Authentic Moroccan mint tea… or as we were told over and over again, Berber whisky, is by far the most drank beverage in Morocco. The tea is made from mint leaves and a boatload of sugar…and is just to die for when it’s made and served in an authentic, traditional way.
It’s easy to get tricked into purchasing non-authentic Moroccan mint tea, but we’re here to spare you that experience. Look out for these five things when choosing a place to enjoy Moroccan tea in Morocco!
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5 Ways to Know You’re Not Getting Authentic Moroccan Mint Tea
1. The Restaurant has English Menus
When visiting Morocco, specifically in Marrakech, multiple restaurants display menus in English only. This is a dead giveaway that the restaurant simply caters to tourists.
Avoid getting “traditional” Moroccan mint tea from a restaurant that has English menus! Trying to order in a different language is half the fun of travel! Find a restaurant without English menus and order atay. You’ll be glad you did!
2. The “Authentic” Moroccan Mint Tea is Served in a Cup
Moroccan tea is sooooo not supposed to be served this way. If the mint tea is served in a cup, you’re missing out on half the fun of getting a proper Moroccan mint tea. Moroccan mint tea should be served on a platter with a glass, some sugar cubes, and a cute little teapot.
Pouring the tea from the teapot is properly done by beginning to pour the tea near the cup, then raising the teapot, creating more and more space between the teapot and the cup before bringing the teapot back down close to the cup for a finish.
3. The Moroccan Tea Costs Over 10 dirhams
10 dirhams max, but really anywhere between 8-10 dirhams, less than 1 USD, is what your tea should cost you. If the mint tea on a menu costing more than that, continue to another restaurant or shop to get authentic mint tea.
4. There isn’t a Local in the Shop
Whenever we travel, we look for locals in restaurants and then choose to eat/drink there. If we only see tourists in a restaurant, we pass it on by. Locals in a restaurant mean cheaper prices, more traditional food/drinks, and typically much better-tasting food and drink too!
As a bonus, if you can watch how much a local is charged, and then order the same thing as them, you know you’re not getting scammed for being a tourist. Don’t wait until the worker tells you how much it is, have your money ready after seeing what the locals paid.
5. There Are only Tourist Shops Close By
Authentic Moroccan mint tea served in the traditional way is not often found where all the tourist shops are selling trinkets and souvenirs. Wander away from the busy tourist streets and find a local hole in the wall shop to grab your Moroccan tea.
If you’re a woman, be sure to respect the locals. Wait until you’re invited in if there are only men in the shop. Some places in Morocco seemed to be men only in our experience.
Moroccan Mint Tea Benefits
Authentic Moroccan mint tea doesn’t just taste good, but it also comes with loads of health benefits. Some of them are specifically great for travel as they help fight off sickness and ease an upset stomach!
- helps with digestion and upset stomachs
- fights cold and symptoms
- gives you fresh breath
- assists in making the mind more alert
- helps soothe congestion and headaches
More on Morocco
We planned on spending just over a month in Morocco, but had our time cut short due to a health emergency. However, we were able to spend about three weeks in Morocco before our emergency departure. Read more about our time in Morocco and Morocco travel tips in these posts below.
Morocco itineraries from five days to two weeks!
Trust us.. if you’re heading to Morocco, you need to read this! This post has already helped thousands of other travelers, and we’re sure it will help you on your trip to Morocco too!
Meant as just a break for a long bus trip from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert, but it ended up being one of our favorite experiences in Morocco. And yes, there’s some great authentic Moroccan mint tea and food served here!
An absolute dream come true. The Sahara Desert was so good, we ended up extending our stay!
Fez was probably our least favorite place to visit in Morocco.. but we did find a non-touristy tannery to visit!
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