Morocco does not rush you. It invites you to sit. To watch. To sip.
Across North Africa, coffee is less about caffeine and more about communion. It is poured deliberately, often sweetened generously, and almost never taken to go. In Morocco, cafés act as living rooms for the city. They are places of chess games that last hours, philosophical debates that stretch past sunset, and quiet mornings where the clink of porcelain cups sets the rhythm of the day.
On our journey through Rabat, Fez, Chefchaouen, Marrakesh, and Casablanca, we found that while mint tea reigns ceremonially, coffee holds the everyday soul. Strong, dark, and unapologetic, often brewed Turkish-style or as a bold espresso, Moroccan coffee culture mirrors the country itself. Layered, social, and steeped in history.
Rabat: Coffee with Calm Authority
As Morocco’s capital, Rabat carries itself with quiet confidence. Its cafés feel composed, intellectual, and unhurried. Locals linger over coffee while reading newspapers or discussing politics, often paired with a small pastry or almond biscuit.
Coffee here is straightforward and strong, served without flourish but with purpose. It is a companion to thought.
Top Recommendation:
La Petite Rotonde
A classic Rabat café with sidewalk seating and a steady local crowd. Excellent espresso, timeless atmosphere, and the perfect place to watch the city breathe.
Fez: Ancient Grounds, Timeless Rituals
Fez feels like coffee history etched in stone. Inside the medina’s narrow corridors, cafés are intimate and often hidden, their interiors perfumed with roasted beans and centuries of conversation.
Coffee in Fez leans traditional. Dark roasts, finely ground, brewed slowly. It is often shared after meals or during long social visits, reinforcing hospitality as an art form.
Top Recommendation:
Café Clock (Fez Medina)
A cultural landmark as much as a café. Rich coffee, rooftop views, and a place where travelers and locals exchange stories beneath the call to prayer.
Chefchaouen: Blue Walls, Gentle Cups
In the blue city, coffee feels softer. Chefchaouen invites stillness. Cafés here overlook mountains and winding blue alleys, and the pace slows to match the altitude.
Coffee is often enjoyed outdoors, paired with fresh air and long silences. It is less about intensity and more about presence.
Top Recommendation:
Café Aladdin
Perched above the medina with sweeping views. Order a coffee, sit back, and let the city’s blue calm seep into your cup.
Marrakesh: Coffee Amid the Pulse
Marrakesh is sensory overload, and its coffee culture reflects that energy. Cafés sit at the edges of chaos, offering refuge from the souks, the calls of vendors, and the swirl of Jemaa el-Fnaa.
Coffee here is bold and restorative. Often sweetened. Always grounding. It is a pause button in a city that never fully stops moving.
Top Recommendation:
Café des Épices
Overlooking the spice square, this café balances vibrant energy with comfort. Excellent coffee, prime people-watching, and a front-row seat to Marrakesh life.
Casablanca: Modern Morocco in a Cup
Casablanca feels global. Its cafés are sleek, contemporary, and influenced by European espresso culture. Here you’ll find lattes alongside traditional Moroccan coffee, served in spaces that blend Art Deco with modern design.
Coffee in Casablanca is about momentum. Morning meetings, afternoon breaks, late-night conversations.
Top Recommendation:
Bondi Coffee Kitchen
A modern standout with expertly crafted coffee, relaxed ambiance, and a bridge between Moroccan tradition and international café culture.
The North African Coffee Spirit
What ties Morocco together is not a single brewing method or roast profile, but intention. Coffee is never rushed. It is a reason to sit longer, speak deeper, and share space.
At Voyage of the Bean, we believe coffee tells the story of where it’s enjoyed. In Morocco, that story is one of hospitality, patience, and connection. A reminder that the best cups are not just tasted, but lived.
Sip slowly. Stay awhile.
