Agadir Fish Market

Agadir is among the largest fishing ports in Morocco and lands sardine above all, along with squid, octopus, prawn, sea bream, sole, sea bass and shark, and the port has two things a visitor can use: the wholesale halls, where the catch is auctioned in the early morning by a system of falling prices that is quick and loud, and the grill stalls beside them, where you buy fish by weight at the counter and it is cleaned and put on charcoal in front of you, served with bread, salad and cumin at a long shared table. That second thing is the point - it is one of the cheapest good meals in the country and it is where people from Agadir eat rather than a tourist arrangement, though the stalls now expect visitors and quote accordingly. Agree the price by weight before it goes on the grill.

What you actually see

• A morning auction - the catch sold in the halls by a fast falling-price system.
• Buy and grill - fish chosen by weight at the counter and cooked in front of you.
• Shared tables - a canteen arrangement rather than a restaurant.
• The Atlantic range - sardine, squid, octopus, prawn and white fish landed together.

When to go

Early morning for the auction, midday onward for the grills. Two hours.

Honest expectations

Prices are quoted by weight and should be agreed before cooking - overcharging visitors is common. The port smells strongly. Stall hygiene varies; choose a busy one. The auction is not a visitor event and you are in the way.

Nearby

The marina is south; the beach promenade runs beyond it.