Best Cafes in Meknes 2026
Place el-Hedim terraces, medina tea houses, and French patisseries — 10 cafes in Morocco's most underrated imperial city.
Quick Picks
| Best For | Cafe |
|---|---|
| Best View | Café Place el-Hedim |
| Most Beautiful | Dar Jamai Museum Café |
| Best Coffee | Maison des Saveurs |
| Best for Breakfast | Café Mtougui |
| Best Value | Souk Café |
| Best Cultural | Café Clock Meknes |
The 10 Best Cafes
1. Café Place el-Hedim
$Several cafes line the western side of Place el-Hedim, all with front-row views of Bab Mansour — the most decorated gate in Morocco. Chairs face the square like theatre seats.
Must order: Mint tea while watching Bab Mansour
Tip: Any of the Place el-Hedim cafes offers essentially the same view. The south corner catches afternoon sun; the north corner has more shade. Evening is magical when Bab Mansour is lit up.
2. Café Mtougui
$A Meknes institution where retirees and traders meet from dawn. Simple, packed, and buzzing with conversation. The coffee is strong and served in small glasses.
Must order: Noss-noss with msemmen
Tip: Come at breakfast (7–9 AM) for the full experience. The msemmen (griddle bread) is made fresh next door and costs 2 MAD per piece. Dip it in your coffee.
3. Dar Jamai Museum Café
$$Inside the 19th-century Dar Jamai palace (now a museum), the courtyard cafe is one of the most beautiful cafe settings in Morocco. Carved stucco, zellij tiles, and a central fountain surrounded by orange trees.
Must order: Mint tea in the Andalusian courtyard
Tip: You need a museum ticket (20 MAD) to access the courtyard cafe. The museum itself is excellent — Berber jewellery, embroidery, and woodwork. The combined experience is worth the entry.
4. Café de France
$Colonial-era cafe in the new town with the classic Moroccan Café de France formula: zinc counter, football on TV, men playing cards. The architecture is French Art Deco.
Must order: Espresso at the zinc counter
Tip: Meknes has one of the best-preserved French colonial centres in Morocco. After your coffee, walk the surrounding blocks — the Art Deco buildings are impressive and rarely photographed.
5. Riad Café Meknes
$$A restored riad in the medina operating as a cafe and cultural space. Traditional tilework, carved cedar ceilings, and a central courtyard with comfortable seating.
Must order: Moroccan pastry selection with almond milk
Tip: The almond milk (amlou-based drink) is a Meknes speciality not widely available in other cities. The pastry selection changes daily — the cornes de gazelle are consistently excellent.
6. Café Agdal
$Simple cafe overlooking the Agdal Basin — the massive royal reservoir built by Moulay Ismail. Locals come here for evening strolls and weekend picnics. Peaceful and far from the tourist trail.
Must order: Fresh juice by the water
Tip: The Agdal Basin is one of Meknes's hidden gems. Walk the perimeter (about 30 minutes), then sit at the cafe and watch fishermen. Combine with a visit to the nearby Heri es-Souani granaries.
7. Café des Remparts
$Small cafe perched on the old city walls near the Heri es-Souani. Views over the Royal Stables ruins and the medina rooftops. Few tourists make it this far — the crowd is local.
Must order: Mint tea on the ramparts
Tip: The Royal Stables and Granaries are a short walk away. Visit both, then reward yourself with tea here. The combination of massive Ismaili architecture and a quiet hilltop cafe is quintessential Meknes.
8. Café Clock Meknes
$$The Meknes branch of the famous Café Clock chain. Restored riad with multiple levels, a rooftop terrace, and a cultural program of music, storytelling, and cooking classes.
Must order: Camel burger (the Clock signature)
Tip: Check their schedule for music nights and cooking classes. The Meknes branch is less crowded than Fes or Marrakech — you can actually get a rooftop table on weekends.
9. Maison des Saveurs
$$Modern French-Moroccan patisserie with gleaming display cases, proper espresso machines, and air conditioning. Popular with Meknes's professional class for meetings and laptop work.
Must order: Millefeuille and macchiato
Tip: The millefeuille and opera cake are exceptional — French patisserie skills are strong in Meknes due to the colonial legacy. Best air-conditioned refuge in summer.
10. Souk Café
$Tiny cafe wedged between market stalls in the medina souks. Traders take tea breaks here between sales. The menu is whatever the owner decided to make that morning.
Must order: Harira soup (winter) or avocado juice (summer)
Tip: Find this by walking into the souk and following the tea-kettle sound. The harira (during Ramadan and winter) is homestyle — thick, lemony, and served with dates. In summer, the avocado juice is the draw.
Meknes Cafe Culture
Meknes is Morocco's quietest imperial city — and its cafe culture reflects that. Without the tourist machine of Marrakech or the academic buzz of Fes, cafes here serve their original purpose: neighbourhood gathering spots where time moves slowly.
The Wine Connection
Meknes is the centre of Moroccan winemaking. The surrounding vineyards produce most of Morocco's wine. Some newer cafes and restaurants serve local wines — unusual in Morocco.
Olive Oil Capital
The Meknes region produces some of Morocco's best olive oil. Look for cafes that serve bread with local olive oil for breakfast — a simple, seasonal pleasure.
Student & Military Town
Meknes has a university and a military academy, giving it a young, educated population. Newer cafes in the ville nouvelle cater to this demographic with wifi and espresso machines.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Meknes cafe culture different from Fes or Marrakech?
Meknes has a slower, more local cafe culture. Without the tourist crowds of Marrakech or the student intensity of Fes, cafes here are genuinely neighbourhood gathering spots. Prices are lower, the atmosphere is more relaxed, and you are more likely to be the only foreigner in the room. The Place el-Hedim terraces provide a similar experience to Jemaa el-Fna but without the hustle.
Where is the best view in Meknes for a coffee?
The rooftop cafes on Place el-Hedim with views of Bab Mansour are the most iconic. For a quieter experience, the cafes near the Heri es-Souani (Royal Granaries) offer views over the Agdal Basin. The Dar Jamai Museum courtyard cafe, though inside, is one of the most atmospheric spaces in any Moroccan city.
How much does a coffee cost in Meknes?
Meknes is one of Morocco's most affordable cities. A noss-noss or espresso at a local cafe costs 6–10 MAD ($0.60–1). Mint tea is 8–12 MAD. Fresh orange juice is 10–15 MAD. Even the tourist-facing cafes on Place el-Hedim rarely charge more than 15 MAD for a coffee — roughly half the price of equivalent spots in Marrakech.