Cafes of Casablanca and Marrakech

I wish I’d had more time to dive into the coffee scenes of Casablanca and Marrakech, but, as is often the case with work trips, my free time was pretty limited. Since Arabica had locations in both cities, I couldn’t resist stopping by to check them out. Still, I managed to squeeze in a visit to one lovely café in each city, which felt like a small but satisfying win.

Bondi Casablanca

Definite a digital nomad cafe, very Australian vibe

Thirty5ive Marrakech

Labor of love, old vinyls, very Tokyo vibe

Marrakech Photo Diary

Marrakech is famously photogenic, but I don’t think this photo diary quite does it justice. Instead, it’s more like an archive of the quaint, intimate moments from my short time there—relaxing at the riad, dancing in the dessert, enjoying good company, and taking in a few sights along the way.

Coming home at 2:00am from a work after party

The party

The surreal burger bar in the dessert

Arabica of Morocco

Ever since visiting all three Arabica locations in Kyoto and two in Tokyo, I’ve made it my mission to visit every Arabica location in the world. Surely, I can’t be the only one with this wild idea—their tagline does say, “See the World through Coffee,” after all.

Admittedly, this might be a bit ambitious. As of now, Arabica boasts a staggering 213 locations, including an eye-popping 87 in China alone. But I’m determined to make it happen, one cup at a time. Thankfully, Morocco made it easy for me: there are only two locations in the country—one in Casablanca and one in Marrakech. Since those were the only two cities I visited, I happily checked both off my list.

Casablanca

Berber fabrics on the seats

Moroccan tiles in the doorway

Kyoto latte never disappoints

Marrakech

Indoor fountain

Thought this was a matcha cookie - but it's pistachio

What Did I Eat in Morocco

I recently traveled to Morocco for work, and as is often the case with work trips, most of my meals were either hotel catering or wherever the client chose to take me. Fortunately, my client had excellent taste, opting for nearby restaurants in Casablanca like Rick’s and La Sqala—both of which were incredible and a welcome change from the hotel's western-style food.

When I had a free day in Marrakech, I finally had the chance to choose my own dining spots, and I made sure to pick some truly exceptional restaurants. While it wasn’t exactly the foodie adventure I might have dreamed of, I still managed to enjoy a good variety of flavors along the way.

Asian Food: Sushi (Japanese), spring rolls (Vietnamese), and Pad Thai (Thai)

Juices: Lemon, mixed fruit, cucumber, orange, and pomegranate

Desserts: my favorite being the black rice pudding from Rick's

Dips

Breakfast and snack at the Riad

Chicken Tagine, and Lamb Tagine

Western food

Client lunch at Petanque Social Club

Client lunch at Petanque Social Club

Cocktails 

at Petanque Social Club