If I had to narrow it down and pick one place to recommend you eat at in Marrakech, it would be Chez Lamine restaurant just off Jemaa el Fnaa.
Seriously, we thought we had tried meat in Morocco. We have tried tagines all over the country. But there is nothing even close to comparable to the chunky, big mouthfuls of tender Mechoui meat at Chez Lamine and the fabulous irony of flavours in the Tangia Marrakechia.
You’ve got to try it.
Here is everything you need to know to plan your visit to Chez Lamine, meet the revered man behind the meat and dine at the restaurant where even Gordon Ramsay said the meat was cooked to perfection…
Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha
Restaurant ‘Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha’ is one of the most traditional Moroccan restaurants in Marrakech, serving authentic local meat dishes that have made it famous.
The eponymous Chez Lamine founder, N’guyer Haj Mustapha, is eminent in Marrakech and Morocco.
The legenday Mustapha is revered for his legacy in quality lamb in all styles of cooking. And admirably, as we later found, for his cooking at the palace of King Hassan II who ruled Morocco from 1961 to 1999.
The restaurant name today – Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha – is synonymous with traditional food in Marrakech. And the addition of ‘Hadj’ indicating that Mustapha has taken hadj and made the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Although restaurants all around Morocco showcase traditional dishes aimed at tourists. You will no doubt have had your share of tagines. Chez Lamine is different in that it offers a typical, local atmosphere and is more notably famous with locals.
Gordon Ramsay, Lamb Mechoui and Chez Lamine
Albeit the restaurant is already very popular with Moroccans. But when Gordon Ramsay visited with Gino and Fred on their road-trip in Morocco it became even more sought in Marrakech internationally.
Even we were one of those to Google which restaurant Gordon Ramsay ate lamb at in Marrakech.
The front entrance of Chez Lamine is decorated with photos and newspaper articles of Haj Mustapha with his fans. And in case you need any more confirmation that you have indeed arrived at the right place for the famous lamb in Marrakech you will spot the photos of Mustapha, Gordon Ramsay, Gino and Fred.
- Tip: Chez Lamine is very popular with local day-tours too. Don’t be shy to ask to choose your lunch restaurant in Marrakech.
Where is Chez Lamine in Marrakech?
Anyone you ask in Marrakech will point you in the direction of Chez Lamine restaurant.
It is located in Ablouh Kessabine Souk, just off Jemaa el Fnaa.
And in fact the restaurant is nestled in between other vendors selling Mechoui Lamb and Tangia. But Chez Lamine is the original in what is now known as Mechoui Alley in Marrakech.
- Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha Jemaa El Fna
Souk Ablouh, 18-26, Marrakech
What is on the menu?
The restaurant sells a variety of traditional Moroccan specialities including tagines, salads and grilled meat.
But they specialise in three main lamb dishes:
- Mechoui Beldi (grilled lamb)
- Tangia Marrakechia (lamb taniga)
- Tete de Mouton (sheep head)
And do be warned aware that the restaurant is also very famous among locals for the traditional dishes of Pieds de Boeuf (beef feet) and tete de Mouton (sheep head). Albeit it might not the usual menu you would expect in a recommended tourist restaurant. But you are in Morocco. And this is one of the most well regarded and famous restaurants in Marrakech.
We recommend you try the Mechoui Beldi and Tangia Marrakechia.
Mechoui Beldi – Lamb at Chez Lamine
As soon as you enter Mechoui Alley just off the square you will see butchers, cooks, scales for weighing and signs of lamb meat all around. The most popular dish of Chez Lamine is the Mechoui lamb.
Moroccan Mechoui is slow roasted lamb meat. Every morning up to 40 whole carcasses are lowered into the underground wood-fired oven just below the restaurant. The meat is roasted slowly until lunchtime. It takes three to four hours.
The meat is then pulled back up, cut and sold by weight.
In the restaurant, diners can expect the Mechoui dish presented on a board with paper underneath. And sprinkled simply with roasted, ground cumin.
A half-kilo of lamb Mechoui at Chez Lamine costs 90 dirham and one kilo costs 180 dirham.
We ordered a half-kilo lamb Mechoui.
Tangia vs tagine – what is the difference?
The other most popular dish at Chez Lamine is Tangia.
It might sound like some kind of typo from the now-familiar Tagine you have been enjoying on your trip. But a tangia is in fact something totally different.
Whereas a tagine is cooked over charcoal or a wood fire, tangia relies on the lower heat of smouldering ashes. It take longer to prepare a tangia.
- Fact: Tangia in Morocco are often prepared on the heat of the fire for hammam(!). If you visit the hammam in Marrakech you might see clay pots of Tangia cooking on the ashes of the farnatchi, the fire pit heating the hammam.
The opening of each clay pot is covered with a sheet of wax paper and tied on with a piece of string. When the Tangia is served, the wax paper is removed and the hot contents of the pot are tipped out entirely onto a tagine-base plate.
The taste is divine.
Before cooking, the clay tangia pot is filled with lamb shank, oil and salted butter (similar to ghee), preserved lemon, saffron, cumin and black pepper.
And interestingly, despite the similarity of being cooked in a clay vessel, it is not comparable to the taste of a tagine. The taste is entirely unique.
The combination of garlic and cumin and the tang of the preserved lemon is a full-on flavour. And somehow the seemingly ironic mixture of flavours compliments the slow-cooked meat that is quite literally falling off the bone.
We recommend ordering a half-kilo tangia Marrakechia at Chez Lamine. (Well, for your first visit anyway!).
How much does it cost?
Refreshingly, Chez Lamine has a large printed menu on the wall inside and outside of the restaurant.
So, after a morning of haggling your way around the medina and souks you can watch the meat being prepared outside and choose your dish while you wait.
- Mechoui Lamb 1 KG: 200 Dh
Mechoui Lamb ½ KG: 100 Dh - Tangia Marrakechia 1 KG: 160 Dh
Tangia Marrakechia ½ KG: 80 Dh - Pieds de Boeuf (Beef Feet): 75 Dh
- Tete de Mouton (Sheep Head): 80 Dh
- Vegetable Tagine: 50 Dh
- Chicken Tagine: 50 Dh
- Lamb Brain: 25 Dh
- Moroccan Salad: 10 Dh
- Fries: 10 Dh
- Water 1L: 10 Dh
- Moroccan Tea: 10 Dh
And as with all restaurants in Morocco, whatever you order, your meal will come with Moroccan bread, khobz. Perfect to soak up the mouth-watering juices of your chosen dish.
Best time to visit?
If you want to try the Lamb Mechoui at Chez Lamine you need to get there for an early lunch. (Around midday to early afternoon). Each time we visited from 3:00pm there was no Mechoui left.
But in the afternoon and evening Chez Lamine is popular for Tangia.
Why we recommend adding Chez Lamine to your Marrakech itinerary…
We genuinely thought we had tried meat in Morocco with the multitude of delicious meat tagines consumed over our six months of travel here.
Yet, how wrong we were.
There is nothing comparable to the chunky, big mouthfuls of tender Mechoui meat at Chez Lamine and the fabulous irony of flavours in the Tangia Marrakechia.
So definitely, definitely add Chez Lamine restaurant to your Marrakech itinerary.
Trying the famous lamb at Chez Lamine
Here is our video from Chez Lamine. (Well, it is the video from one our visits!).
It’s safe to say we really enjoyed the food at Chez Lamine and the whole experience of trying these new-to-us but famous Moroccan meat dishes. And spoiler alert – we ate there four times while we were in Marrakech!
Where to stay in Marrakech
Marrakech is well known for its seemingly limitless range of beautiful accommodation. From traditional riads to modern hotels, AirBnB’s and campsites. You will definitely find something to match your budget.
Here is our pick of the best campsites plus a range of budget, mid-range and luxury hotels in Marrakech to choose from.
Budget riads in Marrakech:
Mid-range riads in Marrakech:
Luxury riads in Marrakech:
Campsites in Marrakech
- Le Relais de Marrakech (campsite)
- Parking la Koutoubia (parking)
Curious to try a Moroccan hammam in Marrakech?
After more than six months of travel in Morocco we have officially made Moroccan hammams part of our weekly routine!
2 thoughts on “Chez Lamine Marrakech: Eat Lamb Where Gordon Ramsay Ate! ”
We didnt like Marrakech because of their chaotic streets, but the people are so friendly, we would say ” overfriendly” surrounding all tourists amd asking for money, trying to drag you to their friend shop for a good discount etc etc.. and then whrn you step in the real bustling markets, where not many tourists dear to go……you discover a different world……..the food is cooked to perfrction!???
That’s a pretty apt description! It is certainly chaotic. There is a lot of focus around the square and the surface level of tourist buzz there. But when you get a little deeper and find treasures like this it makes the chaos worth it! An experience for sure!