Essaouira, Morocco

Adherents of a low-waste, slow-food philosophy, restaurant owners Frederique and Edouard are devotees of responsible tourism and source as many ingredients as possible organically, from local souks and from cooperatives. Fred is happy to adapt her recipes to #vegan requirements where possible, and suggestions include a delicious lentil salad with local argan oil, home-cooked _briouats _(like Moroccan samosas) or home-made pastas. Fred has also written a book on the culinary and medicinal virtues of Moroccan spices that you can pick up in the restaurant (currently only in French, soon in English) . You can also book English-speaking walking tours with Ottmane here (see Ecotourisme et Randonnées).

Address: La Découverte, Rue Houmman el Fatouaki.
Tel: +212 (0)5 24 47 31 58 or +212 (0)6 10 63 83 99

For more tips on travelling like a #local in #Essaouira, download The Best of Essaouira e-book.

Green Wok in #Essaouira offers South East Asian food (mainly Thai/Vietnamese), which is perfect for the time when you get fed up of #veggie tajine (the standard offer for non-meat-eaters in Morocco).Owner Adnan is happy to adapt recipes to #vegan requirements where possible and recommends the coleslaw, vegetarian soup or vegetarian summer rolls for starters (these are called 'spring rolls' on the menu - the nems are the fried ones). For the main course, he can offer stir fried vegetables or a vegetarian green curry - either is served with steamed rice. There are also stir-fried noodles with vegetables. As long as customers alert him that they are vegans, his chefs will omit the fish sauce! Sit-in or take away. Starters range from 15-45dh, mains from 55-85dh.

Address: Green Wok, 6 Rue el Hajjali, Essaouira medina.
Tel: +212 (0)5 24 78 30 28

For more general tips on travelling like a #local in Essaouira, check out The Best of Essaouira e-book.

Between the main square (Place Moulay Hassan) and the port of #Essaouira, beyond the fish grill stands, is a line of orange juice vendors. My favourite is the last one before you enter the port zone. His name is Soufiane and his orange juice (and pink grapefruit in season) are sweet, cheap and freshly prepared. Sadly, the Earth Cafe which he advertises on his stand is no more. Expect to pay between 5-10dh for a juice - cheaper than in a café and squeezed right in front of your eyes! There is truly nothing on earth like a Moroccan OJ!

For more tips on travelling like a #local in Essaouira, download the e-book The Best of Essaouira.

The cuisine of #Morocco is becoming increasingly well-known abroad and a popular holiday activity is a cookery class where students can learn about the intricate blends of spices, the diverse influences on Moroccan cuisine and attempt to create their own culinary masterpieces. Find out where you can learn to cook in #Essaouira. At Khadija's Kuzina, they will be happy to adapt to all your dietary needs.

For more information on travelling like a #local in Essaouira, download the e-book The Best of Essaouira.

#Essaouira is a fishing and tourism town and as such it's full of men who need a hearty meal to sustain them through the working day, but who don't necessarily have the time to get home to eat it. Enter the community kitchen. You'll find these places around the main vegetable, chicken and meat souks (markets). The tell-tale sign is the drift of charcoal smoke from the door or the roof or a brazier outside. Although local favourites are fresh sardines or meat balls, there is no reason why these guys can't knock you up a #vegetarian or #vegan tajine. These places don't carry stock and don't have menus. You can either request a meal (and someone will nip out and source the ingredients) or provide the ingredients for them to cook it. The cheapest and easiest way is to pick your ingredients yourself fresh off the souk, take them to the kitchen and come back later to enjoy your meal (or take it back to your accommodation to eat there). For a vegetarian tajine, buy a few potatoes, carrots, peppers and other veggies of your choice. If you'd like olives or _tfaya _(caramelised onion and raisins), on your tajine, buy them too. Pick up half a bunch each of parsley and coriander plus 10dh of _chermoula _(mixed spices) from one of the old guys in the spice or vegetable souk for the seasoning. These old guys also occasionally have soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in a small bag - you could add those to the tajine too. They will have vegetable oil at the kitchen. You can also ask the guys to grill vegetables for you over the charcoal - select tomatoes, onions, aubergines (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini) and peppers. Just don't look too closely at the spitting and bubbling fish and meat alongside them!!

Chez Karim (above) is a good bet, as is Tamilalte, across the street. They are both in an alleyway opposite the chicken souk. Tamilalte has a rudimentary terrace. Don't be under any illusions, these places are spit-and-sawdust cafes without any airs or graces. But the food is solid home cooking. When you come to eat your meal, bring some bread and a bottle of soda (or a bunch of mint and a few dirhams of loose tea if you want mint tea). Expect to pay between 10-40dh for the cooking and the chance to sit in (on top of the cost of your ingredients).

For more tips on travelling like a #local in Essaouira, download the e-book The Best of Essaouira.