Travel tips
A Guide to Casablanca's Food Markets
Casablanca does markets the modern, port-city way: no medieval medina here, but a famous covered Central Market built around seafood, the arcaded Habous quarter for traditional sweets, and clean municipal markets serving a big, cosmopolitan population. If Fes is a medieval food market, Casablanca is a twentieth-century one — and its seafood, in particular, is a genuine draw.
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- 7 min
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- Travel tips
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- The Marché Central is the star — buy fish and have it cooked on the spot.
- The Habous quarter is the place for traditional pastries and sweets.
- Municipal markets serve the everyday shopping of a modern city.
- The whole scene is seafood-forward, reflecting the working port.
The Central Market
The Marché Central, off Boulevard Mohammed V downtown, is Casablanca's signature food destination — a colonial-era covered market with flower sellers at the entrance and, inside, rows of fishmongers displaying the Atlantic's catch. The famous routine is to buy your fish, prawns or oysters from a stall and hand them to one of the small cook-counters to grill or fry while you wait. There are grocers, olives and produce too, but the seafood is why people come.
The Habous quarter
For the traditional side, the Quartier des Habous — a 1930s French-built 'new medina' of arcaded streets — is Casablanca's best address for Moroccan sweets and pastries, sold by the kilo from long-established shops, along with olives, spices, bread and books.
- Pastry shops: kaab el ghazal, briouat, chebakia by weight.
- Olive and spice stalls: the usual excellent range.
- Traditional groceries: for the Moroccan pantry.
- Bread and prepared foods: for an easy lunch.
Municipal and neighbourhood markets
Beyond these two landmarks, Casablanca's daily shopping happens in modern municipal markets and neighbourhood stalls spread across its districts — produce, meat, fish and groceries for a population of millions. These are functional rather than picturesque, but they show how a modern Moroccan city really eats, away from both the tourist trail and the imperial-city romance.
How to shop Casablanca
Give the Central Market a lunchtime for the buy-and-cook seafood experience, and an afternoon to the Habous for sweets and coffee. Because the city is spread out and car-oriented, cluster your market visits rather than crossing town, and go to the seafood early for the best of the catch. For the wider picture, see our where to eat in Casablanca guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is Casablanca's Central Market known for?
Seafood. The Marché Central is a covered market where you buy fish, prawns or oysters from the stalls and hand them to small cook-counters to grill or fry on the spot. It is the city's signature food experience, alongside grocers, olives and flower sellers.
Where do I buy Moroccan sweets in Casablanca?
The Habous quarter (Quartier des Habous), a 1930s arcaded 'new medina', is the best address for traditional pastries and sweets sold by the kilo, along with olives, spices and bread. It is Casablanca's most atmospheric traditional shopping district.
Does Casablanca have a medina market like Fes or Marrakech?
Not really. Casablanca is a modern port city without an ancient medina, so its markets are twentieth-century in character — the covered Central Market, the 1930s Habous quarter, and modern municipal markets — rather than a medieval souk. Its strength is seafood and café culture instead.
Can you eat at the Central Market?
Yes. The whole point of the Central Market for many visitors is to buy fresh seafood from a stall and have one of the small cook-counters grill or fry it for a modest fee, eaten on the spot. It is one of the best-value seafood meals in the city.