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In Morocco Tea is not just a drink: it is a ritual. It is prepared right in front of you, served in three rounds, and turning it down is seen as a sign of disrespect.
Nine drinks, along with what you need to know about each one.
Gunpowder green tea, handfuls of fresh mint and plenty of sugar. It is served in small glasses, poured from a considerable height to create a head.
No two teas are the same, and there is a Berber proverb that sums it up:
«The first is as gentle as life, the second as sweet as love, and the third as bitter as death.»
Each round relies more on the same leaves, so the flavour changes. It is only polite to accept at least the first one.
The guest can’t see this. Two teapots are used: a simple way to heat up and make tea, who stays in the kitchen, and another eye-catching one, made of wrought metal, for serving. The one that ends up on the table is always the pretty one.
Lemon verbena has a practical use: counteracts the wind caused by mint.
We need to clear up a very common misunderstanding here: the shiba —or Chiba— it is wormwood, Artemisia absinthium. It’s not ginger, even though it is often read that way.
What it’s like: more bitter than atay, which is why mint and sugar are added to balance the flavour. Only a small amount is used: about five grams per large teapot is enough.
When to take it: in winter, because it is said to have properties that help combat the cold, and after heavy meals, for its digestive and expectorant properties.
It is one of the most local drinks: little known outside Morocco but widely consumed within the country.
Strong, served in a small cup and with spices. There’s no set recipe: every home and every café has its own blend.
What you can bring: ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, star anise, saffron, thyme, oregano or sesame. The result is aromatic and slightly spicy.
Please order as spiced coffee —or qahwa— and it’s more common in the north. If you prefer it mild, ask for a café con leche – that’s what they serve for breakfast.
Cheap, available on every street corner, and squeezed right in front of you. Morocco is a major producer of citrus fruits, so the juice is sweet.
The stalls are part of the landscape, particularly in squares such as Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakesh. There are also grapefruit, peach and lemon flavours.
Red, cold and bittersweet. It is made with dried hibiscus flowers and sugar, and is sometimes flavoured with mint or orange blossom water.
It’s the drink of the summer, and can be found both in homes and at street stalls.
A drink for special occasions, not for every day. It is made by diluting the syrup in water or milk, and the most common varieties are almond, rose water and orange blossom water.
Ramadan is their time: is served at the iftar, the breaking of the fast, for its revitalising effect. It also features at weddings and births.
Sour, liquid and very cold. Similar to buttermilk.
And it has a specific use: serve with couscous. It’s what you have with hearty meals because it’s refreshing and aids digestion. It’s very common in the countryside and in summer.
Next to it you’ll find the raïb, traditional Moroccan yoghurt, which is thicker.
It’s worth clarifying this, because it’s listed as a drink but isn’t one. Amlou is a spread made with toasted almonds, argan oil and honey, a Berber speciality from the south.
It is eaten for breakfast, spread on bread. It is true that traditional amlou is more fluid There are industrial versions, and some people drink it almost as a liquid, but it usually comes in the form of a cream.
An important point to bear in mind if you buy it: on edible argan oil It is not the same as the cosmetic variety. The culinary variety is toasted and smells of nuts.
They aren’t drunk on their own, but they’re in everything: they’re used to flavour teas, sweets and the sharbat itself, in very small quantities.
And there is a place where they are distilled: on Valley of the Roses, where it is an age-old tradition. There, it is quite normal to be offered a glass of water with a few drops in it.
It is a predominantly Muslim country, and there are specific regulations governing alcohol. It is allowed, but It’s not sold just anywhere.
Where is it: hotels, licensed restaurants, authorised shops and some large retail outlets. Not in the cafés in the medina, nor in the tea houses.
What is produced:
And a simple piece of advice: Consume it within the designated areas. Drinking in the street is frowned upon and is prohibited in some places.
By site type, which is more useful than a list of names:
In Tetouan, which is the most easily accessible city from Spain for a day trip; the landmark is the Place Moulay El Mehdi, with cafés with terraces all around.
And there’s a story behind it: is the centre of the Expansion, the new town laid out between 1913 and 1956 during the Spanish Protectorate, when it was called Primo de Rivera Square. A circular square with Neo-Mudéjar and Art Deco façades, and featuring the Church of Our Lady of Victories, one of the few Catholic churches still in active use in Morocco.
A word of warning: in the most touristy squares, prices on the terrace can be three times higher than at a local café just a hundred metres away. It’s worth having a look at the menu before you sit down.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Tetouan and Tangier can be visited in a day, including the ferry:
Do you have your passport with you?, when a border is crossed. And exchange a few dirhams: they are not convertible and cannot be taken out of the country, as we explained in What to buy in Tangier.
To go with the tea, Moroccan artisan sweets. And before travelling, travelling to Morocco from Spain y the country guide.
Atay, green tea with mint. It is made with gunpowder tea, plenty of fresh mint and lots of sugar, and is served in small glasses, poured from a height to create a froth. It is offered at any time of day as a gesture of hospitality, and turning it down may be seen as rude.
Because each round relies more heavily on the same leaves, and the flavour changes. A Berber proverb describes it thus: the first is as gentle as life, the second as sweet as love, and the third as bitter as death. It is polite to accept at least the first.
No. Shiba, or chiba, is wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and is often confused with ginger. It gives the tea a more bitter flavour and is mainly drunk in winter and after heavy meals, due to its digestive and expectorant properties. Ginger is used, but in mulled coffee.
Not really: it is a spread made from toasted almonds, argan oil and honey, typical of southern Morocco and traditionally eaten for breakfast. The traditional version is runnier than the shop-bought varieties, and some people even drink it, but it is usually served as a spread, with bread.
Yes, although sales are restricted. It is sold in hotels, licensed restaurants, authorised shops and some large retail outlets, but not in the cafés of the medina or in tea houses. The country produces wine — mainly in Meknès —, beer from brands such as Casablanca, Flag Spéciale and Stork, and mahia, a fig or date spirit of Judeo-Moroccan origin.
Lben, a very cold, sour fermented milk drink, similar to buttermilk, which refreshes and aids digestion after a hearty meal. It is usually served alongside raïb, the traditional Moroccan yoghurt, which has a thicker consistency.
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