A tagine arrives with its tall, cone-shaped lid still on. The waiter lifts it and steam pours out: saffron, ginger, preserved lemon, olives, chicken so soft it falls apart when you press it with bread. That is how Casablanca does lunch.
A tagine is both a cone-lidded clay pot and the slow-cooked stew made in it, Morocco’s signature dish. In Casablanca you find classic chicken with preserved lemon and olives, lamb with prunes and almonds, meatball (kefta) tagine with eggs, and fish tagines from the Atlantic coast, alongside street food like harira soup, msemen flatbreads and grilled sardines. In 2026 a tagine costs roughly 50–120 dirhams at a local restaurant. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country, so halal is the default.
This guide covers the tagines to know, how to eat one, Casablanca street food, where to go, prices and some Moroccan Arabic.
The pot that cooks itself
The cone-shaped lid collects steam, which runs back down into the food. Meat and vegetables cook slowly in very little liquid, becoming tender and concentrated. Traditional tagines sit over charcoal for hours.
Tagines to know
| Tagine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Chicken with preserved lemon and olives | Saffron-ginger sauce, salty-sour lemon, green olives; the classic |
| Lamb or beef with prunes and almonds | Sweet and savoury, with cinnamon and sesame |
| Kefta tagine | Spiced meatballs in tomato sauce, finished with eggs |
| Fish tagine | Atlantic fish with tomato, peppers and chermoula herb sauce; a coastal favourite |
| Vegetable tagine | Seasonal vegetables with chickpeas and spices |
How to eat a tagine
- Share from the pot, eating from the side in front of you.
- Use bread (khobz) in your right hand to scoop, instead of cutlery.
- Meat is torn with bread and fingers, not cut.
- Save room: tagines often follow salads and end with fruit and mint tea.
Casablanca street food
| Food | What it is |
|---|---|
| Harira | Tomato, lentil and chickpea soup; eaten to break the fast in Ramadan |
| Msemen | Square, flaky pan-fried flatbread, with honey or stuffed |
| Bissara | Thick fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin; a winter breakfast |
| Sfenj | Moroccan ring doughnuts, fried to order |
| Grilled sardines | Fresh from the port, grilled on charcoal |
| Babbouche | Snail soup sold from carts; see halal note |
Halal note: Morocco is a Muslim-majority country and meat is halal as standard. Two things to know: some tourist restaurants and hotels serve alcohol, and babbouche, a popular snail soup sold from street carts, is treated as not halal on this site. See our halal food travel guide.
Where to eat in Casablanca
- Local restaurants in the city centre – set lunches of salads, tagine and fruit.
- Marché Central – the central market, with fish stalls and small restaurants cooking the catch.
- The Habous quarter (New Medina) – known for traditional pastry shops and olive sellers.
- Around the old medina and the port – grilled sardines and simple fish meals.
On Fridays many families eat couscous after midday prayers, and some restaurants serve it only that day. Hours shift in Ramadan.
What it costs (2026)
| Order | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Tagine at a local restaurant | About 50–120 MAD |
| Fish tagine or seafood plate | About 70–150 MAD |
| Harira | About 5–15 MAD |
| Msemen or sfenj | About 3–10 MAD |
| Mint tea | About 10–20 MAD |
Plan your Morocco budget with the Morocco food budget calculator and check tipping in Morocco.
Moroccan Arabic (Darija)
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waḥed tajine djaj | One chicken tagine |
| Bla ḥar | Not spicy |
| Atay b’n’na’na | Mint tea |
| Bshhal? | How much? |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| Bsaḥḥa | Enjoy your meal |
Frequently asked questions
What is a tagine?
A cone-lidded clay pot and the slow-cooked Moroccan stew made in it.
Is food in Morocco halal?
Yes, meat is halal as standard. Some tourist venues serve alcohol, and snail soup is best avoided if you follow the majority view.
How much is a tagine in Casablanca?
About 50–120 dirhams at a local restaurant in 2026.
What is the most popular tagine?
Chicken with preserved lemon and olives, followed by lamb with prunes and almonds.
More from North Africa and beyond: couscous in Algeria, koshari in Cairo and shakshuka. See all Africa food guides.
Sources
- Visit Morocco – Moroccan National Tourist Office.
- Tajine and Moroccan cuisine.
