What do Moroccans drink besides mint tea?

Mint tea — atay — is the national drink and the heartbeat of Moroccan hospitality, but it's far from the only thing in the glass. Coffee is hugely popular, a legacy partly of the French era: you'll find strong espresso, and the much-loved café au lait. Ask for a "nous-nous" (literally "half-half") and you'll get a perfectly balanced half-coffee, half-steamed-milk in a glass — the morning ritual of café terraces from Casablanca to the smallest town. Cafés are also the great social institution here, places to sit for hours and watch the world.

The juices are a revelation and worth seeking out. Freshly squeezed orange juice is sold on nearly every corner for small change and tastes like sunshine. But the one to order is the avocado juice or "jus d'avocat" — a thick, sweet, almost milkshake-like blend of avocado, milk, sugar and often almonds, sometimes layered with banana and apple into a panaché. Almond milk (sharbat) and a warm, sweet spiced milk drink show up at celebrations and pair beautifully with pastries. In summer, look for raïb (a set, lightly sweet fermented milk) and fresh fruit blends.

Everyday Morocco also runs on soft drinks — bottled water is ubiquitous and essential, and fizzy sodas are everywhere, with a few sweet local sparkling brands alongside the global ones. Sweetened yoghurt drinks (Raïbi Jamila is a famous pink one) are a fridge staple. And of course, the most important practical drink of all is bottled or filtered water, which you should stick to throughout your trip.

On alcohol, here's the honest picture: Morocco is a Muslim country and most Moroccans don't drink, so it isn't woven into daily life the way it might be at home. That said, it is legal and available — licensed bars, international hotels, many upscale and tourist-facing restaurants, and dedicated liquor sections in larger supermarkets serve beer, wine and spirits. Morocco even produces decent wines in the Meknès region and a couple of local beers (Casablanca, Flag). The etiquette is simply discretion: enjoy a glass with dinner or in a hotel bar, but don't drink or carry open alcohol in the street, and be mindful during Ramadan. For most travellers it's easy to have a drink when you want one without it ever being the focus.