Casablanca is a business city on the ocean, and it eats in more than one way: Moroccan food inside the old fortress wall, fish with an Atlantic view, a café to work from. Three of these places are from my saved list, each with a short note of mine. I added two more, Rick's Café and the Bennis Habous bakery, recommended by 34travel and other city guides, and checked them on Google: open, rated 4.2 or higher, more than a hundred reviews. Later I added two more on the advice of guides (Passaporte no Bolso and The Rooftop Guide): Le Cuistot Traditionnel and The James Rooftop. Descriptions of the added places are compiled from Google Maps reviews.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, tickets are from reviews; valid as of 7 October 2026. Rate: 1 MAD ≈ $0.10.
In short
- Moroccan food: in the garden of La Sqala, set in the old fortress wall by the medina, or home-style at Le Cuistot Traditionnel.
- A cocktail with a city view: The James Rooftop by the Arab League Park; book for football nights.
- Dinner over the ocean: Le Cabestan by the El Hank lighthouse — expensive, book a window table well ahead.
- A film-set restaurant: Rick's Café in the medina, modelled on the film Casablanca — book a table and dress up a little.
- Working on a laptop: Bondi Coffee Kitchen — a big room, an upstairs and all-day breakfast.
- Sweets to take away: cookies by the kilo at Pâtisserie Bennis Habous, a family bakery since 1930.
Where to eat and drink
La Sqala
Ancienne Médina · Moroccan · 100–300 MAD (≈$10–31) · daily 8:00–22:30
Google Maps · website · Bd des Almohades
A restaurant with real Moroccan cooking where you can sit in a green garden. According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 11,700+): it's built into an 18th-century bastion with fountains in the courtyard; people praise the chicken pastilla, the tagines and the mint tea, and the olives and sauces on the table are free and refilled. It gets busy, and it's not a place to be in a hurry.
Rick's Café
Ancienne Médina · restaurant and piano bar · daily 12:00–15:00 and 18:30–0:30
Google Maps · website · 248 Bd Sour Jdid
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 6,500+): a restaurant modelled on Rick's café from the 1942 film Casablanca — the interior feels like a film set, with live music, a piano and cocktails at the bar. Book ahead and dress up a little; you can also just sit at the bar for dessert and a drink. Downsides: it's pricey, and many find the food ordinary — you pay for the atmosphere; one guest got a red wine served warm.
Le Cabestan
El Hank · Mediterranean and seafood · from 500 MAD (≈$52) · daily 12:00–1:00
Google Maps · website · 90 Bd de la Corniche, by the El Hank lighthouse
The best restaurant in Casablanca, with stunning views of the sea. According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 6,900+): come for sunset and book a window table in advance — the seats right over the ocean go weeks ahead; people praise the tuna tataki, the fish and the steaks. Downsides: expensive, the menu is French only, service can be uneven, and service charge isn't included in the bill.
Le Cuistot Traditionnel
residential area outside the centre · Moroccan home cooking · 150–450 MAD (≈$15–45) · daily 9:00–23:00
Google Maps · website · 3 Rue Abderrahman Sahraoui
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 2,100+): a small, cosy Moroccan restaurant where the owner, Abdelaziz, comes to the tables himself and suggests what to order. Reviewers praise the chicken pastilla, tagine with prunes, tender lamb shoulder, fish tagine, home-style couscous, assorted Moroccan salads and mint tea; cards are accepted. Downsides: not cheap, and one guest found the jawhara dessert underwhelming. Passaporte no Bolso recommends it too.
The James Rooftop
centre, by the Arab League Park · rooftop bar and restaurant · 100–400 MAD (≈$10–40) · daily 12:30–0:15, Fri–Sat to 0:30
Google Maps · website · corner of Bd Rachidi and Bd Moulay Youssef
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 1,400+): a leafy rooftop with one of the best views over Casablanca; cocktails, wine and beer, and, surprisingly, good sushi and tiramisu. Nearly everyone praises the service, and one guest calls it the best in the city; there's sometimes a DJ in the evening, and for big football matches it's packed, so book ahead. Downsides: one guest disliked the guacamole, and the mocktails are nothing special. The Rooftop Guide recommends it too.
Coffee and sweets
Bondi Coffee Kitchen
city centre · café, breakfast and brunch · 50–150 MAD (≈$5–15) · daily 9:00–21:00
Google Maps · website · 31 Rue Sebou
A nice place to work from. According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 1,000+): a spacious room, an upstairs and a terrace, breakfast all day, with vegan and healthy options; people praise the avocado toast and the flat white, and service is quick and attentive. Downside: one guest found the detox juice watery and an 80 MAD plate small.
Pâtisserie Bennis Habous
Habous · Moroccan pastry shop · daily 9:00–14:00 and 15:00–20:30
Google Maps · Instagram · 2 Rue Fkih El Gabbas
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 1,900+): a family bakery in the Habous quarter since 1930 — a tiny shop that feels like someone's home. Moroccan cookies are sold by the kilo: people love the almond ones and the lemon-chocolate ones, plus the seafood pastilla at the front counter, and you often get a free taste while you wait. Downsides: it's cramped, especially when a tour bus arrives, and not cheap — keep each price band in its own box or you'll pay more.
One last thing
La Sqala and Rick's Café are close together by the medina, while Le Cabestan is out west by the El Hank lighthouse — take a taxi. Get to Le Cabestan for sunset, and book a window table well in advance.
More on Casablanca: what to see