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Practical guide · Updated 2026
Alcohol in Morocco: Where to Buy and Drink as a Tourist
Yes, alcohol is legal for tourists in Morocco — but where you can actually find it varies dramatically by city, neighbourhood, venue type, and time of year. Here is what you actually need to know.
Daniel Okafor· Adventure & Outdoors Editor
Trekking guide and outdoor writer who has summited Toubkal more times than he can count and surfed every break from Taghazout to Imsouane. He covers hiking, surfing, climbing and adrenaline activities. Agadir · 13+ years covering Morocco
Published 18 March 2025 Last updated 16 May 2026
Alcohol is legal in Morocco and widely available in the right places — but "the right places" is a phrase that deserves unpacking. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country where alcohol is not part of everyday local life, so the distribution is uneven in ways that can confuse first-time visitors. A five-star hotel in Marrakech will serve you a glass of Moroccan Gris without a second thought, while walking two blocks into the medina and asking the same question will get you a polite refusal.
The divide is essentially between licensed hospitality venues (hotels, upscale restaurants, certain bars), licensed retail (the alcohol section of Carrefour or Marjane), and everywhere else — which is unlicensed and dry by default. Understanding that divide is the key to not spending your first evening in Fes hunting fruitlessly for a cold beer.
Below is a city-by-city breakdown, a guide to the supermarket chains that sell alcohol, what happens during Ramadan, and the local beers and wines worth trying. Prices throughout are indicative and subject to change.
The Ground Rules
Where alcohol IS available
- Licensed hotels (all tiers, most cities)
- Licensed riad restaurants and rooftop bars
- Ville nouvelle (new town) bars and brasseries
- Carrefour, Label'Vie, Marjane supermarkets
- Beach clubs and resort venues (especially Agadir)
Where alcohol is NOT available
- Inside most medinas (old cities) — rare exceptions
- Street stalls, cafés, and unlicensed restaurants
- Deep-south towns (Zagora, M'hamid, Rissani)
- Supermarkets during Ramadan (usually closed or blocked)
- Public spaces and outdoors
City-by-City: Where to Buy and Drink
Availability varies more by location than by any national rule. Here is the practical picture for each major destination.
| City | Licensed venues | Supermarkets with alcohol | Inside medina? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | Yes — ville nouvelle, many riads and hotel bars | Carrefour (Menara Mall), Label'Vie, Marjane | Almost no licensed bars inside the old medina | Broadest choice outside the medina walls |
| Casablanca | Yes — widest selection in Morocco, city-centre bars | Carrefour, Label'Vie, Aswak Assalam | Very limited inside medina | Morocco's most Western-style bar scene |
| Agadir | Yes — resort strip, beach clubs, hotels | Marjane, Uniprix, local licenced shops | N/A (old medina was destroyed; new town is permissive) | Most relaxed beach-resort atmosphere |
| Fes | Yes — ville nouvelle and upscale riads | Carrefour, Label'Vie | Near-zero licensed venues inside Fes el-Bali | Conservative city; medina is effectively dry |
| Chefchaouen | A handful of restaurants in the upper town | Very limited — one or two small licenced shops | Rare; expect to search | Effectively a very quiet drinking scene |
| Essaouira | Yes — handful of bars and licensed riad restaurants | One or two licenced shops near the port | A few licensed spots exist inside the walls | Laid-back; easiest coastal option outside Agadir |
| Zagora / M'hamid | Minimal — some desert hotels serve alcohol | Very limited or none | N/A | Deep south is conservative; plan ahead |
Buying Alcohol at Moroccan Supermarkets
Supermarkets are the most reliable source for alcohol outside hotel minibar prices — though you need to know which chains stock it and where.
Carrefour is the most consistent option and the easiest for tourists to navigate. The Menara Mall branch in Marrakech and the outlets in Casablanca, Rabat, and Agadir all have dedicated alcohol sections — refrigerated beers, shelves of Moroccan and imported wine, and spirits. At Menara Mall a 33 cl Flag Spéciale lager runs around 8–12 MAD; a bottle of Volubilia Blanc Moroccan wine around 90–140 MAD (indicative).
Label’Vie and Marjane are the other main chains. Marjane is typically a large out-of-town hypermarket — great selection but less convenient on foot. Label’Vie operates smaller city-centre stores that are easier to reach from a medina riad.
One practical note: the alcohol section is often in a separate, sometimes partitioned area of the store, and the entrance can be discreet. If you cannot find it, ask a staff member — they will point you in the right direction without any issue.
Outside these chains, look for dedicated off-licences (cavistes) in the ville nouvelle of larger cities. These small shops — often with a discreet frontage — carry a reasonable range and are used by expatriates and locals who drink. Google Maps searches for "cave à vins" or "épicerie alcool" near the new town will usually surface a few options.
Most alcohol licences in Marrakech cluster in Guéliz and Hivernage — the ville nouvelle districts outside the medina walls.
Alcohol During Ramadan
Ramadan is the biggest variable. What is available outside the month can contract significantly during it.
Hotels: Most upscale and mid-range hotels continue serving alcohol during Ramadan, often limiting service to after iftar (sunset) in the restaurant, while keeping the bar open late. Budget hotels and riads without a formal licence may suspend alcohol entirely.
Supermarkets: This is where Ramadan hits hardest. Label’Vie, Carrefour, and Marjane routinely block off or empty their alcohol sections for the entire month. Do not count on a supermarket run during Ramadan — it is unreliable at best.
Restaurants: Licensed restaurants in the ville nouvelle often continue serving alcohol, especially those used to tourist clientele, but some suspend their alcohol licence for Ramadan. Call ahead if this matters.
Practical advice: Stock up before Ramadan begins if you are arriving at the start of the month, and rely primarily on hotel bar service. Ramadan is also a wonderful time to visit Morocco for cultural reasons — the restrictions on alcohol are a minor logistical consideration, not a reason to avoid travelling.
What to Drink: Local Beer and Wine
Morocco has a genuine domestic drinks industry worth exploring, with wine from the Meknès region and a handful of local lagers.
Local beers
- Flag Spéciale — the everyday lager, light and drinkable
- Casablanca — slightly fuller, equally available
- Stork — a third domestic lager, less common
- Indicative bar price: 30–60 MAD per 33 cl
- Supermarket price: 8–15 MAD per 33 cl
Moroccan wines
- Gris de Boulaouane — dry rosé, widely available
- Volubilia (Blanc, Rouge, Gris) — reliable quality
- CB Initiales — red from Meknès, good value
- Médaillon — solid everyday table wine
- Indicative restaurant price: 120–250 MAD/bottle
All prices above are indicative and as of 2026; local beers remain cheap at supermarket prices. Imported wines and spirits carry heavy import duties and cost noticeably more than their Moroccan equivalents in restaurants.
A Note on Etiquette
Morocco is a respectful, hospitable country and most locals are entirely comfortable with tourists drinking — provided it happens in the right setting. The rule is simple: drink inside licensed venues, not in the street, in the medina, or in public squares. A can of beer on the terrace of a licensed restaurant is fine; the same can while strolling through the souks is not.
During Ramadan, even more discretion applies. Avoid drinking in front of people who are fasting, and confine alcohol consumption to your hotel or enclosed restaurant. This is basic courtesy rather than legal requirement, but it matters.
If you are travelling with a private guide or on a tour, ask your guide for their recommendation on the best licensed venues for the area you are visiting — they will usually have practical, up-to-date knowledge that no website can fully replicate.
Alcohol in Morocco — Frequently Asked Questions
Can tourists drink alcohol in Morocco?
Yes — alcohol is legal for non-Muslim adults in Morocco. Licensed hotels, restaurants, and bars across the country serve it, and you can buy wine, beer, and spirits at licenced supermarkets and off-licences. The rules are more about where than whether: you will find far more options in the ville nouvelle (new town) of any city than inside the historic medina, and the coastal resorts of Agadir are the most permissive environment of all. Drinking in the street or in public spaces is not acceptable and can attract police attention.
Where can I buy beer in Marrakech?
The easiest option is the Carrefour supermarket inside Menara Mall, roughly a 15-minute taxi ride from Jemaa el-Fna. Label'Vie and Marjane are the other major licensed chains with good selections of local Flag Spéciale and Casablanca lagers, imported beers, Moroccan wines, and spirits. Within Guéliz (the ville nouvelle), some smaller licenced corner shops also sell alcohol. Inside the medina walls, bars and licenced restaurants are very scarce — your best option there is a licensed riad restaurant or a rooftop bar, but expect to look.
Is alcohol available in Morocco during Ramadan?
It depends on the venue. Major hotels almost always continue serving alcohol to guests throughout Ramadan, usually from around sunset (after iftar) through the night, with some restricting daytime service or closing the bar entirely during daylight. Supermarkets frequently stop selling alcohol for the entire month of Ramadan — expect the alcohol aisle to be blocked or empty. Mid-range and budget restaurants licensed for alcohol often suspend their licence temporarily during Ramadan. Plan to rely on your hotel bar during this period; do not count on a quick supermarket run.
Are there dry cities in Morocco with no alcohol?
Morocco has no formally declared "dry cities," but the practical reality varies enormously. Zagora, M'hamid, and several towns in the deep south and Rif mountains are functionally dry — licenced premises are extremely rare and supermarkets carry nothing. Moulay Idriss, the holy city near Meknes, is an effective dry town out of respect for its pilgrimage status. Chefchaouen is not officially dry but the scene is sparse. Conversely, Agadir, Casablanca, and the resort areas near Marrakech are very permissive.
Can you drink alcohol in the Marrakech medina?
You can at certain licensed venues, but options are genuinely limited. A small number of riad restaurants and rooftop bars inside the medina walls hold alcohol licences — notable pockets exist around the Kasbah mosque area and a few lanes near Jemaa el-Fna. The list is shorter than you might expect. Most visitors who want a reliable drink after dinner take a taxi to Guéliz (the new town), where bars and licensed restaurants are clustered. Within riad accommodation in the medina, some serve wine with dinner but check before booking if this matters to you.
What supermarkets in Morocco sell alcohol?
The main chains with licenced alcohol sections are Carrefour (found in major cities — Casablanca, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Agadir), Label'Vie (similar footprint), Marjane (hypermarkets outside city centres), and Aswak Assalam. Smaller superettes with alcohol licences exist in resort areas. All require that you be an adult; in practice ID is rarely checked but the licence legally restricts sales to non-Muslims. These outlets typically carry Flag Spéciale and Casablanca lager, Moroccan Gris wines from Meknès, imported wines, and standard spirits. Prices are indicative: a 33 cl bottle of local lager from 8–15 MAD, a bottle of Moroccan wine from 80–180 MAD.
What local beers and wines are made in Morocco?
Morocco has a real (if small) brewing and winemaking tradition. Flag Spéciale and Casablanca are the dominant lagers — light, inoffensive, widely available from around 30–50 MAD in a bar. Stork is a third option. On the wine side, the Meknès region produces most of Morocco's commercially viable wine under labels including Volubilia, CB Initiales, and Médaillon. The Gris de Boulaouane, a dry rosé, is a staple and genuinely drinkable. Reds tend to be full-bodied but some lack balance. Expect to pay 120–250 MAD indicative for a bottle of Moroccan wine in a restaurant; supermarket prices are 80–150 MAD. Imported wines and spirits are available but attract higher import duties, so they cost noticeably more.
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