Buying guide
Where to Buy Moroccan Tea & Tea Glasses in Marrakech
Souk el Attarine, Place des Ferblantiers and the spice markets
Moroccan mint tea — atay — is the national ritual: green tea steeped strong with fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar, poured from height into little glasses. Recreating it at home means buying the right leaf, the right mint, the coloured tea glasses and a berrad teapot. Marrakech's spice and metal souks sell all of it, and it makes one of the most useful, atmospheric souvenirs going.
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The tea itself
Moroccan tea is built on Chinese gunpowder green tea — small rolled leaves that unfurl and give a strong, slightly bitter brew that stands up to sugar and mint. It's sold loose by weight at spice stalls and herbalists throughout the souks; buy a bag of gunpowder green and you're most of the way there.
Fresh spearmint (nana) is the classic herb, sold in big fragrant bunches at every produce market; in winter, cooks add wormwood (chiba) or verbena. The traditional sweetener is a hard sugar cone (pain de sucre) you chip into the pot, though ordinary sugar works fine.
Glasses and the teapot
The little glasses — verres à thé — are sold in every colour and pattern, gilded or plain, in stacks at the spice markets, Souk el Attarine and around Place des Ferblantiers. They're cheap, beautiful and pack well with padding. The berrad — the curvy metal teapot with a long spout, made to pour from height — is sold by the same metalworkers who make the lanterns and trays.
For a full set, buy the pot, a tray and six glasses together; sellers price the set better than singles, and the metalworkers around Place des Ferblantiers and Souk el Attarine make and sell them at source.
How to shop like a local
- Buy loose gunpowder green tea by weight from a spice stall — it's the base of every glass of Moroccan mint tea.
- Pick up fresh spearmint bunches at any produce market; they're cheap and intensely fragrant.
- Buy the tea glasses in a set of six or more with padding for travel; they're cheap but fragile.
- Buy the berrad teapot, tray and glasses together for a better set price than singles.
- For sugar, a traditional cone (pain de sucre) is fun, but ordinary sugar makes the same tea.
Bargaining etiquette
- Glasses and teapots open high for tourists — counter low, buy the set together, and be ready to walk.
- Loose tea is a modest haggle; buy it with your spices for a better combined price.
- Buying direct from the metalworkers usually beats a middleman stall on the teapot and tray.
What to avoid
- Don't buy thin, poorly finished glasses that chip; check the rims and the gilding before paying.
- Avoid over-light stamped-tin teapots; a heavier metal pot pours and lasts better.
- Skip pre-boxed 'tea gift sets' at a premium; assembling your own from the souk is cheaper and better.
Frequently asked questions
What tea is used for Moroccan mint tea?
Chinese gunpowder green tea — small rolled leaves that give a strong brew standing up to sugar and mint. It's sold loose by weight at spice stalls and herbalists throughout the Marrakech souks. Fresh spearmint (nana) and sugar complete the tea.
Where do I buy Moroccan tea glasses and a teapot?
Tea glasses (verres à thé) are stacked at the spice markets, Souk el Attarine and around Place des Ferblantiers. The berrad teapot and tray are made and sold by the same metalworkers who make the lanterns. Buy the pot, tray and glasses as a set for a better price.
How do I make Moroccan mint tea at home?
Steep gunpowder green tea strong, add a generous handful of fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar, and pour from height into small glasses to aerate it. Buy the loose tea, fresh mint and glasses in Marrakech to recreate the ritual at home.
Keep exploring Marrakech food
Turn your market haul into dinner with a hands-on Marrakech cooking class, walk the souks with a guide on a market food tour, learn the Moroccan spices you just bought, or cook them at home with our Moroccan recipes. For the bigger picture, browse our food culture guides.