Marché Central

Marché Central is the covered central market in downtown Casablanca, Morocco, located off Rue Chaouia near Boulevard Mohammed V. Built in the 1910s during the French protectorate, it is a compact hall of stalls selling fresh fish, shellfish, meat, vegetables, fruit, olives, spices, bread and flowers, and it remains a working market for local households rather than a souvenir bazaar. The fish stalls draw the most attention, with sardines, sea bream, prawns, squid and oysters laid out on ice, and several small grill counters will cook the catch to order, serving plates with salad, bread and lemon at modest prices. Visitors can walk the aisles, taste olives, buy dates and dried fruit, and see how the city shops and eats. The market is open daily from roughly 07:00 to 19:00, and the fish stalls are best before 14:00, when stock is freshest. A visit lasts one to one and a half hours, and late morning is the best time for lunch, when the grills are busy and the atmosphere is most lively. Mornings are crowded with residents, and weekends are busiest. Good photo angles are the fish displays, piled produce and the hall's iron roof structure, though stallholders may prefer to be asked before being photographed. The market is a short walk from Place Mohammed V, or about five minutes by petit taxi. Visitors should agree prices before ordering grilled fish, check weights on the scale, keep bags closed in the crowd and bring cash in small notes. The market pairs well with a walk through the Art Deco streets nearby.