Ouzoud Excursions
In short
At the Ouzoud Waterfalls you eat in small terrace restaurants and cafés. They stand in the village at the top of the falls, along the paved path down to the foot of the falls and around the pool at the bottom, many with a view of the water. On OpenStreetMap we counted 9 named places to eat near the falls, 7 restaurants and 2 cafés, from about 50 m to 1 km from the main drop; many more terraces on the paths are not mapped. Menus are Moroccan and Berber home cooking: tagines, grilled meat, salads, bread and mint tea. Vegetable dishes are easy to find. Bring cash in dirhams, do not count on paying by card, ask the price before you order and keep food in a closed bag because of the macaques. On our private trips, lunch is a 30 EUR per person option, included in the premium day.
- 9 named places to eat mapped within about 1 km of the falls, 7 of them within 250 m
- Terraces at the top, along the path and by the pool at the foot of the falls
- Tagines, grilled meat, salads, bread and mint tea; vegetable dishes are easy to find
- Bring cash in dirhams and ask the price before you order
- Keep food in a closed bag and never feed the macaques
- Lunch is a 30 EUR per person option on our trips, included in the premium day
You eat at the Ouzoud Waterfalls on terraces. Simple restaurants and cafés stand in the village at the top of the falls, along the paved path that goes down to the foot of the falls in about 20 minutes, and around the pool at the bottom, where tables face the water. The food is Moroccan home cooking: tagines first of all, grilled meat, salads, bread and mint tea. You do not need to book a table for a normal lunch, but you do need cash in dirhams, and it is worth asking the price before you order.
This page is the practical answer to "where and what do I eat at Ouzoud?". We mapped the places to eat near the falls from OpenStreetMap, explain what is served and how much to budget, and cover vegetarian meals, children, hygiene, cash, timing and picnics. If you already know you want lunch organised for you on our trip, our page on the boat ride and lunch by the falls describes that option in detail.
One thing to say clearly: we have no partnership with any of the places on this page. We do not rank them, we do not receive anything if you eat there, and we do not claim that one is better than another.
Where can you eat at the Ouzoud Waterfalls?
The places to eat follow the walk. When you arrive at the top, the village has cafés and restaurants around the car parks and the viewpoints. The path down to the bottom is lined with stalls and terrace cafés. At the foot of the falls, more terraces sit along the banks of the pool, close to the boats. On the other bank, a path climbs back up with its own terraces, so you can eat on either side.
This is the map of the places to eat that OpenStreetMap contributors have recorded around the falls, numbered by distance to the main drop.
Which restaurants and cafés are mapped near the falls?
The table gives the same numbers as the map, with the name as written on OpenStreetMap, the type and the straight-line distance to the main falls.
| N° | Name (as listed on OpenStreetMap) | Type | Distance to the main falls (straight line) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Espace Cascade Blanche | Restaurant | 50 m |
| 2 | Pizzeria Bab Echallal | Restaurant | 110 m |
| 3 | Dar Essalam | Restaurant | 110 m |
| 4 | Chez Mounir | Café | 120 m |
| 5 | Les Amis | Restaurant | 140 m |
| 6 | Bèrbère | Restaurant | 160 m |
| 7 | Amalou | Restaurant | 240 m |
| 8 | Le Havre de Paix | Restaurant | 580 m |
| 9 | Cafe Restaurant | Café | 970 m |
Places to eat mapped on OpenStreetMap around the falls, extracted on 23 October 2026 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Many terraces on the paths are not mapped. Listed for information only: we have no partnership with these places.
What the data shows: 9 named places to eat, 7 restaurants and 2 cafés. Seven of them are within about 250 m of the main drop, four of those within about 120 m. Two lie further out, at about 580 m and 1 km. Our map of the Ouzoud Waterfalls counts about a dozen restaurants and cafés inside its frame, because it also shows places with no name on the map.
Please read this list for what it is. OpenStreetMap is built by volunteers, so a place can be missing, closed, renamed or listed under a different type, and the terraces along the paths change from season to season. A distance as the crow flies is shorter than the walk, which follows steps and slopes. We give no ratings, prices or opening hours because we cannot check them for every place. Use the table to understand where things are, then choose on the spot.
Rim, path or foot of the falls: where should you sit?
Each part of the site gives a different kind of lunch. This is how they compare in general terms.
| Where you eat | What it is like | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village at the top | Cafés and restaurants near the car parks and viewpoints | A drink on arrival, people who prefer not to walk far, a quick meal before the drive back | The view of the falls depends on the terrace; less of the sound of the water |
| Along the path down | Terrace cafés between the stalls, some looking into the gorge | A tea or juice break on the way down or back up | You are on the main walking route, so it can be busy and you keep passing through |
| Foot of the falls, by the pool | Tables on the banks facing the water and the spray | Lunch with the full view of the three tiers, after the boat ride | Busiest around midday; you still have the climb back up after eating |
| Other bank | Terraces on the path that climbs back up on the far side | A quieter table and a different angle on the falls | Ask your guide or follow the signs to cross; more steps |
Most people choose the foot of the falls or the lower part of the path: the reason you come to Ouzoud is the water, and eating with the 110 m falls in front of you is one of the best moments of the day. If you are with older travellers or small children and want to keep the walking simple, a terrace nearer the top can be a better choice. Our page on visiting Ouzoud with kids and older travellers covers the path in more detail.
What food is served at Ouzoud?
The menus at the falls are short and built around Moroccan and Berber home cooking. French Wikipedia describes the site's small terrace restaurants as serving Berber cuisine, and travel guides updated in 2025 and 2026 mention tagines and grilled meat, often served on terraces facing the falls.
| Dish | What it is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tagine | A stew cooked slowly in a clay pot with a cone-shaped lid: chicken, beef, lamb or vegetables | The standard lunch at Ouzoud; it takes time to cook, so order early if you are in a hurry |
| Grilled meat, skewers | Meat cooked over a grill, usually with bread | A simpler, quicker option |
| Couscous | Steamed semolina with vegetables, sometimes meat | Offered by some places, not all |
| Moroccan salads | Mixed salads served at the start of the meal | Usually part of a set lunch |
| Bread | Round flat loaves | Served with everything, used to scoop the sauce |
| Mint tea | Green tea with fresh mint, usually sweet | Ask for less sugar if you prefer |
| Fresh orange juice, soft drinks, bottled water | The usual drinks on the terraces | Drinks are paid separately |
Many terraces offer a set meal (salad, a main dish, fruit or tea) as well as dishes on their own. One travel guide updated in October 2026 says the fixed-price set meals are the cheapest option. Menus change with the day and the season, so ask what is ready when you sit down rather than expecting a long printed menu.
How much does lunch cost at Ouzoud?
Each restaurant sets its own prices, and we do not publish a price list for places we do not run. What we can tell you is what we found in recent sources, with their dates:
- One independent guide, Take Your Backpack, updated on 22 October 2026, puts food at the falls at about 8 to 14 US dollars in its cost table, with fixed-price set meals as the cheapest option. Treat it as a rough indication from one writer, not a current price.
- Review summaries on Wanderlog for two restaurants at the falls mention diners surprised by the bill because they had not been told the price beforehand.
So the simple rule is to ask the price, or look at the menu prices, before you order, and to agree on whether drinks are included. This is normal practice in Morocco and nobody will take offence.
If you would rather have a fixed amount decided in advance, lunch on our trips is 30 EUR per person, booked with your trip, plus your drinks on the spot. Our page on the full cost of an Ouzoud day puts lunch next to the other costs of the day.
How does lunch work on our private trips?
It depends on the offer you choose. All our trips are private: the vehicle, the driver and, when there is one, the guide are for your group only.
| Our offer | Lunch | Who helps you on site |
|---|---|---|
| Private transport, 180 EUR per vehicle (1 to 7 people) or 250 EUR (8 to 17) | Not included; option at 30 EUR per person, or eat where you like and pay on the spot | Your driver is a driver, not a guide; you walk the site on your own |
| Private Ouzoud tour, 220 EUR or 330 EUR per vehicle | Option at 30 EUR per person | Your local guide at the falls can suggest the dishes and help you order |
| Premium private day, 220 EUR or 330 EUR per vehicle plus 35 EUR per person | Included, at a selected restaurant by the falls, with the boat ride | Private guide for your group only |
When you choose the lunch option, we tell the restaurant how many of you are coming and roughly when, and we pass on any dietary needs you gave us when booking. Drinks are not included in any offer and are paid at the table. The boat ride and lunch page linked at the top of this guide gives the details of that option.
You book online in a few minutes with a 50% deposit, and the balance is paid in cash to the driver on the day. Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the trip.
Can vegetarians, vegans and people with allergies eat at Ouzoud?
Vegetarians eat well at Ouzoud. Vegetable tagines, salads, bread and mint tea are common on the menus, and a vegetable tagine is a full meal. Vegans need a little more care: ask how a dish is cooked and what goes into it before ordering.
For allergies, remember that these are small kitchens on terraces. Say clearly what you cannot eat, and for a serious allergy, repeat it to the staff when you order. If you book lunch with us, tell us your needs when you book and we pass them to the restaurant beforehand. We cannot promise that a kitchen is free of a given ingredient, so the check on the day remains important.
The same goes for any other diet, from no meat at all to no pork or gluten-free: tell us early if we organise your lunch, and ask on the spot in every case.
Is Ouzoud a good place to eat with children?
Yes, with a little planning. Bread, plain grilled meat, a chicken tagine with the sauce on the side and fruit usually work for children who prefer simple food. A tagine takes time to arrive, so a snack kept in a closed bag in your rucksack helps with hungry children before lunch. Just do not take it out near the macaques.
Two practical points for families. Choose a table away from the edge of the terrace if your children are small. And plan lunch before the climb back up, not after: the path has steps and slopes, and tired children are easier to carry down than up. Pushchairs are hard on the way down, so a baby carrier is the better choice.
What about hygiene and drinking water?
Most visitors eat at the falls without any trouble. If you have a sensitive stomach, the advice of the CDC (the United States public health agency) in its 2026 travel health guide is a good guide:
- Fully cooked food served hot is the safest. A tagine straight off the fire or freshly grilled meat fits this well.
- Raw salads, unpeeled fruit and unpasteurised fruit juices are on its list of foods to avoid; fruit you peel yourself is usually safe.
- Where tap water may not be safe, drink commercially bottled water from a sealed container, and ask for drinks without ice.
- Hot drinks made with boiled water, such as mint tea or coffee, are generally safe.
- Wash your hands before eating; cafés and restaurants have toilets for their customers.
We also advise against drinking the river water or the water of the pools, however clear it looks.
Do you need cash to eat at Ouzoud?
Yes. Bring dirhams in small notes from Marrakech. Some places may take a card, but you should not count on it: Wanderlog's summary for one restaurant at the falls advises paying in cash because of possible card or connection problems, and travel guides updated in 2026 tell visitors to carry cash. Cash also covers drinks, the boat if you pay it on the spot, small purchases at the stalls and tips.
On our trips, plan cash for one more thing: the balance of your booking, which you pay to the driver on the day.
When is the best time to have lunch at Ouzoud?
From Marrakech, with pickup around 8:00 and about 3 hours on the road, you reach the falls in late morning. You then have 3 to 4 hours on site. A typical order that works well:
- Walk down from the viewpoints to the foot of the falls, about 20 minutes.
- Take the boat while the queue is still short.
- Have lunch on a terrace, around midday or early afternoon.
- Walk back up, by the same path or the other bank, and head back to the vehicle.
Terraces are busiest around midday, when the day visitors arrive. If you want a quieter table, walk the other bank first and eat a little later. A tagine can take a while if the kitchen has not started it, which is one reason we warn the restaurant when you book lunch with us. Keep an eye on the time: the drive back is about 3 hours, so lunch should not run too late if you want to be in Marrakech in the early evening.
Can you bring a picnic to Ouzoud?
We found no rule against bringing your own food, and some visitors do. If you picnic, three things matter:
- Keep your food in a closed bag while you walk, and eat seated, away from the paths where the macaques move.
- Take all your rubbish back with you. French Wikipedia notes that tourism is damaging the site, and waste is part of that.
- Buy your food in Marrakech before you leave. At the falls, the choice is mostly restaurants and cafés rather than shops.
Honestly, for most people a terrace lunch is part of the pleasure of the day, and a picnic makes more sense for travellers on a tight budget or with very specific diets.
How do you eat safely around the macaques?
The Barbary macaques of Ouzoud often come close to the terraces, the stone walls and the path, because they gather where people eat. They are an Endangered species, and a study of the Ouzoud troop links food from tourists and from rubbish to more aggression and to the group splitting in two. So, at lunch:
- Never feed them, and do not hold out food for a photo.
- Keep snacks and leftovers in a closed bag, not in your hand or in an open plastic bag.
- If a macaque grabs your bag or your food, let go and step back. Do not pull or chase it.
- Keep small children close when macaques are near the tables.
Our page on the macaques of Ouzoud explains the research and the right way to watch them.
Can you have dinner at Ouzoud?
Only if you stay overnight. A day trip from Marrakech leaves the falls in mid-afternoon. If you sleep near the falls, the terraces at the top of the gorge light up in the evening, and some guesthouses serve dinner to their guests. Our guide on where to stay at Ouzoud maps the places to sleep and helps you decide whether a night is worth it.
In short: how to eat well at Ouzoud
Walk down first, choose a terrace you like with a view of the water, ask the price, order a tagine early, pay in cash and keep your food away from the macaques. If you would rather not think about any of it, add lunch to your private trip and we will tell the restaurant you are coming. Our complete Ouzoud travel guide covers the rest of the day, from the walk to the seasons, and you can book your private trip online in a few minutes.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap, restaurants and cafés around the falls (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), extracted on 23 October 2026
- Wikipedia, Cascades d'Ouzoud (terrace restaurants serving Berber cuisine, tajines, impact of tourism; in French), consulted October 2026
- Take Your Backpack, Ouzoud Falls Guide (Morocco, 2026), by Johan Kruseman, updated 22 October 2026 (tagines and grilled meat, set meals, food cost estimate, macaques grabbing food), consulted October 2026
- MarHire, Ouzoud Waterfalls Guide, by Nassim Berrada, published 27 March 2026, modified 9 October 2026 (terrace lunch, timing, carry cash, do not feed the macaques), consulted October 2026
- Explore Moroccan, Ouzoud Waterfalls Travel Guide 2026, published 27 November 2025 (tagine and grilled meats on terraces, bring cash), consulted October 2026
- Wanderlog, Restaurant Berbère Amazigh (review summary: tagines, terrace view, advice to pay in cash), no date given, consulted October 2026
- Wanderlog, Restaurant Les Cascades (review summary: prices not given beforehand; listed as permanently closed), no date given, consulted October 2026
- CDC Yellow Book 2026, Food and Water Precautions for Travelers, dated 23 April 2025, consulted October 2026
- El Alami and Chait, Revue de primatologie 7 (2016), the Barbary macaques of Ouzoud
Frequently asked questions
Where can you eat at Ouzoud?
On terraces. Small restaurants and cafés line the village at the top of the falls, the paved path down to the bottom and the banks around the pool. OpenStreetMap lists 9 named places to eat within about 1 km of the main drop, and many more terraces on the paths are not mapped. Most visitors have lunch at a table with a view of the water, after the walk down.
Are there restaurants at Ouzoud Waterfalls?
Yes, plenty. They are simple, often family-run terrace restaurants rather than formal dining rooms. Our map shows 7 restaurants and 2 cafés with a name on OpenStreetMap, the closest about 50 m from the main falls. Choose one where you like the view and the welcome, ask the price before ordering, and check the menu yourself: we have no partnership with any of them.
Is lunch included in Ouzoud tours?
It depends on the tour. With us, lunch is included in the premium private day, at a selected restaurant by the falls. On our private tour and our private transport, lunch is an option at 30 EUR per person that you tick when you book, or you simply eat where you like and pay on the spot. Drinks are never included.
What food is served at Ouzoud?
Moroccan and Berber home cooking. Tagines come first, slow-cooked in their clay pot with chicken, beef, lamb or vegetables, followed by grilled meat such as skewers, Moroccan salads, bread and mint tea. Some places also serve couscous. Menus vary from one terrace to the next and from one day to the next, so ask what is ready when you sit down.
Can vegetarians eat at Ouzoud?
Yes. Vegetable tagines, salads, bread and mint tea are common on the menus at the falls, so a vegetarian lunch is easy to find. Vegan diets need more care, so ask how a dish is cooked before ordering. If you book lunch with us, tell us your dietary needs when you book and we pass them to the restaurant before your visit.
Do restaurants at Ouzoud take cards?
Do not count on it. Some places may accept a card, but review summaries for restaurants at the falls mention card or connection problems and advise paying in cash. Bring enough dirhams in small notes from Marrakech for lunch, drinks, the boat and tips. On our trips, the balance of your booking is also paid in cash to the driver.
Can I bring a picnic to Ouzoud?
We found no rule against it, and some visitors do. Keep the food in a closed bag while you walk, eat seated and away from the macaques, and take every scrap of rubbish back with you, because waste is one of the problems at the site. Buy your food in Marrakech before you leave, since the choice on site is mostly restaurants.
When should you have lunch at Ouzoud?
Coming from Marrakech, you reach the falls in late morning, so lunch fits naturally around midday or early afternoon, after the walk down and the boat. Terraces are busiest around midday. Eating a little later, or first walking the other bank, usually means a calmer table. With a guide, the timing is adjusted to the crowds on the day.
Is the food at Ouzoud safe to eat?
Most visitors eat at the falls without trouble. If your stomach is sensitive, follow the usual travel health advice: the CDC says fully cooked food served hot is safest, and suggests bottled water from a sealed container, drinks without ice and hot tea or coffee. A tagine straight off the fire fits that advice well.
