When you think of Morocco, your mind will probably go straight to the food. A totally unique cuisine that blends Arabic, Andalusian, and Mediterranean cuisines and mixed meat, seafood and vegetables with olive oils, dried fruit and spices. With so much choice of restaurants in Marrakech, we were lucky to have our Local Concierge, Jessica from Original Travel on hand to give us plenty of recommendations for fantastic restaurants in the city. I thought I’d share with you the places that we tried.
1. The Selman
Jessica recommended lunch at The Selman, a five star palace hotel that was a little out of the city but only a short fifteen minute drive from our hotel. The interior of the hotel is plush and decadently designed by architect Jacques Garcia, inspired by Moroccan style. 
Guests looking for a more gourmet dinner can dine in the hotel’s main restaurant, Le Selman, but for a more casual lunch we booked into the Pool Bar which is located by the hotel’s 80 metre swimming pool.
The restaurant serves a combination of Mediterranean and international flavours dishes and we opted for tuna nicoise salad to start for Mr S and poached egg and asparagus for me. There is also a chef preparing fresh barbecue food – Mr S couldn’t resist the lure of a mixed grill while I had a very beautifully cooked salmon.
2. Villa Des Orangers
With our own hotel being a Relais & Châteaux propery, food is taken very seriously and French Chef Jean Claude Orly uses local ingredients to create a menu with both International and Moroccan choices.
Lunch was eaten in a shady spot by the pool at Villa Des Orangers under orange trees and we sampled local Moroccan salads and the chefs tagine.
Dinner was a beautiful set up of romantic twinkling lanterns with private tables for couples and the menu is a small but perfectly formed list of elegant gourmet choices. 
Check out my review of Villa Des Orangers to read about this meal in full.
3. La Grande Table Marocaine at the Royal Mansour
The La Grande Table Marocaine is one of the best restaurants in Marrakech and it is located at the Royal Mansour, one of the most luxurious properties. Commissioned by King Mohammed VI, who often hosts his guests there, the hotel is utterly gorgeous. I highly recommend a little look around the rooms and grounds before heading in the for dinner.
The restaurant dining has a gorgeous ambiance, inspired by Moroccan culture and the service is second to none! The chef patron is multi-Michelin starred Yannick Alléno (we went to his three star restaurant Le 1947 earlier this year) so there is no doubt the food is going to be good! Guests can choose from an à la carte menu or several different tasting menu, we went for a classic version of the latter.
As usual romantic lighting doesn’t aid photography but we ate an array of Moroccan salads followed by Royal Mansour Pigeon pastilla. Next we a whole sea bream and veal shoulder Mechoui style finishing off with frosted water melon and milk cream pastilla.
PIN FOR LATER:
I travelled to Morocco as part of a press trip with Original Travel and my meals at Villa Des Orangers and The Selman were complimentary.
