Travel tips
Where to Eat in Meknes
Meknes is the imperial city visitors skip, which is exactly why it eats so honestly. Set in the fertile Saïss plain — Morocco's olive and wine heartland — it has all the tagines and grills of its grander neighbours at gentler prices and without the hustle. Its great square, Place el-Hedim, is a working food stage, and the vineyards begin just outside the walls.
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- Travel tips
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- Meknes is Morocco's olive capital — the market olives here are a highlight.
- Place el-Hedim is the city's food heart, with a covered market alongside.
- The surrounding plain is Morocco's main wine region.
- It eats as well as the other imperial cities but cheaper and calmer.
Place el-Hedim and the covered market
The broad Place el-Hedim, facing the monumental Bab Mansour gate, is Meknes's answer to a town square and its evening food stage — stalls, snack counters, juice sellers and cafés set out around it. Just off the square, a covered market (often likened to a small version of the Habous idea) sells olives, preserved lemons, dried fruit, spices, meat and produce. It is one of the best places in Morocco to browse and taste, without the pressure of a tourist souk.
The city of olives
Meknes is synonymous with olives. The market stalls pile up green, violet and black olives cured every way — cracked green with garlic and herbs, salt-cured black, spiced and oil-slicked — sold by weight and freely offered to taste. Preserved lemons and pickled vegetables sit alongside. It is the ideal place to understand the range covered in our olives guide and pickles guide.
- Cracked green olives: dressed with garlic, chilli and herbs.
- Black salt-cured olives: wrinkled and intense.
- Preserved lemons: the tagine essential, bought from the barrel.
- Local olive oil: pressed from the surrounding groves.
Wine country on the doorstep
The plain around Meknes is the centre of Moroccan wine, with estates producing reds, whites and the country's characteristic vin gris (a pale rosé). While alcohol is not part of medina life, licensed restaurants and hotels in and around the city are among the better places in Morocco to try local wine with food. Our wine guide covers what to look for.
Volubilis and a day trip lunch
Meknes pairs naturally with a trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the hilltop town of Moulay Idriss nearby, both surrounded by olive groves — an easy day of ruins, oil and a country lunch. Back in the city, keep dinner simple: a tagine or grill off Place el-Hedim, with olives to start.
Frequently asked questions
What is Meknes known for food-wise?
Olives, above all — Meknes is Morocco's olive capital, and its markets sell an exceptional range cured every way. The surrounding Saïss plain is also the country's main wine region, and the city has all the usual imperial-city tagines and grills at good value.
Where should I eat in Meknes?
Around Place el-Hedim, the main square facing Bab Mansour, and the covered market just off it. The square has evening food stalls and cafés, and the market is superb for tasting olives, preserved lemons and spices.
Can you drink Moroccan wine in Meknes?
Yes, in licensed restaurants and hotels. The plain around Meknes is Morocco's principal wine region, so the city and its estates are among the better places to try local reds, whites and vin gris with a meal. Alcohol is not sold in the medina itself.
Is Meknes worth visiting for food?
Very much so, and it is underrated. It offers imperial-city cooking without the crowds or hard sell of Fes and Marrakech, exceptional olives and markets, and easy access to wine country and the ruins of Volubilis.