Hamadi

Hamadi is a long-established restaurant and bar on Rue de la Kasbah in the Tangier medina, northern Morocco, and has been run for more than 50 years. It is a reliable address for classic Moroccan cooking within easy reach of the kasbah and the Petit Socco. The menu covers the standards of the national repertoire: chicken tagine with preserved lemon, lamb couscous and pastilla, the sweet-savoury pie traditionally made with pigeon or chicken, dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Couscous is the dish most associated with Friday meals in Morocco, and the lamb version here is a common order for visitors who want a traditional plate. Typical spending is about 150-300 MAD (roughly $16-32) per person, which places the restaurant in the mid-range for Tangier. The dining rooms are decorated in the traditional style, with tiled walls, arches and cushioned seating, and the atmosphere is relaxed, often lively at lunchtime when tour groups and local diners overlap. Unlike many medina restaurants, Hamadi has a licensed bar, so beer, wine and spirits are available alongside mint tea and soft drinks, which suits travellers who want a drink with dinner. There is no strict dress code, and smart-casual clothing is the norm. Reservations are not required for lunch. For dinner, visitors can walk in earlier in the day to reserve a table, and doing so is wise in high season, at weekends and during festivals when Tangier fills with visitors. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. Because it sits in the kasbah quarter, it combines well with a visit to the Kasbah Museum and the viewpoints over the Strait of Gibraltar, making it a practical stop in a day exploring old Tangier. Portions are generous, and tagines are often shared. Staff are used to international visitors, and menus are generally available in several languages.