The Central Market of Casablanca

The Marche Central opened in 1917 and has kept its shape: an arched gateway on the boulevard opening into a wide open-air courtyard ringed by stalls under a colonnade. The fish counters are the heart of it, supplied from the Atlantic ports along this coast - sardines, sole, prawns, spider crabs, sea urchins in season - laid out on ice with the prices chalked up. Around them are vegetable stalls, olives and preserved lemons in barrels, spices, and a flower market at the entrance. A row of small kitchens along one side will cook whatever you have just bought, grilled or fried, and serve it at plastic tables in the middle, which is how most people eat here at lunchtime. It is a working city market, busy with residents rather than visitors.

History

The market was designed by Pierre Bousquet and completed in 1917 on the site of the Casablanca Fair of 1915, and it became the most important marketplace of the city's European new town (Wikipedia, Central Market (Casablanca)).

What's there

• The fish counters - Atlantic catch on ice, sold by weight with prices chalked up.
• The olive and lemon barrels - preserved lemons, olives and pickles sold loose.
• The flower stalls - cut flowers packed around the entrance arch.
• The cook-your-catch kitchens - stalls that grill what you buy and serve it at shared tables.

When to go

Mornings for the fish, when the counters are full and the choice is best; by late afternoon the good stuff has gone. Lunchtime is when the cooking stalls are busiest and the shared tables fill. Friday is quieter around midday prayers. It works in any season, being open to the sky but sheltered.

Practical notes

Prices for visitors start high and are expected to be negotiated, including at the kitchens, so agree the cost of cooking and any extras before handing anything over. The floor is wet and slippery around the fish and the smell is strong on hot days. Seating is plastic chairs at shared tables, not a restaurant. Touts at the entrance will steer you to particular stalls for a cut.

Nearby

The art deco downtown surrounds it; the old medina and the port are a short walk north.

Key facts