Discovering...
12 Cafes Tested · Prices Verified 2026
Best Cafes in Fes
From the cultural buzz of Cafe Clock to the hilltop panorama at Cafe Merinides — where to drink, work, and linger in Morocco's spiritual capital.
Fes Coffee Culture
Fes is more conservative and traditional than Marrakech, and this extends to its cafe culture. Traditional medina cafes are historically male spaces — small rooms with plastic chairs, a TV showing football, and endless glasses of mint tea or noss-noss (half espresso, half steamed milk). Women are welcome but will often be the only ones.
The tourist-oriented cafes (Cafe Clock, The Ruined Garden) and Ville Nouvelle coffee shops break this pattern entirely — they are international, mixed, and welcoming to everyone. The specialty coffee scene is growing but still small compared to Marrakech or Casablanca.
8–15 MAD
Mint tea / noss-noss
25–50 MAD
Specialty coffee
40–120 MAD
Cafe + food
Medina Cafes
Inside the ancient walled city — rooftop terraces, garden courtyards, and traditional tea houses.
Cafe Clock
25–120 MAD 4.6 WiFi
Cultural cafe & restaurant · Talaa Kebira, near Bab Bou Jeloud
Best for: Culture, live music, signature food, socialising
The beating heart of Fes's cultural scene. Founded in 2006, Cafe Clock is part cafe, part community centre. Four levels with a rooftop terrace overlooking the medina. Live Gnawa music on Wednesdays and Sundays. Language exchanges, storytelling nights, and cooking workshops. The camel burger is famous — and genuinely good.
Must Order
- The camel burger (75 MAD) — Cafe Clock's signature
- Avocado smoothie (35 MAD)
- Harira soup (25 MAD)
Insider Tip
Come on Wednesday or Sunday evening for live Gnawa music (free). The rooftop fills up fast — arrive by 6 PM for a table. The cooking workshops are excellent value if you have a free morning.
The Ruined Garden
40–150 MAD 4.7 WiFi
Garden restaurant-cafe · Sidi Ahmed Chaoui, central medina
Best for: Brunch, garden atmosphere, quality food
A British-Moroccan couple restored the crumbling ruin of a grand riad and turned it into one of the most beautiful dining spaces in Morocco. Open-air garden courtyard, fig trees, mosaic floors, and birdsong. The food is a notch above most medina restaurants — seasonal, locally sourced, and beautifully presented.
Must Order
- Weekend brunch (120 MAD — eggs, pastries, juices, coffee)
- Lemon and mint cooler (30 MAD)
- Vegetable tagine (85 MAD)
Insider Tip
Reservations recommended for dinner. Brunch is their strongest offering — come on a weekend morning with a book and stay for hours. The garden is shaded, making it a cool refuge in summer.
Palais de Fes
30–100 MAD 4.3 WiFi
Hotel terrace cafe · Overlooking the Chouara Tanneries
Best for: Tannery views, photography, iconic Fes experience
Yes, it's touristy. Yes, the leather-shop touts will try to redirect you. But the terrace at Palais de Fes has THE view of the Chouara Tanneries — the most iconic sight in Fes. The colourful vats spread below you like a painter's palette. Order a mint tea, take your photos, and enjoy the spectacle.
Must Order
- Mint tea with a tannery view (20 MAD)
- Fresh orange juice (15 MAD)
- Pastilla (85 MAD)
Insider Tip
You can reach the terrace by asking for "the cafe with the tannery view" — shop owners on the surrounding streets will guide you (and yes, they'll try to sell you leather). The cafe itself is a fair deal and removes the obligation to buy from the shops.
Cafe Fez Rooftop
20–60 MAD 4.4 No WiFi
Panoramic rooftop cafe · Near Bou Inania Madrasa
Best for: Sunset views, panoramic photography, budget option
A simple rooftop cafe with one of the best 360-degree views over the medina and the surrounding Merinides hills. No fancy decor — plastic chairs, basic menu — but the panorama is extraordinary, especially at sunset when the minarets catch the golden light and the call to prayer echoes across the valley.
Must Order
- Mint tea (15 MAD)
- Mixed juice (25 MAD)
- Msemen with honey (15 MAD)
Insider Tip
This is a sunset destination. Come at 5–6 PM, order a tea, and watch the light change over the world's largest car-free urban zone. The view alone justifies the visit.
Riad Rcif Cafe
15–50 MAD 4.2 No WiFi
Quiet rooftop cafe · Rcif Square, eastern medina
Best for: Authentic local experience, people-watching, quiet break
A peaceful rooftop escape overlooking busy Rcif Square — one of the medina's main commercial hubs. This is the kind of cafe where local men sit for hours nursing a single glass of tea and discussing politics. The vibe is authentically Fassi, unhurried, and unpretentious. Tourists rarely find it.
Must Order
- Noss-noss (12 MAD)
- Traditional chebakia pastry (15 MAD)
- Fresh squeezed orange juice (10 MAD)
Insider Tip
Rcif Square is one of the best spots for people-watching in Fes. The cafe is upstairs (look for a narrow staircase) — ask a shopkeeper if you can't find it.
Dar Saada
5–20 MAD 4.0 No WiFi
Traditional tea house · Near Bou Inania Madrasa, Talaa Kebira
Best for: Authentic experience, cheapest coffee in the medina, local life
The real Fes. A tiny, no-frills tea house where old men play cards, the TV blares Arabic football commentary, and a glass of noss-noss costs what a parking meter charges elsewhere. This is not a tourist cafe — it's a neighbourhood institution. The msemen (flaky Moroccan flatbread) is made fresh on a griddle at the entrance.
Must Order
- Noss-noss (8 MAD)
- Msemen with butter and honey (10 MAD)
- Mint tea (8 MAD)
Insider Tip
Women are welcome but this is a traditional male space — you'll be an curiosity, not unwelcome. The msemen here is some of the best in Fes. Point and order — no English menu, no need for one.
Ville Nouvelle Cafes
Outside the medina walls — modern coffee shops, French-style terraces, and reliable WiFi.
Cafe Merinides
20–80 MAD 4.5 No WiFi
Hilltop panoramic cafe · Borj Nord, Merinides hills
Best for: Best view in Fes, sunset, photography
Perched on the hill above the medina near the Merinides Tombs, this cafe has the most spectacular view in all of Fes. The entire medina spreads below you — a sea of white buildings, green-tiled minarets, and satellite dishes. At sunset, the light turns everything gold. The cafe itself is simple, but the view is world-class.
Must Order
- Mint tea at sunset (15 MAD)
- Fresh juice (25 MAD)
- Light snacks (20–40 MAD)
Insider Tip
Take a taxi up (15–20 MAD from the medina) and walk down afterward through the Merinides ruins. The sunset from here is genuinely one of the most beautiful urban views in Morocco. Bring a jacket — it gets breezy up the hill.
Chicanos Coffee
25–55 MAD 4.6 WiFi
Specialty coffee shop · Avenue Hassan II, Ville Nouvelle
Best for: Best specialty coffee in Fes, remote work, modern vibes
The best specialty coffee in Fes, full stop. A modern, third-wave coffee shop that would fit in any European capital. Single-origin beans, Chemex and V60 brewing, latte art, and a barista who actually cares about extraction. Clean, bright interior with plants and natural wood. A world away from the medina's chaos.
Must Order
- V60 pour-over (35 MAD)
- Flat white (30 MAD)
- Iced latte with Moroccan spices (40 MAD)
Insider Tip
If you've been drinking tourist-cafe instant coffee in the medina for days and desperately need a real flat white, this is your salvation. Also the best place in Fes for remote work — fast WiFi, power outlets, and nobody minds you camping.
Cafe Glacier
8–25 MAD 4.1 No WiFi
Traditional Ville Nouvelle cafe · Boulevard Mohammed V, Ville Nouvelle
Best for: Traditional cafe culture, authentic Ville Nouvelle experience
The most traditional cafe in the Ville Nouvelle — a Fes institution since the 1940s. Art deco interior, marble tables, silver coffee pots, and waiters who have worked here for decades. This is where Fassi businessmen come for their morning noss-noss and the afternoon newspaper. Time feels slower here.
Must Order
- Noss-noss (10 MAD)
- Cafe cassé (8 MAD)
- Ice cream in summer (15 MAD)
Insider Tip
Order at the bar for the cheapest prices, or sit at a terrace table for a small premium. The noss-noss here is made the old way — pulled espresso with perfectly steamed half-milk. It's 10 MAD of perfection.
Paul
30–80 MAD 4.0 WiFi
French bakery-cafe chain · Avenue Hassan II, Ville Nouvelle
Best for: Reliable quality, pastries, WiFi, air conditioning
Yes, it's a French chain. But Paul is beloved in Moroccan cities for a reason — reliable quality, excellent pastries, air conditioning, clean bathrooms, and WiFi that works. When you've had three days of medina chaos and need a quiet corner with a croissant and a reliable latte, Paul delivers without judgment.
Must Order
- Croissant aux amandes (25 MAD)
- Café crème (30 MAD)
- Quiche Lorraine (45 MAD)
Insider Tip
The pastries are genuinely good — better than most independent cafes in the Ville Nouvelle. The pain au chocolat and croissant aux amandes are baked fresh daily. Air conditioning makes this a summer refuge.
L'Amandier
25–70 MAD 4.3 WiFi
Upscale terrace cafe · Avenue Allal Ben Abdellah, Ville Nouvelle
Best for: Afternoon coffee, people-watching, relaxed work sessions
A refined Ville Nouvelle terrace cafe frequented by Fes's professional class. Comfortable wicker chairs, plants, good music, and a menu that bridges Moroccan and French. The terrace is shaded by almond trees (hence the name) and perfect for a long afternoon coffee with a book or laptop.
Must Order
- Cappuccino (30 MAD)
- Tarte au citron (35 MAD)
- Club sandwich (55 MAD)
Insider Tip
The lunch menu is good value — salads and sandwiches at reasonable prices. This is also one of the few cafes in Fes where you'll see as many women as men sitting alone with coffee and a book.
Cafe Maure
15–45 MAD 4.0 No WiFi
Classic French-Moroccan cafe · Place de la Résistance, Ville Nouvelle
Best for: Old-world atmosphere, traditional pastries, terrace
Old-world charm in the heart of the Ville Nouvelle. Tiled floors, brass fixtures, and the quiet clink of spoons against glasses. Cafe Maure has the feel of a Parisian cafe transplanted to Morocco — which, historically, is exactly what it is. The terrace on Place de la Résistance is the best people-watching spot in the modern city.
Must Order
- Thé à la menthe (12 MAD)
- Noss-noss (12 MAD)
- Cornes de gazelle (15 MAD)
Insider Tip
Come in the late afternoon when the light softens and the terrace fills with locals. Order cornes de gazelle (crescent-shaped almond pastries) with your tea — they are a Fassi speciality and delicate perfection.
Quick Pick: Best Cafes by Purpose
| Looking For... | Go To |
|---|---|
| Best Views | Cafe Merinides, Cafe Fez Rooftop, Palais de Fes |
| WiFi & Remote Work | Chicanos Coffee, L'Amandier, Paul |
| Traditional Experience | Dar Saada, Cafe Glacier, Cafe Maure |
| Food + Coffee | Cafe Clock, The Ruined Garden |
| Sunset | Cafe Merinides, Cafe Fez Rooftop |
| Budget | Dar Saada, Riad Rcif Cafe, Cafe Glacier |
More Fes Guides
Plan it with a local expert
Travel Morocco with Serenity Morocco Tours
Crafting extraordinary journeys through Morocco's timeless landscapes. 100% private journeys, handcrafted around you.
ONMT Licensed 100% Private Tours 100% private tours since 2018
from $2,011 5 days Marrakech → Erg Chebbi
Sahara Desert Luxury Expedition
from $2,054 7 days Marrakech · Fes · Meknes · Rabat
Essential Morocco: Imperial Cities Circuit
from $5,978 14 days Full-country circuit
Sahara to Sea: Morocco Complete
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cafe in Fes?
Cafe Clock is the most famous and beloved cafe in Fes — a cultural hub in the medina with a rooftop terrace, live Gnawa music, and the legendary camel burger. For a quieter, more refined experience, The Ruined Garden is a beautifully restored garden restaurant-cafe. For the best specialty coffee, head to Chicanos Coffee in the Ville Nouvelle.
Where can I work remotely in Fes?
Fes has fewer dedicated work-friendly cafes than Marrakech, but good options exist. In the medina, Cafe Clock and The Ruined Garden have decent WiFi. In the Ville Nouvelle, Chicanos Coffee and L'Amandier are the best bets — reliable WiFi, power outlets, and a modern atmosphere. Paul also has WiFi and is open long hours.
How much does coffee cost in Fes?
Traditional noss-noss at a local cafe costs 8–15 MAD. At a tourist-oriented medina cafe like Cafe Clock, drinks are 20–45 MAD. Specialty coffee at Chicanos runs 25–55 MAD. Mint tea is 8–15 MAD everywhere. Fes is slightly cheaper than Marrakech across the board.
Is Fes cafe culture different from Marrakech?
Yes, noticeably. Fes is more conservative and traditional than Marrakech. Cafes in the medina tend to be quieter, less touristy, and more male-dominated (traditional cafes are historically male spaces). The Ville Nouvelle cafes are more mixed and modern. Cafe Clock and The Ruined Garden are the medina exceptions — international, relaxed, and welcoming to all.