Café do Mar El Jadida

Café do Mar is a seafront cafe and seafood restaurant on the beachfront of El Jadida, Morocco, an Atlantic coastal city in the Casablanca-Settat region about 90 kilometres southwest of Casablanca. El Jadida is known for its UNESCO-listed Portuguese City (Mazagan) and for a long sandy beach lined with promenade cafés, and Café do Mar is one of the places where visitors stop for tea, a light meal or a fish lunch with a view of the water. The Portuguese name nods to the town's colonial history under Portuguese rule from the early sixteenth century to 1769. The menu mixes cafe fare with simple seafood. Signature dishes include fish tagine, a Moroccan clay-pot dish of fish with tomato, peppers, preserved lemon and spices, and fresh mint tea served in the traditional way. Other items usually include grilled fish, calamari, salads, sandwiches, pastries, coffee and juices. Prices are modest at roughly 80-180 MAD (about $9-19) per person. The atmosphere is relaxed and sociable, with terrace seating facing the sea, a breeze off the Atlantic and a mix of local families, couples and visitors. Noise levels are low to moderate, there is no dress code, and the pace of service is unhurried. Alcohol availability varies among cafés on the seafront, so visitors should ask. Walk-ins are normal and reservations are rarely needed, except for larger groups on summer weekends and during holiday periods when El Jadida fills with visitors from Casablanca and Marrakech. The best moments for a visit are late afternoon for tea and sunset, or lunch on a calm day. Winter can be windy and cool on exposed terraces. The cafe is within reach of the Portuguese City by taxi or a walk along the promenade, making it a convenient break in a day of sightseeing. Opening hours may vary seasonally.