Night tour · Jemaa el-Fnaa & the souks
Snail Soup & Night Broths Tour
Follow the wisps of aromatic steam to the cauldrons of babbouche — the little snails simmered in a dark, peppery, herb-and-spice broth that Marrakchis queue for at dusk, as much for the medicinal broth as the snails themselves. This tour is a deep dive into the city's most characterful night bites: snail soup eaten with a pin, the warming spiced broths, and the folk-remedy culture around them. Adventurous, cheap, and utterly local, it is street food with a soul.
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Best time
- Dusk into evening
- Pace
- Standing at the cart
- Area
- Jemaa el-Fnaa & the souks
Overview
Babbouche (also called ghoulal) — snails in broth — is one of the most beloved and characterful of Marrakech's street foods. The little snails are simmered for hours in a dark, intensely aromatic broth built from a dozen or more spices and herbs: thyme, aniseed, liquorice root, mint, wild fennel, pepper and more. You are served a small bowl, pick the snails out with a pin, and then, crucially, drink the broth.
That broth is the real draw. It is widely regarded as a folk remedy — good for digestion, for a cold, for a sore throat, for a hangover — and you will see people ordering the liquid as much as the snails. Found at dedicated carts on Jemaa el-Fnaa and in the souks, especially as the weather cools, it is inexpensive, warming and about as authentically local as street food in Marrakech gets.
What you'll taste
- Babbouche (snails) — Small snails simmered tender in spiced broth, picked from the shell with a pin — mild, earthy, a little chewy.
- The spiced broth — The dark, peppery, herbal liquor — thyme, aniseed, liquorice, mint and more — drunk from the bowl and prized as a tonic.
- The medicinal herbs — A look at the bundle of a dozen-plus herbs and spices that flavour and 'medicate' the broth.
- A warming night bowl — The whole point in the cooler months — a hot, restorative cup on a chilly Medina evening.
- Bread on the side — A little bread to go with the broth, as with every Moroccan bowl.
The route
- 1
Find a snail cart
Follow the aromatic steam to a babbouche cauldron on Jemaa el-Fnaa or in the souks — look for the local queue.
- 2
Order a small bowl
Ask for a small bowl to start; you can always have more, and the broth is refillable at many carts.
- 3
Eat with the pin
Use the provided pin to pick the snails from their shells — a small knack you get quickly.
- 4
Drink the broth
Finish by drinking the spiced broth straight from the bowl — the part locals really come for.
- 5
The remedy culture
Learn why the broth is treated as a folk cure for colds, digestion and more.
- 6
Warm up and move on
A restorative pause, perfect on a cool evening before or after other night bites.
When to go & what it costs
Babbouche is a dusk-and-evening food, and it comes into its own in the cooler months when a hot, spiced broth is most welcome — autumn through spring especially. The carts appear as the light fades on Jemaa el-Fnaa and in the souks. Go in the first hours of the evening when the cauldrons are freshest and the queue tells you which cart is best.
Cost & cash: A bowl of snails is very cheap — a few dirhams — and sold by the small bowl, cash only.
Insider tips
- Order a small bowl first — the broth is refillable at many carts, so you can always drink more.
- The pin takes a moment to master; twist gently to draw the snail from the shell.
- The broth is the real prize — drink it down, especially if you feel a cold coming on.
- Best in the cooler months, when a hot, herbal bowl is most restorative.
- Follow the local queue; the busiest cauldron is the freshest and usually the best.
Etiquette & how to eat like a local
- Eat at the cart, standing or perched, and keep the bench moving at busy times.
- Use the pin and drink from the bowl as locals do — there is no daintier way.
- Pay the told price in small cash; snails are a few dirhams, not a haggling item.
- Ask before photographing the cauldron and vendor up close.
- Give it a genuine try — the snails are mild, and locals will warm to your curiosity.
Frequently asked questions
What is babbouche?
Babbouche (also called ghoulal) is a Moroccan street food of small snails simmered in a dark, peppery, herb-and-spice broth. You are served a small bowl, pick the snails out with a pin, and drink the intensely aromatic broth — which is prized as much as the snails themselves. It is a beloved dusk-time bite in Marrakech.
What does snail broth taste like, and is it good for you?
The broth is dark, peppery and deeply herbal, flavoured with a dozen or more spices and herbs such as thyme, aniseed, liquorice root, mint and wild fennel. Moroccans widely regard it as a folk remedy — good for digestion, colds, sore throats and more — and many order it as much for the broth as the snails.
Where and when can I try snail soup in Marrakech?
Look for dedicated babbouche carts on Jemaa el-Fnaa and in the souks, appearing as the light fades. It is an evening food and is at its most popular and welcome in the cooler months, when a hot, spiced bowl is most restorative. Follow the local queue to the best cauldron.
How do you eat the snails?
You use a small pin, provided with the bowl, to pick each snail out of its shell — a knack you pick up after a few tries with a gentle twist. Once you have eaten the snails, you drink the spiced broth straight from the bowl, which is the part many locals value most.
Cook what you tasted
Loved something on the walk? Take it home. Learn the dish hands-on with a Marrakech chef, or follow a free step-by-step recipe.