Food in Berkane is not about presentation — it’s about routine, comfort and tradition. These are dishes and drinks you’ll see, smell and taste in daily life. If you want to understand the city, start here.
1. Tagine
Tagine is everywhere, but in Berkane it’s simple and honest. Slow-cooked meat or vegetables, seasoned with spices and served bubbling hot. Often eaten at lunch, shared, and never rushed.
2. Couscous
Traditionally eaten on Fridays, couscous is more than food — it’s a moment. Steamed semolina, vegetables, chickpeas and meat, often prepared at home but also available in local restaurants on couscous day.
3. Msemen
This flaky, pan-fried flatbread is eaten at breakfast or as a snack. In Berkane, msemen is often sold fresh on the street, folded, warm, and eaten with honey or cheese.
4. Moroccan Mint Tea
You don’t order it — it arrives. Mint tea is part of every meeting, pause and conversation. In Berkane, tea is strong, sweet and always shared.
5. Karan (Keren / Kalane)
Known locally by different names, karan is a baked chickpea dish, sliced into squares and served hot with bread. Cheap, filling and very popular — especially in the evenings.
6. Refissa
Refissa is comfort food. Shredded flatbread soaked in broth, topped with lentils, onions and spiced chicken. It’s filling, warming and often eaten at home, but also available in traditional kitchens.
7. Sardines
Thanks to Morocco’s coastline, sardines are common and affordable. In Berkane, they’re usually grilled or fried, served simply with bread and salad.
8. Harira
This thick soup made with tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas is eaten year-round, but especially in the evenings. It’s nourishing and familiar — often paired with bread or dates.
9. Kefta
Grilled minced meat, shaped by hand and seasoned simply. Kefta is often eaten as street food or in small restaurants, served with bread and onion salad.
10. Fresh Orange & Mandarin Juice
Berkane is famous for its citrus, and fresh juice is everywhere. Oranges and mandarins are squeezed on the spot — cold, sweet and deeply local. A daily habit, not a luxury.
