Marrakesh: A Gluten Free Guide

Map showing the locations of Monquotidien bakeries in Marrakesh.

The offerings change day-to-day, but typically you can always buy a type of bread like batbout, baghrir and khobz (see images below). These were the closest thing to real bread I’ve eaten in a long while (I’d take this with a pinch of salt; it’s been over a decade since I last ate real bread).

Sweet treats such as brownie and chocolate eclairs are sometimes available too. All gluten free items are wrapped in cling film to avoid cross contamination. They’re clearly marked with SG on the label (Sans Gluten). You can see their entire gluten free range on their website.

The prices are good, averaging around 8MAD per bread, which is much better compared to the gluten free bread offerings in the supermarkets (here you could pay 50MAD for a 250g loaf). The quality is high, although the breads do start to go stale after a couple of days.

Gluten free bread is handy to take with you when you go to restaurants. Most Moroccan dishes are served with bread, so to feel full and to not miss out on the local cuisine, having your own supply is a good option. Restaurant staff have no issue with you bringing your own bread.

Eating Out: Gluten Free Restaurants

Many restaurants cater towards celiacs. It was one of the only places in Morocco that I found this. Many menus contain the gluten free symbol on relevant items, and restaurant staff have a good understanding of what gluten is. I would take a translated gluten-free travel card as backup, but it’s unlikely that you’ll need to use it.

The Find Me Gluten Free app has tons of good suggestions on where to eat. Out of the ones we tried, these are what we would recommend:

• Henna Art Café – Has a good understanding of allergies and cross contamination. The price is better than others in the local area. Mostly serves Moroccan dishes and juices.
• Cuisine De Terroir – Solid gluten free menu. As a celiac, you are in safe hands here! Moroccan cuisine.
• Restaurant Dar Tazi – another safe spot for celiacs. Good Moroccan food.
• Bloomhouse - if you feel like treating yourself, or are missing Asian food, this place sells amazing Japanese-style gluten free bowls, along with multiple gluten free sweet treats. It also has good dairy free options.

Naturally Gluten Free Dishes

In theory, the following dishes are naturally gluten free:

• Tagine
• Tangia
• Grilled meats

Be wary of the use of stock cubes. Gluten-containing and gluten free ones exist.

Cross Contamination Risks

In general, the risk of cross contamination in Moroccan kitchens is high. There are many gluten-containing ingredients in use and little to no knowledge of celiac disease and preparing gluten free food. I was frequently glutened when eating in restaurants across Morocco.

In Marrakesh, I would strongly recommend sticking to restaurants that cater to celiacs and have a gluten free menu, such as the ones above, if you want to avoid getting glutened during your trip. Or stay in accomodation where you can cook for yourself.

Ordering Gluten Free Food

Most waiters speak some English, especially in tourist areas of the city. If not, then the default second language in Morocco is French, which is more widely spoken. Some good words to remember are:

French

• Sans gluten – Gluten free
• je suis allergique à farine, blé ou orge – I am allergic to flour, wheat or barley

Arabic

Even after spending three months in Morocco, I can’t say these phrases:

• Bila gluten – Gluten free
• ‘ana musab bihasaasiat min aldaqiq walqamh walshaeir – I am allergic to flour, wheat and barley

It’s definitely worth taking a translated gluten free allergen card.

Gluten Free Shopping: Supermarkets and Local Shops

Supermarket chains stock gluten free essentials such as bread, pasta, flour and biscuits; but it is pricey. It’s all imported produce, mostly from Spain and France. Bread and pasta are 3-4 times more expensive than in Europe, and biscuits 2 times. If on a budget and cooking for yourself, it’s cheaper to stick to rice, potato or corn-based dishes.

Carrefour Markets are dotted through the city and reliably always stock some gluten free items. There is a larger Marjane and an Atacadao in the suburbs that offer the same gluten free selection. For gluten free food, they have almost no advantage over the more accessible Carrefour Markets.

Local shops are dotted around everywhere. These rarely sell gluten free substitute items, the most you will find is some gluten free biscuits. Interestingly, they almost always sell vermicelli (rice noodles), and it’s well-priced. If you're on a budget, it's best to get your fruit and veg from the local greengrocer, and meat from the butcher; the supermarkets are significantly more expensive.

Gluten Free Snacks in Marrakesh

The Medina (the huge covered market) has a lot of stalls selling dried fruit, nuts, and sweet treats. These were my go-to places to get gluten free snacks while in Marrakesh, and throughout Morocco. I found the risk of cross contamination to be very low, most dried fruit and nuts stores had no gluten containing ingredients on offer.

Some of mine and Annie’s favourite gluten free snacks were:

• Caramelised peanuts covered in sesame seeds (40-60 MAD per kilo) (these are little balls of pure joy)
• Puffed corn with a BBQ flavouring (50–65 MAD per kilo)
• Dates (15–60 MAD per kilo, quality dependent)
• Salted peanuts (20–35 MAD per kilo)

Final Thoughts

Marrakesh is one of the culinary highlights for a celiac in Morocco. If you’re travelling through Morocco and avoiding gluten, I would recommend visiting. If you have any other good gluten free recommendations, or restaurants, let us know in the comments!

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Travelling Gluten-Free in Morocco?

This country is beautiful, but navigating a gluten-free diet where bread (Khobz) is deeply woven into the culture requires planning.

If you are a celiac traveler, our <a href=/blog/morocco/guide>Gluten-Free in Morocco Guide is an essential resource. It provides:

• Communication Tools: Essential translated allergy phrases to prevent miscommunication in local restaurants.
• Safety Strategy: Detailed guidance on safe self-catering, sourcing reliable groceries (including GF staples), and tips for managing hospitality.
• Risk Assessment: A breakdown of risky dishes and why seemingly safe options like tagine are often served with cross-contamination risk.

This guide details the survival strategies we developed during three months of cycling through Morocco, ensuring you can travel well and eat safely.