Segafredo and Illy at Marrakech airport give the terminal something most airports do not have: two serious Italian coffee houses rather than one generic counter. If you care about what is in the cup, this is where to go, and it is inside Marrakech-Menara airport.
At a glance
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | Marrakech-Menara terminal |
| Opening hours | Follows the main flight bank hours |
| Payment | Cards and cash (dirhams) |
| Wi-Fi | Terminal Wi-Fi available |
| Best for | Espresso done properly, and Moroccan pastries |
Two houses, two styles
Segafredo comes out of the Italian espresso tradition and built its reputation on artisanal roasting: beans selected from established producing regions, then roasted using traditional techniques that develop the aromatic complexity of each variety.
Illy Caffe, founded in 1933, works differently. It blends nine different arabica varieties into a single signature taste, and uses a proprietary preservation method — beans roasted in the Italian style, air-cooled, then packed under pressurised protective atmosphere. The result is a coffee that keeps developing its aromas rather than losing them on the shelf.
What to order
The Illy Classico roast is the reference point: a persistent sweetness with delicate notes of caramel, orange blossom and jasmine. If you normally find airport espresso bitter and thin, this is the corrective.
Both houses serve the full Italian range — espresso, ristretto, cappuccino, latte macchiato — prepared by baristas rather than pushed out of a machine on autopilot.
The Moroccan side of the counter
What makes this outlet more interesting than a straight import is the pastry counter: Moroccan artisanal pastries alongside the Italian coffee. It is an unusual and rather good pairing, and it means you can have a genuinely local breakfast with a properly made espresso, which is not a combination you will find in many airports.
Light savoury options and snacks are available for anyone who wants more than pastry.
Where it fits in the terminal
If you want coffee as a considered thing rather than caffeine as fuel, this is the stop. For a 24-hour option or for free Wi-Fi and power sockets, the terminal has other answers — our airport restaurants guide sets them out side by side.
How to order like you know what you are doing
Italian coffee vocabulary trips people up, and airport counters are not the place to work it out slowly. A short guide: an espresso is the default single shot; a ristretto is the same coffee pulled shorter and more concentrated; a macchiato is an espresso “stained” with a spoon of milk foam; a latte macchiato inverts that, mostly milk with coffee poured through.
A cappuccino is a morning drink in Italy and nobody will stop you ordering one at six in the evening, but if you want the properly Italian move after a meal, it is an espresso.
Because both houses roast to different philosophies, it is worth ordering the same drink twice across a trip — once at each — to see which you actually prefer. It costs little and it is more interesting than defaulting to whichever counter is nearer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Segafredo and Illy?
Segafredo is built on artisanal roasting of selected single origins. Illy blends nine arabica varieties into one consistent signature taste and preserves it under pressurised atmosphere. Different philosophies, both Italian.
Which should I order if I like a sweeter coffee?
The Illy Classico roast leans sweet, with caramel and orange blossom notes. If you prefer a sharper, more traditional espresso, go for Segafredo.
Are there Moroccan pastries?
Yes, that is the distinctive part of this outlet: artisanal Moroccan pastries served alongside Italian coffee.
Is it open 24 hours?
No. Hours follow the main flight banks. For a stop at any hour, the terminal has a 24-hour option — see our airport restaurants guide.
Can I buy coffee to take home?
Both brands sell packaged coffee in their airport outlets, which travels well and makes a lighter gift than most.
Is the coffee better than at the other airport outlets?
It is different rather than simply better: these are two specialist Italian houses with their own roasting approaches, prepared by baristas. If you want consistency and 24-hour opening, the terminal’s other options serve a different need.
What is a ristretto?
The same ground coffee as an espresso but pulled with less water, giving a shorter, more concentrated and often sweeter cup. Ask for it if you find espresso too bitter.
Before you fly
Check the live departure board before you leave your riad, see our airport restaurants guide for the full list of places to eat in the terminal, and read our Wi-Fi guide if you need to get online.
Sources and updates
Information gathered from the brand’s official communications and from our own coverage of Marrakech-Menara airport. Opening hours and menus at airport outlets change often — the terminal information screens are always the final word. Page updated in October 2026.
Photo credit: see the media library entry for the author and licence.
