Café Clock

Café Clock is a long-running cultural cafe in a restored house at 7 Derb el-Magana, just off Rue Talaa Kebira in Fès el-Bali, the medina of Fez in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region. It is less a formal restaurant than a meeting point for travellers and locals, combining an all-day menu with a programme of art shows, concerts, movie nights and cooking classes. The cuisine is Moroccan cafe food with international touches, and a meal typically costs under MAD 200 per person (about $22), making it one of the more affordable sit-down options near the medina's main thoroughfare. The best-known dish is the camel burger, which has become emblematic of the cafe and is often the first thing first-time visitors order. Other regular items include Berber eggs, quiche and salads suited to a brunch or light lunch, and mint tea served in the traditional way. The building is arranged over several floors, and the top-floor terrace looks over the Bou Inania Madrasa, one of the most photographed religious school buildings in Fez, which gives the cafe its main draw at midday and at sunset. The atmosphere is casual, sociable and informal, with mixed seating, a steady flow of visitors and, on event nights, a livelier crowd. No alcohol is served, so the beverage list centres on tea, coffee and juices. Reservations are not required for most meals; the cafe can be reached on +212 535 637 855 and its website is fez.cafeclock.com. Booking ahead makes sense for cooking classes and for evening events, where the programme and capacity are set in advance, and for groups who want terrace seating at peak times. The cafe sits on a steep, busy lane, so visitors arrive on foot, and it is easy to combine with a walk to the Bou Inania Madrasa and the tanneries. Because the menu is simple and the pricing modest, the cafe is a practical stop for a first medina lunch, a late breakfast or a break between sights.