BARBARBARWHAT TO ORDER IN MARRAKESH
Cocktails: Get Creative
Since Morocco is a Muslim country, mixology remains an emerging art. James Bond and other cocktail sticklers head to Piano
Bar Les Jardins de la Koutoubia for properly powerful gin drinks, garnished with a rose for your lapel. Marrakesh specialises in
classics with twists – mojitos with bourbon and champagne at Mamounia’s Churchill Bar – and creative breakthroughs like the
Jack Is Back, made with gin or vodka, kaffir lime, fresh ginger and fig puree at the Bab Hotel Pool Lounge & SkyBab.
Beer: No Bargains
Flag and Casablanca are the two local brands: ‘Casa’ is crisply innocuous, while Flag has a herbal aftertaste. Heineken may
cost about the same as Casa or Flag – around Dh25 to Dh60, with the cheapest at Bar du Grand Tazi. Beer almost always
comes bottled, not on tap.
Wine: Drink Locally
Volubilis and Meknès are key growing regions for Moroccan reds, but due to heat stability issues in transit, coastal gris, rosé
and crisp whites from nearby Essaouira are safer bets. Many Marrakesh bars feature wine by the glass for Dh50 to Dh80, as
well as bottles of the well-priced Ferme Rouge line from coastal vineyards. You’ll also find lower-end French and Spanish
wines – possibly the same brand imbibed on the airline flight here, at a considerable mark-up. For imported and Moroccan
wines at realistic prices, head to L’Atelier du Vin ([ 0524 45 71 12; 87 Rue Mohamed el-Beqal; 9.30am-1pm & 3.30-
8pm Tue-Thu & Sat, 2.30-8pm Mon, 9.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-8pm Fri) ; check the store’s Facebook page for wine-tasting
events.Bab Hotel Pool Lounge & SkyBab
Offline map Google map ( 0524 43 52 50; www.babhotelmarrakech.com; RueMohammed el-Beqal, cnr Blvd Mohamed ed-Dahbi) Up or down? Either way, you can’t go
wrong for creative cocktails in splashy settings. SkyBab offers rooftop sunsets, red carpets
and Red City (vodka, lemon and pomegranate); the Pool Lounge showcases the refreshing
Jack Is Back, original art, Marrakshi lady DJs rocking chill-out sets and rainbow poufs crafted
from recycled plastic bags.
Churchill Bar
Offline map ( 0524 38 86 00; www.mamounia.com; Ave Bab Jedid; 6pm-1am; ) Opinion
remains divided over the Mamounia’s recent restoration and its estimated €120 million price
tag, but critics agree: such weighty matters are best discussed over drinks in the Churchill Bar.
The bar named for the Mamounia regular and sometime head of state retains its speakeasy
appeal, with padded fuchsia leather walls, wood panelling, and splashy leopard print. Call
ahead to book, dress to impress strict doormen, and go retro with 20-year-old Scotch or
flapper-favourite Mamoune Lady: gin, lemon, and orange-flower water. At about €20 per
cocktail, let heads of state buy the first round.
Kosybar
Offline map Google map ( 0524 38 03 24; http://kozibar.tripod.com; 47 Pl des Ferblantiers; noon-1am; ) The Marrakesh-meets-Kyoto interiors are full of plush, private nooks, but keep
heading upstairs to low-slung canvas sofas and Dh40 to Dh60 wine by the glass on the rooftop
terrace. At the aptly named Kosybar you can enjoy drinks with a side of samba as storks give
you the once-over from nearby nests; skip the cardboard-tasting sushi and stick with bar