Pepe Nero Marrakech
Where Italy Meets the Red City
There are places you discover while travelling — and there are places that slowly become part of your own story. For me, Pepe Nero Marrakech belongs to the latter.
A Place I Return To
Whenever I return to Marrakech, Pepe Nero is one of those addresses I simply want to visit again. Hidden away in the Medina, inside the beautiful Riyad Al Moussika, it has become part of what I think of as “my Marrakech”.
There is something magical about the atmosphere here, particularly at that moment when daylight slowly begins to disappear.
The courtyard changes almost imperceptibly. Lanterns and candles begin to glow, their reflections dance across the water, and the colours of the riad become deeper and warmer. Marrakech outside, a touch of Italy within — and for a few hours the world seems wonderfully far away.
And Then There Is the Food
The beauty of Pepe Nero Marrakech would be reason enough to remember it, but the food has never been secondary to the setting.
Beautifully prepared, full of flavour and consistently wonderful — this is the kind of cooking that makes me return not only for the atmosphere, but because I genuinely look forward to eating here again.
Pepe Nero brings together two culinary worlds: the flavours of Italy and the traditions of Morocco. Somehow, surrounded by the architecture and colours of Marrakech, that meeting feels entirely natural.
Perhaps that is what I love most about Pepe Nero: the beauty of the place never overshadows the pleasure of the table.
“The lights, the water, the food, the conversations — it all belongs together.”
Giovanni
And then there is Giovanni Robazza, the Italian owner of Riyad Al Moussika.
Over the years, he has somehow become part of our memories of Pepe Nero. Whenever he is there, we often spot him at the far end of the pool — a familiar presence in this beautiful setting. And whenever our paths cross, he usually comes over to our table for a few words and a friendly chat.
On our most recent visit, on 9 September 2026, it was much the same. We had noticed him earlier in the evening and asked one of the waiters if it was indeed Giovanni. “He is the owner,” he replied.
Later, Giovanni came over to greet us and eventually sat down at our table. We talked for quite a while as the evening unfolded around us, the courtyard glowing in the soft light. Before we said goodbye, he even offered us a grappa.
A small gesture, perhaps — but exactly the kind of moment I remember. Warm, spontaneous and personal. And another reason why returning to Pepe Nero never feels quite like simply returning to a restaurant.
Some places stay on a travel list. Others become part of the journey. Pepe Nero has long been one of mine.
Alessandro Cipriano · Da Cipriano
