Rivayat - Oberoi

Rivayat sits within The Oberoi Marrakech, a 28-acre estate of citrus orchards and centuries-old olive groves on the Route de Ouarzazate, roughly twenty-five minutes from the medina. The name means "heritage" in both Hindi and Arabic, and the restaurant treats that double meaning seriously: this is pan-Indian fine dining conceived by Rohit Ghai, the London-based chef who made his name at Jamavar in London, and who began his career in Oberoi kitchens in India before returning to the brand in North Africa. The menu travels the subcontinent from north to south, with traditional recipes sharpened by a contemporary hand and inflected, here and there, by the Moroccan terroir outside the windows. Guests dine indoors in an intimate room with large bay windows, or al fresco on the central patio modelled after the 14th-century Medersa Ben Youssef, where the transition from dusk to candlelight is part of the experience. The coconut sesame prawn masala and mooli salmon with tandoori tikka and raita open the meal with clarity and punch. Among the mains, the Dum Ki Nalli, lamb shanks slow-cooked with black cardamom and rogan josh, and the Murgh Chettinad, vivid with the heat and tang of southern India, are the dishes the kitchen returns to most confidently. The bread programme is a meal in itself: truffle and morel kulcha, Peshawari naan, each pulled from the tandoor with visible care. Bhappa Doi, a steamed yoghurt dessert with honeycomb and berries, closes things with lightness. Cocktails by mixologist Lorenzo Miglietta and a thoughtful wine selection complement the food. The setting, framed by Atlas Mountain views and the hotel's grand canal, makes the drive from the city feel like a worthwhile crossing into another register entirely. Reservations are available to non-hotel guests.