Kabana

Kabana made a bold bet: opening a resolutely modern cafe — smoothie bowls, avocado toast, acai — on the Marrakech medina rooftops. The result is a place unlike anything else in the old city, yet one that found its footing with disarming ease.

The terrace is the heart of the place. Set atop a riad, it offers a 360-degree view of the medina — minarets, satellite dishes, terraces where laundry dries, the Atlas Mountains when the sky is clear. Wicker parasols shade from the sun, colorful cushions invite lingering, and the morning breeze makes it particularly pleasant for a long breakfast.

The menu is the surprise: in a medina where everything is tagine and mint tea, Kabana offers smoothie bowls (acai, mango, spirulina), avocado toast on sourdough, house granola, green detox juices, and specialty coffee that cuts through the usual noss-noss. It's morning food as practiced in Bali, Byron Bay, or Venice Beach — but with Moroccan sun and the Koutoubia as backdrop.

Prices are high for the medina: a smoothie bowl costs between 80 and 100 dirhams, avocado toast around 70 dirhams. That's double a traditional breakfast. But the ingredient quality (fresh fruit, organic when possible) and the setting justify the gap.

The crowd is a mix of trendy young Marrakchis, digital nomads based in the medina, and travelers who need a break from local cuisine. The wifi is reliable — a crucial detail — and the vibe is relaxed enough to stay all morning.

In the evening, Kabana closes early (around 6 PM), making it exclusively a breakfast and lunch spot. The tip: arrive around 8:30 AM for your pick of tables and morning light on the medina.

Kabana earns its place because it understood that even in Morocco's most traditional medina, there's room for a well-made granola bowl — as long as you serve it with the best view in the city.