Marrakech dining
Asian Restaurants in Marrakech: Sushi, Thai and Beyond
Marrakech is a Moroccan city, so Asian food here is an import rather than a tradition — but as the tourist and expat crowd has grown, so has a small, real scene of sushi bars, Thai kitchens and pan-Asian dining rooms. Handled with realistic expectations, it is a welcome change of pace after a run of tagines. The trick is knowing which kitchens take it seriously and which are trading on novelty.
- Read
- 8 min
- Guide
- Marrakech dining
- Updated
- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- Asian food in Marrakech is an import — judge it against the city, not Bangkok or Tokyo.
- The strongest kitchens cluster in Gueliz and Hivernage and inside design hotels.
- Sushi depends on imported fish, so freshness and turnover matter more than usual.
- Thai and pan-Asian dishes travel better than raw fish and are the safer bet.
What the Marrakech Asian scene actually is
Because Morocco has no home-grown Asian community to speak of, these restaurants exist to serve tourists and a cosmopolitan local set looking for variety. That shapes everything: menus are broad, presentation is polished, and prices sit well above local Moroccan food because much of the produce, sauces and fish is flown or trucked in. The best places are run by chefs with genuine training abroad; the weakest treat sushi and pad thai as decoration on a hotel menu.
Set your expectations accordingly and you will eat well. This is not the place to chase perfect authenticity, but a good Marrakech sushi counter or Thai kitchen delivers a genuinely enjoyable meal and a useful reset for the palate.
What to order, by kitchen
Play to what travels well. Cooked dishes with strong sauces are more forgiving of imported ingredients than delicate raw fish, so weight your order that way unless you have found a trusted sushi bar.
- Thai curries and stir-fries: green and red curries, pad thai and cashew chicken hold up well and suit the local love of aromatic spice.
- Sushi and sashimi: excellent at a serious counter with high turnover; ask what came in fresh and lean on cooked rolls when unsure.
- Dim sum and dumplings: steamed and fried dumplings are reliable and a good sharing option.
- Pho and ramen: a handful of spots do proper broths — a comforting, warming option on a cool evening.
- Pan-Asian fusion: the design hotels often blend Asian technique with Moroccan produce, which can be surprisingly successful.
How to find the good ones
Focus on Gueliz and Hivernage, the modern districts where the expat-facing kitchens and design hotels concentrate. A specialist restaurant that commits to one cuisine — a dedicated sushi bar or a Thai kitchen — almost always beats a do-everything Asian menu, which is a classic sign of a kitchen spreading itself too thin. Look for high turnover, a chef with real international training, and a focused list.
Treat Asian food as one thread in a cosmopolitan city rather than the reason you came. For the wider picture see the Gueliz modern-dining guide, and remember the point of Marrakech is its own kitchen — a cooking class keeps that front and centre.
Frequently asked questions
Is there good sushi in Marrakech?
Yes, at a small number of serious counters, mostly in Gueliz, Hivernage and the design hotels. Because the fish is imported, freshness and turnover matter more than usual — choose a busy, specialist sushi bar, ask what arrived fresh, and lean on cooked rolls if you are unsure. Judge it against Marrakech, not Tokyo.
Where is the best Asian food in Marrakech?
The strongest kitchens cluster in the modern districts of Gueliz and Hivernage and inside design hotels, where chefs with international training cook for a cosmopolitan crowd. Specialist restaurants that focus on one cuisine — a dedicated Thai or Japanese kitchen — generally beat sprawling pan-Asian menus.
Why is Asian food expensive in Marrakech?
Because most of the key ingredients — fish for sushi, specific sauces, some produce — are imported, and the restaurants target tourists and expats rather than locals. Prices sit well above everyday Moroccan food. Cooked dishes like curries and stir-fries usually offer better value than imported raw fish.
Should I eat Asian food or stick to Moroccan in Marrakech?
Mostly Moroccan — it is the reason to be here and the best value. But an Asian meal makes a good change of pace midway through a trip, resetting your palate after several rich tagines. Treat it as a deliberate break rather than the main event.