Yep you read it right - Dunching.
In early 2022 I jumped on a plane all on my lonesome and headed back to beautiful Morocco. It was the first time I had been there solo which, coupled with Covid, called for a few daily travel adjustments.
We're all familiar with Brunch - somewhere between breakfast and lunch. Well Dunch is basically the same, but sits between lunch and dinner!
Served at about 3 or 4pm, it was the perfect scenario for a solo traveller. Let me explain…
Riads in Morocco generally provide breakfast and it's always a pretty decent spread – traditional Moroccan bread such as M’smen or their Beghrir pancakes (or both if you’re lucky!), possibly an omelet, always fresh OJ, yoghurt, fresh fruit, coffee or mint tea.
On this trip I stayed at the beautiful Riad Matham in the Medina. For the first few nights I was their only guest, so felt utterly spoilt by the attention and catering.
I soon learnt that if you really take advantage of the breakfast spread (I mean really go hard on the bread products in particular!), it can last you through most of the day…and mean you only have to pay for one meal – Dunch!
As a solo traveller it was also a nicer experience sitting in restaurants earlier in the afternoon, when they’re not as busy (also a plus in covid times) – and meant I didn’t have to venture out at night alone.
What were my Dunch go-tos? I'm glad you asked...
Café Des Épices in the Medina was my home ground. Easy to navigate to, budget-friendly, lovely service and great for people watching in the adjoining square. I’d often have a morning coffee here and watch the medina wake up...or my afternoon mint tea. It's a great central spot for planning your next shopping move.
L’mida is just around the corner from Café Des Épices and is AMAZING! You need to visit L’mida for their rooftop alone. It’s insanely gorgeous with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains.
And did I mention their Berber Gnocchi?
And Smoked Zaalouk?
And Pulled Mechoui?
And Carrot Cake?
And fresh fruit mocktails?
Yes, I tried them all.
Oh lord. So good.
Le Jardin is one of my favourite restaurants in the Medina. The food is on point with plenty of options and the surroundings are a lush, green oasis. My son had the chicken tajine when I took him here in 2019 and confidently stated it was the best chicken he’d ever had! Having said that, the Garden Burger was pretty good too!
They also do cool little pop up markets from time-to-time, which I was lucky enough to experience on this trip. The entire bottom level is transformed with a real meet-the-maker vibe, DJ, plus their regular food offerings. It's super cool and I kind of felt like I was in Manhattan.
SoulFood is another rooftop restaurant that I stumbled across after visiting a supplier. It sits above the famous Max & Jan store (which is now sadly closed). I had a few Dunches here – so fresh, lovely service and everything seemed to be cooked from scratch.
Nomad is probably one of the better-known restaurants in the Medina. It re-opened a few days before I flew home so I only had one Dunch here, but it was a cracker! I finally got to try their Sardine Tart. So. Bloody. Good.
Apart from "Dunching", my only other food must have on this trip was my daily lemon water! There's little fresh food markets set up all over Marrakech, so it's easy to pick up bits and pieces as you're wandering the souks. More often than not the fruit and veg is fresh from the farms that morning and the Moroccan oranges are like no other oranges I've ever tried...their fresh orange juice is off the charts!
