Royal Mansour - Sesamo Weekend Italian Brunch

Sesamo occupies a wing of the Royal Mansour Marrakech that has been dressed to evoke the grandest Venetian palazzi: high ceilings, Murano glass lighting, velvet curtains, and sleek white tablecloths set against terracotta tones and tropical greenery. The kitchen belongs to Massimiliano Alajmo, the celebrated Italian chef behind Le Calandre in Padua, with daily execution in the hands of Riccardo Barni. Since opening in 2019, the restaurant has steadily climbed the MENA's 50 Best Restaurants ranking and built a reputation as the strongest Italian table in Morocco. Every Sunday, the dining room shifts register for Il Pranzo della Nonna, a served Italian brunch that recreates the spirit of the family Sunday lunch. Beef tongue carpaccio with salsa verde, burrata al pesto, and a Pizza Montanara with ricotta and peas open the table. Mains follow the same generous logic: fresh maccheroni al pesto, a fish soup with burrata ravioli, roasted turbot over artichoke cream, creamy polenta with mushrooms. Tiramisù, a chocolate tart with red berries, and mint-chocolate gelato close the meal. Coffee, tea, and water are included, and an Alajmo Spritz or Bellini from the cocktail list fits the mood. The brunch carries the same precision as the evening carte, where the Cappuccino Majorelle, a signature squid ink ragù under potato cream, and liquid tortelli with pea and mint pesto have become the dishes Sesamo is most known for. Neapolitan pizzas, light-crusted with textbook leoparding, share the menu with lobster, saffron risotto, and beef cheek braised in red wine. The open-air patio, where sunset fills the courtyard, is the seat to request at dinner. On Sundays, the light is gentler and the pace more forgiving.