Before taking off from Marrakech, or while waiting for your flight, are you looking for where to grab a coffee or a bite to eat at Marrakech-Menara Airport? As Morocco’s second-busiest airport by traffic, the hub of the ochre city offers several cafés and restaurants, most of them located past security on the departures side. This article lists, in a neutral and factual way, the airport’s dining options based on the official information from the National Airports Office (ONDA), and explains how to plan ahead.
In brief: eating at Marrakech Airport
- Number of outlets: around ten cafés and restaurants listed.
- Where: mostly in the airside area (past security), with a few in the public hall.
- Types: coffee shops, bakery, international and Moroccan dining.
- Good to know: the offering changes over time; the official source remains ONDA.
The cafés and restaurants at Marrakech-Menara Airport
Here are the dining outlets listed at Marrakech-Menara Airport according to ONDA, along with their area. This list is provided for information only, with no ranking or review.
| Outlet | Area | Type (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| Illy | Public hall / Airside | Café / coffee shop |
| Starbucks Coffee | Airside | Café / coffee shop |
| Segafredo | Airside | Café |
| Paul | Airside | Bakery / dining |
| Pomme de Pain | Airside | Sandwich shop |
| La Table du Marché | Public hall / Airside | Dining |
| Matsuri | Airside | Dining (Japanese cuisine) |
| Mazar | Public hall | Dining |
| Medina | Airside | Dining |
The official reference is the airport’s page on the website of the National Airports Office (ONDA). Several outlets are well-known brands, such as Starbucks or Paul, whose menus are familiar.
Public hall or airside area?
In Marrakech, most outlets are located past security, in the airside area, right next to the boarding gates. Two or three options are accessible before security, in the public hall — handy if you are seeing off a traveller or arriving very early. The simplest approach: clear security, find your gate, then settle in nearby so you don’t have to backtrack.
Quick coffee or a proper meal: what to choose based on your time
- Short stopover / imminent flight: a coffee shop or sandwich bar for a quick snack to go.
- A bit of time to spare: a sit-down restaurant for a more relaxed meal before take-off.
- In the mood for something sweet: a bakery or café for a pastry and a hot drink.
For the sake of neutrality, we neither rate nor compare these establishments: we simply list what exists, and it’s up to you to choose according to your cravings and your budget.
Hours, prices and tips
- Hours: aligned with flights. During off-peak times or in the middle of the night, the offering may be reduced; plan ahead if your departure is very early.
- Prices: often a little higher than in town, as at any airport.
- Payment: cards are generally accepted; keep some dirhams on hand just in case.
- Halal: dining is overwhelmingly halal in Morocco; for a specific diet, ask the outlet.
Eating in Marrakech before the airport
If you have time, nothing beats one last meal in town. Our guide on where to eat in Marrakech is packed with spots by neighbourhood and by budget. To get to the airport afterwards, see our guide to Marrakech-Menara Airport and our transfer comparison. Finally, to stay connected on site, check out our guide to Wi-Fi at Marrakech Airport.
Paying at the airport: dirham, cards and tipping
The Moroccan dirham is a non-convertible currency: it cannot be exchanged properly outside Morocco, and most foreign exchange bureaux refuse it. So as you leave Marrakech, spend your last notes and coins before boarding rather than taking them home — a coffee or a sandwich will do the job.
Cards are generally accepted at the dining outlets, but keep a little cash on you: card terminals go down anywhere. Tipping is not compulsory in Morocco, even less so at an airport where you often pay at the counter — rounding up the bill or leaving a few coins after table service is more than enough.
What you can take through security
The liquids rule applies here as everywhere else: in hand luggage, each container of liquid, gel, cream or aerosol must hold no more than 100 ml, and they all have to fit into one transparent resealable plastic bag of about a litre. A full water bottle bought in town will therefore be taken off you at the checkpoint.
The habit that saves both time and money: go through security with an empty bottle, then refill it if you find a water point or buy a drink once airside. Solid food, on the other hand, is no problem at all: sandwiches, fruit, cakes or pastries brought from town go through without difficulty and remain the cheapest option for a very early flight.
Travelling with a baby or young children
Food and drink intended for a baby — milk, water, jars of purée — are exempt from the 100 ml limit, in the quantity needed for the journey. Take them out of your bag and show them to the security officer without being asked: the check goes faster, and you may be asked to open a container.
Beyond that, the logic is the same as at any airport: settle near your gate, and pack something to nibble on instead of relying on a last-minute order. If your flight leaves very early or in the middle of the night, assume the choice may be reduced and bring the children’s meal from town.
Eating without overspending: why prices are higher here
Airport prices are not inflated at random. Concession rents are high, every delivery has to clear security screening, staff work across very wide opening hours, and customers are a captive audience once past the checkpoint. All of that ends up on the bill, in Marrakech as anywhere else.
Three habits are enough to keep the cost down: eat in town before you leave — our guide on where to eat in Marrakech lists spots by neighbourhood and by budget — bring a solid snack, and walk past all the outlets before stopping at the first one you see. To work out what time to arrive and how the terminal is laid out, see our guide to Marrakech-Menara Airport.
FAQ — Marrakech Airport restaurants
Are there restaurants at Marrakech Airport?
Yes, around ten cafés and restaurants are listed, mostly in the airside area, with a few options in the public hall.
Can you eat before going through security?
Yes, a few outlets are accessible in the public hall, before security. The majority, however, are located past security.
Can you find Starbucks-style coffee or a bakery?
Yes, well-known coffee shop and bakery brands are among the dining outlets listed by ONDA.
Where can you see the up-to-date official list?
On the official ONDA website, in the shops/cafés-restaurants section for Marrakech-Menara Airport. Since the offering changes as concessions come and go, this is the most reliable source.
In summary
Marrakech-Menara Airport offers around ten cafés and restaurants, mostly on the departures side. Locate your area and your gate, then choose the nearest outlet based on your time and your cravings. For any up-to-date information, rely on the official ONDA source. Have a good flight!
Photo credit
Illustration: Departure Hall of Gonggar Airport.jpg — AlexHe34 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
