Can lactose-intolerant travellers eat in Morocco?

Lactose intolerance is one of the simpler needs to manage here, because traditional Moroccan savoury food just doesn't rely on dairy the way European cooking does. The cornerstones — tagines, couscous, grilled brochettes, whole fish, harira and bessara soups, lentils, the chopped salads, olives, bread — are naturally dairy-free or very low in dairy. There is no cream poured into sauces, no cheese melted over everything. So your main meals are largely safe without you having to interrogate every plate.

The dairy in Moroccan life clusters around a few specific things, and once you know them you can sidestep easily. Breakfast is the main one: cafe au lait and the milky 'nous-nous' coffee, fresh white cheese (jben), yoghurt, and buttery pastries like msemen cooked with butter. Raib (a set yoghurt dessert) and the wonderful avocado-and-milk smoothies are dairy. And rich modern restaurant dishes occasionally add butter or cream. None of this is hidden — it is obviously dairy — so you just choose around it.

For breakfast I point lactose-intolerant clients at black coffee or mint tea (both dairy-free), bread with olive oil, honey or jam, olives, eggs, avocado and fresh fruit — a completely satisfying spread with no milk in sight. Fresh orange juice and the ubiquitous sweet mint tea are both dairy-free too. If you take lactase enzyme tablets, bring your own supply, as they are not reliably stocked in Moroccan pharmacies and you do not want to depend on finding them.

A couple of practical phrases help: 'sans lait' (without milk) and 'sans beurre' (without butter) in French cover most situations, since French is widely understood in cafes and restaurants. Tell your riad in advance and they will adjust breakfast and any cooked dinners. Honestly, most lactose-intolerant travellers tell me Morocco was a relief compared with home — the savoury food is so naturally low-dairy that they relaxed within a day or two.