This fine-dining restaurant-with-rooms is a new concept for Marrakech. It brings a serious chef’s table to the Medina for the first time along with three chic rooms for those who want to stay after their feast or delve a little deeper into the authentic neighbourhood and Moroccan food culture.
Set in the quiet and untouristy neighbourhood of Riad Laarouss at the north-western edge of the souks. From here, it’s a 10-15-minute walk to the Medersa Ben Youssef and the Musée des Confluences and a 20-minute walk (1.5km) to the Djemaa el-Fna. Taxis can drop you virtually at the door and can be picked up at Place Riad Laarouss.
Owner and chef Carlo Simons earned his stripes in various Michelin-starred kitchens and so he approaches both his cooking and hosting with a deep sense of care, conviction and professionalism. Everything in this bijoux dar (house) reflects this, from the gleaming high-spec, open kitchen to the bespoke and vintage furniture, and the thoughtful service.
The enclosed courtyard downstairs is devoted to an intimate dining room that seats just 14. The rough-textured, cappuccino-coloured walls provide a gentle backdrop for the elegant, linen-dressed tables and sculptural Marc Ange chairs. The same chic, contemporary style continues in the three upstairs bedrooms, which are topped by a small roof terrace used for pre-dinner cocktails.
As a gourmet restaurant-with-rooms, the focus of Dar Simons is firmly on the dining experience, which means that other facilities are limited. That said, Carlo and his team work hard to create a highly personal guest experience.
The riad is set in an untouristy neighbourhood which offers great experiences at local tea shops, barbers and bakeries, which staff can advise you on. Their tours are similarly fascinating with deep-dive explorations of the Medina and the local food scene, and trips further afield to mountain villages for wild hikes and long classic lunches with Berber friends.
This is a personal passion project, so while the three rooms are modest in size they have been finished and furnished to an great standard. There is one standard room and two ssubtlely larger mini-suites, which you should certainly opt for.
They all have sleek terrazzo floors and moody, petrol-blue walls that frame the vast, white supremely comfortable Medflex beds, which are dressed in silky Balzatex cotton sheets. They are accompanied by a few great pieces of Modernist furniture and some beautiful art and fashion books. Bathrooms are very snug, but hyper contemporary, with Roca white goods; large, powerful rain showers; and hip, organic Botanika toiletries.
Simply the nicest gourmet food to be had in the Medina at the moment. Chef Carlo Simons trained in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Comme Chez Soi in Brussels. At Dar Simons his classic French training underpins an exciting and inventive five-course dinner menu (€75/£63) which explores the best seasonal Moroccan products and spices. Think seabass ceviche on a base of local liouba beans, pigeon with lively Szechuan pepper or lamb and lemon leaf. Desserts are a tour de force, including first-of-the-season strawberries drizzled with raïb yoghurt and topped with a viola sorbet, or a dainty plate of chocolate four ways, which is simply to die-for. With their drinks license still pending, sophisticated mocktails are served instead or diners can bring their own wine.
Breakfast is similarly spoiling. Homemade granola with silky Moroccan yogurt topped with pomegranate seeds bursting with flavour. Then there are the crisp, handmade pastries, Italian coffee and gentle melting, moreish brie. Everything is beautifully served on the nicest white china with vintage silver cutlery sourced from a collector in the souks. As lunch isn’t served and dinner is only served Thursday to Sunday (booking is essential), Carlo and his team have a good list of recommendations for alternative eating venues nearby.
Not suitable.
Not suitable. There is no possibility to add extra beds to the rooms.
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