The choice of dining options in Fes reflects the culture of the city's two distinct areas. Within the ancient walled city, authentic Moroccan food is the cuisine of choice, with only the setting, ambience, and price being the difference. This apparent lack of choice sits easily; to eat anything else while surrounded by such history and tradition would seem out of place. Out in the ville nouvelle is a surprisingly small selection of restaurants with a range of cuisines and settings.
The restaurants recommended here are all relatively easy to find, though for those in the medina it always helps to reset your bearings when you're departing for the walk back to your accommodation.
In the Medina -- A string of eateries can be found within 50m (165 ft.) of the Bab Bou Jeloud medina entrance heading down rue Sarrajine. Hugely popular for the unbeatable people-watching location and cheap food -- rather than the quality of the cuisine prepared in kitchens of questionable hygiene -- some of these eateries are only distinguishable from each other by the color of their faux-satin covered chairs. The menus cover the Moroccan standards of brochettes, tagine, and couscous along with omelets, fries, and sandwiches. Unsuspecting travelers who stop to ponder where they will eat are soon beset upon by fast-talking touts competing for their business.
Restaurant Guenoune sums up the cheeky attitude that prevails here by stating on their English-language menu, "Our beef and chicken are mad cow- and bird flu-free." Locals -- both Fassi and ex-pats -- swear by Thami's Restaurant, at the beginning of Tala'a Sghira, in the corner. Thami's kefta tagine with egg, fish dishes, and pastilla are all highly recommended; Thami also speaks English. Standing over the crowd is Restaurant la Kasbah de Fes, which climbs more than two stories with two separate roof terraces. Restaurant Bouayad, below the Hotel Cascade, lacks the pavement location but offers air-conditioning. Abderazak and Abdullah at La Palma provide freshly squeezed juices and milkshakes. All of the eateries around here open slowly during the morning but are lively by around 10am and continue through to at least 10pm daily.
