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Leer más →Where to eat in Nador: my favourite restaurants, cafés and spots for a drink
An honest guide to where to eat in Nador: where to have breakfast, where to eat fresh fish, which places have the best views over the Marchica lagoon and where to have a drink at sunset.
Every time I go back to Nador I get asked the same question: where's good to eat? The city has changed enormously in recent years. The renovated Corniche, the Marchica lagoon and the Atalayón area have filled the map with terraces, cafés and new restaurants, and not all of them are worth it. This is my list of places to eat and drink in Nador, organised by time of day, so you don't have to try them blind.
One note before we start: lots of people in Nador understand Spanish because of the proximity to Melilla, so ordering is rarely a problem. What is worth doing is carrying some cash, because several places don't take cards.
Where to have breakfast in Nador
Al Karam Juice
If I had to pick just one place for breakfast, it would be this one. It's on Avenue Ibn Sina, right in the centre, and it's where half of Nador has breakfast. Their strength is fresh juices and smoothies, but the traditional breakfast (msemen, baghrir, tea, eggs) is what keeps you coming back. Very reasonably priced. In summer it gets packed and service slows down, so go early.
Café Flora
Quieter than Al Karam and it opens very early. A good place for an unhurried breakfast, to read or to work on your laptop for a while.
Milky
On Avenue des FAR. It's the most "modern" café on the list: good specialty coffee, bowls and lighter options. A comfortable place to work if you need some time to concentrate.
Dar Lkbira by Eden
What you come here for is the view. It's on the Corniche, looking out over the Marchica lagoon, and having breakfast on its terrace is one of the best things you can do in Nador in the morning. It also serves meals (the chicken pastilla is a good bet).
Where to eat fish and seafood in Nador
Nador is a seaside city, and fish is what you order. The typical dish is fritura (mixed fried fish), though grilled sea bream, squid and garlic prawns are on every menu too.
Restaurant Carablanca
On Boulevard de Taouima. One of the best known and almost always full, which in Nador is a good sign. It works with a set menu: soup, salad, paella, seafood, fish and dessert. The portions are huge, so come hungry.
Restaurant Le Marin
My favourite for grilled fish. You pick the fish from the display, pay by weight and they cook it on the grill or fry it. Simple, fresh and well priced for a family meal.
Restaurante Marhaba
A classic in the centre, on Rue Ibn Rochd. Traditional fish and seafood cooking, no frills. When it's very busy the service suffers, so avoid summer peak hours.
Salpicón
On Boulevard Grand Rif. Mediterranean cooking, fish and seafood, and in the evening there's usually live music. Ideal if you want a dinner with more atmosphere; if you'd rather eat quietly, go before the show starts.
Casa M9ila
A small, family-run place that has earned a reputation for its m9ila (seafood in a clay pot) and its tacos. Very friendly service. Note: closed on Mondays.
Where to have a drink with a view: Marchica and Atalayón
Atalayón Beach Club
The fashionable spot on the Atalayón peninsula, next to the Marchica lagoon. Open from 8:00 to 22:00, it's perfect for a coffee, churros with chocolate or something to nibble with your feet almost in the water. Tables with a view go fast, especially in summer and at weekends, so be patient or go first thing. You come here for the setting more than the food.
See Atalayón Beach Club on the map
Le Phare
A restaurant inside a 19th-century lighthouse, with views over Nador, the lagoon and the Mediterranean. Spanish-inspired tapas and one of the best sunsets in the area. For a special occasion.
L'Assiette (Marchica Lagoon Resort)
The Mediterranean restaurant at the Atalayón resort: very high ceilings, big windows onto the lagoon and a higher (and pricier) level than the rest of the list. If you want to treat yourself in Nador, this is the place.
Le Plat d'Or
Don't come for the food: you come for its terrace, to have afternoon tea the way Nador families do. Cheap, open at all hours and cash only.
My perfect day of eating in Nador
- Breakfast at Al Karam Juice: fresh juice, msemen and tea.
- A walk along the Corniche and a photo at the I Love Nador sign.
- Lunch: fish at Carablanca or Le Marin.
- Afternoon in Atalayón: coffee or churros overlooking Marchica.
- Dinner with a view at Le Phare or L'Assiette, or with music at Salpicón.
Tips for eating in Nador
- Summer means waiting. In July and August the city fills up as the diaspora comes home. Book ahead or go outside peak hours.
- Carry cash. Many cafés and restaurants only accept dirhams in cash.
- Ask for the fish of the day. Ask what came in that morning; it's usually the best thing on the menu.
- Prices. A full breakfast rarely costs more than 50 dirhams, and a fish meal for four comes to around 300-400 dirhams at places like Le Marin.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best restaurant in Nador?
For fish and seafood, Carablanca and Le Marin are my safe bets. For a special dinner with a view, L'Assiette or Le Phare.
Where to have breakfast in Nador?
Al Karam Juice is the local favourite. If you want a view, Dar Lkbira on the Corniche.
What to eat in Nador?
Fried fish, grilled sea bream, squid and, for breakfast, msemen and baghrir with tea.
Can you pay by card?
At the bigger restaurants and the resort, yes; at many cafés and small places, cash only.
Do you have a favourite spot in Nador that isn't on the list? Write to me and I'll try it on my next visit.