The best way to taste Fes is to eat where the locals eat. Behind the souvenir shops of the medina, small stalls and hole-in-the-wall kitchens serve cheap, delicious food that has fed the city for generations.
This guide lists the street foods you should try in Fes, where to find them and how to enjoy them safely.
Why Fes Is Great for Street Food
Fes has one of the richest food cultures in Morocco. In the medina, people still buy bread from neighbourhood ovens, drink soup at small counters and snack on fried dough on the way to work. Prices are low, and the food is made fresh every day.
15 Street Foods to Try in Fes
1. Bissara
A thick soup of dried fava beans, topped with olive oil, cumin and paprika, served with bread. It is the classic breakfast of Fes, especially in winter.
2. Sfenj
Moroccan doughnuts, fried in rings and eaten hot, sometimes with sugar. Look for sfenj stalls in the morning.
3. Msemen
Square, layered flatbread cooked on a griddle. Eat it with honey, cheese or stuffed with onions and spices.
4. Harcha
A small semolina bread, crumbly and buttery, often eaten with cheese or jam.
5. Baghrir
The “thousand-hole pancake”, served with butter and honey.
6. Maakouda
Fried potato fritters, often served inside a piece of bread with harissa.
7. Kefta
Grilled spiced minced meat, served in bread with onions and tomato.
8. Brochettes
Grilled skewers of lamb, beef, chicken or liver, cooked on charcoal.
9. Snails (babbouche)
A winter favourite: snails cooked in a spicy herbal broth, sold from carts in bowls.
10. Harira
Tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, especially popular during Ramadan.
11. Fried fish
Small fried sardines or fish, served with bread and lemon.
12. Khlii with eggs
Preserved spiced meat, a speciality of Fes, often cooked with eggs for breakfast.
13. Olives
Fes has huge olive stalls with dozens of varieties: green, black, purple, with lemon or harissa.
14. Chebakia and sweets
Sesame and honey pastries, almond cookies and nougat sold in pastry shops.
15. Fresh juice
Orange, avocado or mixed fruit juices from small juice bars.
Discover more classic dishes in our guide to 20 traditional Moroccan dishes.
Where to Find Street Food in Fes
- Bab Boujloud and Talaa Kebira: grills, snacks, sfenj and juice stands.
- Talaa Sghira: bissara counters and small eateries.
- Rcif: a busy local market area with fresh food and snacks.
- Bab Guissa: local food stalls with fewer tourists.
- The Mellah: sweet shops and local cafes.
Best Times to Eat
- Morning: bissara, sfenj, msemen and harcha.
- Lunch: grills, kefta and sandwiches.
- Evening: snails, harira and sweets.
Food Safety Tips
- Choose busy stalls with a high turnover.
- Eat food that is cooked hot in front of you.
- Drink bottled water.
- Be careful with raw salads and unpeeled fruit if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Carry hand sanitiser.
Take a Food Tour
A guided food walk is the easiest way to taste many dishes safely and learn the stories behind them. You can also learn to cook Moroccan food yourself in a Fes cooking class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is street food in Fes safe?
Generally yes, if you choose busy stalls and freshly cooked food.
How much does street food cost?
Very little. Most snacks and soups cost only a few dirhams.
Is there vegetarian street food?
Yes: bissara, msemen, harcha, sfenj, maakouda, olives and many sweets are vegetarian.
Taste Fes With a Local
Explore the medina, its markets and its flavours with a local guide from Fes Morocco Tours. See our Fes activities or contact us.
