Medina, Marrakech: The Definitive Guide To Lamb Brain, Tongue, Eyeballs & More Food

After initially wanting to leave Morocco but then deciding to stay, I finally got into a rhythm in Marrakech. Centered around my decision to stay was desire to try every food and drink available. I already wrote about The Detox Juice Bars and the pricey couscous restaurant. Now it was time to focus on the food stalls which are centered in the heart of the Medina and are also on the way to and from getting lost in the Medina Labyrinth.

Street Food Take 1

The Sweet Shop 

I stopped at many food stalls while wandering aimlessly. My first stop was a sweet shop which sold all sorts of sugary treats.

The Famous Juice Bar 

Continuing on the main artery road from the center to the souks, I found a juice bar which had a line of people fighting for a layered juice drink. (Read the complete story here.)

Express Sandwich Shop 

Right next to the famous juice bar in the post above is a row of restaurants serving beef (kufta) with bread. Ordering is difficult because they don’t understand my Arabic, and I certainly do not understand theirs. The easiest thing is to point and present your coins.

Then I Got Lost 

Found, It Was Sandwich Time 

One More Juice 

Exhausted, it was time to go back to the center for a juice.

Street Food Take 2

Buyer Beware, Sort Of 

Why wander around when you can head to the food stalls and eat everything for next to nothing. The web says that many tourists are ripped of at these stalls because they do not inquire about the price or are served and charged for appetizers that they did not order. I did not have that experience. I ate a bunch of places and anytime there was a discrepancy, they would either take it off the bill or bring me more food. Be aware but don’t be too paranoid.

Soup 

The first must is a cup of harira soup which may be my favorite soup in the world apart from pho and tom yum. At a cost of 3 dinars (30 cents), you can’t go wrong. I tried the other soup but it was not as good.

Mixed Grill 

Don’t fill up on too much soup or you won’t have room for the mixed grill. I skipped the couscous this time, but it is worth noting how much cheaper it is than at the Tourist Restaurant. I recommend focusing on lamb and beef, avoiding the chicken, and asking for extra mixed vegetables.

All this food cost 140 dinar or around $15.

The Mint Tea 

Moroccan mint tea deserves its own section. Moroccans know how to make tea. There should be no charge for it, so have a few cups but be aware of the sugar.

The Lamb 

This is what I came for. During holidays, my family serves lamb and it is always a battle to see who gets to devour the tongue. I asked the waiter for ‘noos ross’ (half a head) of lamb and was quoted 40 dinar (~$4).

Street Food Take 3

After two days in the Medina, I was an expert at what to order and like the previous days, I never received a shockingly high bill. Again, I focused on the soup, mixed grill, and lamb. This time I bravely ate the tongue, the brain, and the eyeball. Delicious!

Last Call for Juice 

I do not believe that they serve alcohol in the Medina which is fine because there’s always room for a nice juice before passing out from too much food.

Overall 

It doesn’t get any more authentic than eating at the food stalls in the Medina. At first, I was overwhelmed by the hawkers begging me to come to their stall. In the end, I was overwhelmed by the amount of food I ate.