech
The star of the show, of course, is Moroccan mint tea. I usually ask for “little sugar” or “no sugar” because it can be extremely sweet. If you avoid honey, you can mention that as well, though sugar is more common.
For dessert, I often opt for fresh orange slices dusted with cinnamon, fruit salads or sorbets in nicer restaurants. In modern cafés, you might find dairy-free smoothies or lattes made with almond or soy milk, especially in more health-focused spots.
How to Find Vegan Food in Marrakech’s Markets, Street Stalls and Supermarkets
Souks and Jemaa el-Fna for Vegan Snacks
Jemaa el-Fna and the surrounding souks are intense, but they’re also full of easy, budget-friendly vegan snacks. I love grabbing:
- Freshly squeezed orange juice from the juice stalls.
- Paper cones of nuts, roasted chickpeas or seeds.
- Dates and other dried fruits.
- Seasonal fresh fruit from market stands.
I usually choose busy stalls with high turnover and, where possible, avoid stands that cook right next to meat grills to minimise cross-contamination. It’s not always perfect, but you can get very close.
Supermarkets, Health Shops and Bakeries
For backup snacks, I like visiting larger supermarkets and any small health food shops I can find. There, I stock up on:
- Plant milks (soy, almond, oat – availability varies).
- Plain nuts and seeds.
- Dried fruit, rice cakes or simple crackers.
- Dark chocolate (check the label for milk solids).
When reading labels, I look out for French words like lait (milk), beurre (butter), fromage (cheese), œuf (egg) and bouillon (stock). Even if a product is marked “vegetarian”, I still double-check for dairy and eggs if I want it to be fully vegan.
Vegan-Friendly Hotels and Riads in Marrakech
Accommodation can make or break your experience of vegan food in Marrakech. I always look for riads and hotels with great reviews that mention “vegetarian”, “vegan”, or at least “dietary requirements”.
Before I arrive, I send a quick email that says something like: “I am vegan (no meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, butter or yoghurt). Is it possible to prepare vegan breakfasts and dinners?” Most riads are very accommodating and appreciate the clear explanation.
A typical vegan-friendly breakfast might include fresh bread, olive oil, jams, olives, fruit, nuts and mint tea. Dinners often revolve around vegetable tagine, couscous, salads and fruit for dessert. Having this option at “home base” means that even if I strike out during the day, I know I’ll come back to a safe, satisfying meal.
Common Mistakes and Cultural Tips for Vegan Travellers in Marrakech
A few things I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) while searching for vegan food in Marrakech:
- Don’t assume vegetable dishes are automatically vegan. Vegetable couscous and soups like harira are sometimes cooked with chicken or beef stock, or topped with a ladle of meat broth. Always ask about the stock.
- Watch out for butter and animal fat. Some breads and flatbreads, like msemmen, may be cooked with butter or ghee. I ask for “cooked with oil only” when possible.
- Be polite but firm. In many cultures, including Morocco, hospitality is expressed through food. If you’re offered meat, it’s okay to gently decline and mention health reasons or “allergies” if that makes it easier.
- Consider broader ethics. If you avoid certain animal activities (like snake charmers or photo opportunities with monkeys), you might want to skip those parts of Jemaa el-Fna. It’s okay to enjoy the square from the edges instead.
A minor cultural sensitivity, plus clear communication, goes a long way in making vegan Marrakech both respectful and delicious.
Sample 1-Day Vegan Food in Marrakech Itinerary
To show how all of this fits together, here’s what a full day of vegan food in Marrakech might look like:
Breakfast: At your riad, you enjoy a spread of fresh Moroccan bread, olive oil, jams, olives, fruit and mint tea. You’ve already explained that you’re vegan, so everything on the table is safe for you to eat.
Late Morning Snack: While exploring the Medina, you grab a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a small bag of nuts or roasted chickpeas from a busy stall.
Lunch: You walk to a vegan or vegan-friendly spot in the Medina, such as World Storytelling Café Vegan, Ayaso or La Famille. You order a colourful salad platter, a vegetable tagine and maybe a smoothie or juice.
Afternoon: Back in the souks, you snack on dates or dried fruit and browse the shops. Later, you duck into a café with Wi-Fi and order a black coffee or tea, plus any vegan-friendly snack they offer (like hummus and bread or a simple salad).
Dinner: For sunset, you head to a rooftop restaurant like Nomad or Café des Épices. You talk through your requirements with the waiter and end up with a vegetable tagine, a couple of salads and bread. If that feels too uncertain, you return to your riad for a pre-booked vegan dinner instead.
FAQs – How to Find Vegan Food in Marrakech
Is Marrakech suitable for vegans?
Marrakech isn’t a fully vegan city, but it’s very possible to eat well as a vegan. If you’re flexible, communicate clearly and do a bit of research, you’ll find vegan food in Marrakech in the form of traditional dishes, vegan cafés, rooftop restaurants and accommodating riads.
Is Moroccan food naturally vegan-friendly?
Moroccan cuisine has many plant-based elements – salads, vegetable tagines, couscous and bean dishes – but animal products often sneak in through stock, butter or yoghurt. Many dishes can be made vegan on request, so it’s important to ask.
Can I find vegan food in Jemaa el-Fna and the Medina?
Yes. In Jemaa el-Fna and the Medina, you can rely on orange juice, nuts, dried fruits, bread, olives and simple vegetable dishes. There are also a handful of fully vegan or very vegan-friendly restaurants within walking distance of the main square.
Are there vegan options at Marrakech airport?
Vegan options at Marrakech airport are limited, so I always bring snacks like nuts, dried fruit, crackers and dark chocolate. Occasionally, you may find something like vegetable sushi or a simple salad, but I wouldn’t rely on it completely.
Conclusion – Enjoying Vegan Food in Marrakech with Confidence
Finding vegan food in Marrakech can feel intimidating at first, especially when you’re surrounded by sizzling meat grills and menus you don’t fully understand. But with a bit of preparation, a few key phrases and a sense of adventure, it quickly becomes an exciting part of the journey.
Between vegan-friendly riads, rooftop restaurants, health-conscious cafés, hearty traditional dishes and endless market snacks, you’ll have plenty of options. Use apps like HappyCow, ask locals for tips, and don’t be afraid to explain your vegan needs politely.
Marrakech is vibrant, chaotic and deeply memorable – and yes, it can absolutely be deliciously vegan, too.
For broader trip planning, it’s also worth checking:
- vegan restaurant map of Marrakech on HappyCow
- official Marrakech tourism guide on VisitMarrakech
- vegan Morocco travel tips and traditional dishes on Nomadic Vegan
