Cheap Eats in Tetouan — Budget Food in the White Dove

Because Tetouan sees far fewer tourists than the imperial cities or the coast's resorts, its food is honestly priced and aimed at locals — a real advantage for budget eating. The cheapest meals are the national staples: bissara and harira soups with bread for around 10-15 MAD at medina stalls, filling and freshest in the morning and midday. Sandwich counters stuff baguettes with kefta, fish, maakouda, chips and salad for 15-40 MAD, and small canteens serve a plate of the day for 30-45 MAD.

Tetouan's coastal proximity makes cheap seafood possible: grilled sardines and fried small fish from medina grills cost little and are superbly fresh, brought in from the nearby Mediterranean ports. The city's markets are excellent for a budget picnic, piled with fresh produce, olives, cheese and bread from the fertile Rif countryside, plus the local Andalusian sweets that make a cheap, distinctive treat.

The beautiful whitewashed medina — a UNESCO site — is a joy to graze on foot, and its untouristy character means you can eat where locals eat without markup. A trip to the nearby coast at M'diq or Martil adds cheap beachfront fish grills in summer, popular with Tetouani families. Everywhere, the food is fresh, the prices fair, and the crowd local.

To eat cheaply, lean on the medina soup stalls, fish grills and sandwich counters, and use the markets for picnics and Andalusian sweets. Follow the locals, agree prices before ordering, and Tetouan will feed you fresh, authentic food for very little in one of Morocco's most beautiful cities.