olivemagazine
type: channel
link: https://www.olivemagazine.com
date: 2025-12-23T12:18:59.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Morocco food trips
items: 7 Nigerian recipes
items: Why I love South Africa, the home of renowned braii and incredible wines
items: Nigerian food: how to cook like a local
items: Food in Fez: 10 things we love
items: Sierra Leone food: how to cook like a local
items: Ethiopian food: how to cook like a local
items: Tunisian food: how to cook like a local
items: Foodie road trip in Morocco
items: Foodie road trip in Mauritius
items: Cape Town foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Babylonstoren, Stellenbosch, South Africa: hotel review
items: Riad Farnatchi, Marrakech: hotel and restaurant review
items: Marrakech, Morocco: Marina O'Loughlin's best restaurants and hotels

Morocco food trips
type: item
date: 2025-11-07T09:56:48.000Z
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Great Getaways
description: From the markets and riads of Marrakech to the wild coastline at Essaouira, these are the best places to visit in Morocco for foodies
encoded: Planning a trip to Morrocco? Explore the markets of Marrakech, discover Berber traditions in the Atlas Mountains and fresh seafood on the coast at Essaouira – these are our top picks of the best Moroccan trips for foodies, with recommendations of where to eat in each spot along with the best places to stay. For more like this, check out our suggestions for the best French food trips and Portuguese food trips. Fez For medina life Fez's old medina is the heart of social life for locals, where they meet friends for tea or coffee and to buy spices, fresh fruit and veg, incense and traditional dresses for Eid. Explore the winding, shaded streets then nab an outdoor table at Café Al Oud to watch the world go by over the signature lamb tagine. Afterwards, climb the steep, narrow stone steps Abdullah Thé & Café where 81-year-old Ba Abdullah has been serving his signature mint tea since 1969. If you want a guide, join a Fez Cooking School class. Meet your chef and guide over tea at Palais Amani before venturing into the heart of the medina to shop for veg, olives and spices, snack on traditional treats and chat to local merchants. Learn how to make a three-course Moroccan meal back on the rooftop, then enjoy it in the peaceful courtyard with new friends. Come evening, relax on the higgledy-piggledy rooftop of Cafe Clock, offering mountain and medina views as well as cheese briouats, hearty rfissa and mint lemonade with the backdrop of live Arab and oud music. Where to stay: Step in from the hustle and bustle of Fez’s old medina to peaceful riad, Palais Amani, centred around a courtyard abundant with orange trees, shaded tables and chairs, and trickling fountains. Look out for Ba Mohammed perched on his cushion ready to serve traditional mint tea. The rooftop is a haven of cushioned relaxation areas set among terracotta pots of peach bougainvillea, olive trees and rose bushes. On-site restaurant Eden serves traditional Moroccan cuisine such as slow-cooked aubergine zaalouk, p…

Medina-090c9b3.jpg
width: 8444
height: 5630

7 Nigerian recipes
type: item
subject: Africa
subject: Collection
subject: Recipes
subject: Travel
description: Celebrate Nigeria’s bold and diverse flavours, from smoky jollof rice to fiery roasted dishes — a feast that captures the country’s vibrant spirit
encoded: Want to learn about Nigerian cooking? Looking for recipes from Nigeria? Check out these recipes, then discover our guides to Ethiopian food and Tunisian food, then try our West African recipes. Celebrate Nigeria’s rich and diverse food culture with a feast of vibrant flavours and bold spices. Across hundreds of tribes and traditions one thing remains the same — a love of big personalities and even bigger flavours. Try sweet and savoury favourites such as chin chin, puff-puff and suya, alongside plantain chips and refreshing chapman. Each dish tells a story of heritage, hospitality and togetherness — a cuisine built on generosity, community and a zest for life. Nigerian recipes Nigerian-style roast lamb This dish holds a special place in Jess and Jo Edun’s hearts, created while cooking with their grandma in her Hackney kitchen. Lamb was her favourite and this recipe honours the Easters spent feeding the family, with memories of her bold, rich flavours. A pillar of her community, their grandma’s love for spice is captured in this dish. Slow-cooked, juicy lamb that melts in your mouth, seasoned with suya spice – a Nigerian street-food classic from the north. Combining the best of British and Nigerian flavours, this lamb is a perfect Easter dish, best served hot with jollof rice or roast potatoes, or both! Nigerian jollof rice Jollof rice is more than just a dish – it’s a cultural icon that sparks debates and brings people together, representing the vibrant essence of West African cuisine. At Flygerians, Jess and Jo Edun put their own spin on this classic, blending sweet Nigerian flavours with their signature smoky depth that keeps people coming back. The Flygerian jollof isn’t just for special occasions, it’s an everyday experience. Their late grandmother always said that good jollof takes time and patience and now, every time they cook it, they’re reminded of family gatherings filled with laughter and love. This recipe is perfect for sharing – best served hot with pla…

Nigerian-recipes-a1dcb69.jpg
width: 5792
height: 6371

Why I love South Africa, the home of renowned braii and incredible wines
type: item
date: 2025-01-28T15:47:55.000Z
creator: Vanessa Marx
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: 10 things
description: From renowned braii and seafood to incredible wines and varied street food, discover what makes South African food so special
encoded: Learn all about what makes the cuisine of South Africa so special from South African-born Vanessa Marx, chef-patron of Bingham Riverhouse in Richmond. From renowned braii and seafood, to incredible wines and varied street food, there is plenty for foodies to enjoy. Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, Cork in Ireland or Istria in Croatia. South African cuisine: 10 things we love South Africa’s food scene is as diverse and captivating as its landscapes, and it’s one of the many reasons this country holds such a special place in my heart. From the warm, comforting dishes that tell the story of our multicultural heritage to the incredible flavours that emerge from every corner of the country, South African cuisine offers something for everyone. Here are 10 reasons why I love the food of South Africa, my beloved home. The diversity of flavours Much like the country’s landscapes, South African food offers an astonishing range of flavours. From the spicy curries of Durban’s Indian community to the hearty, flavourful stews of the Cape Malay, every dish reflects the region’s unique cultural influences. Whether you’re indulging in rich, slow-cooked dishes or vibrant street food, each bite tells a story of South Africa’s incredible diversity. Braai culture No trip to South Africa is complete without experiencing a braai – our national barbecue. A communal gathering that brings people together over sizzling meats, grilled vegetables, and a few cold drinks. While the boerewors (traditional sausage) and steaks are the stars, it’s the shared experience that makes the meal unforgettable. Braais are more than just a way to cook; they represent family, tradition, and the joy of eating together. Wine and food pairings South Africa is a global leader in wine production and its wines pair beautifully with the country’s food. Renowned for its Chenin Blanc and Pinotage varieties, South African wines…

South-Africa-vineyard-620b59f.jpg
width: 2119
height: 1415

Nigerian food: how to cook like a local
type: item
creator: Jess Edun
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Cook Like A Local
description: Enjoy The Flygerians' guide to the fiery, complex flavours of this West African nation, including three vibrant recipes to make at home
encoded: Want to learn about Nigerian cooking? Looking for recipes from Nigeria? Read Jess and Jo Edun's guide to Nigerian cuisine then discover our guides Ethiopian food and Tunisian food then try our West African recipes. Recipes extracted from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flygerians-Cookbook-recipes-Nigerian-speak/dp/1788796225/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GJN3GP3U868L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7KIE-A6s6IiF-4CdfHQaM-iwZwvsDcBJ-CEwgYjXVav4qRuNwSvieWXdsVfej5dQRQFmvt861TbJ3djdA8U-WqZlOsOaI6FvcgUelFCitD1zQfL1NT32zyq47F_mt_ntHWU7KSUNcmzoq-5H7ojhiKxb03U3lKcLcRPzCezhUWx_AC63iwa9f85d-ZfkFUHadg0Rft8OHCNo9lWrdPTKR-XbprphYXVCOjNJ-YZBari-uLEqhJ-oQ3x5FRIbpZdM.p-Ui4STKqjb-PLrGaHVcEA-ellgSP1MKGrqW8CFjeEE&dib_tag=se&keywords=flygerian&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736339817&s=books&sprefix=flygerian%2Cstripbooks%2C70&sr=1-1&tag=olivemag-21&ascsubtag=olivemagazine-244635" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">The Flygerians Cookbook by Jess and Jo Edun (£22, Ryland Peters & Small). Photographs by Clare Winfield. Nigerian cuisine Despite there being hundreds of tribes and different religions within Nigeria, there is one thing that is distinctive across the country: our big, bold, charismatic personalities. You will know you have encountered a Nigerian without them even mentioning where they are from. We learned to cook from the ages of nine and 10 in our grandma’s kitchen in Hackney, east London. Edo is the tribe that our grandmother is from. Our recipes and cooking methods are derived mainly from the Edo style of cooking, mixed with a little British cooking style, too. Nigerian cuisine offers a diverse array of snacks and meals, ranging from savoury to sweet. Here’s a list of some popular Nigerian food for you to discover and enjoy: chin chin, puff-puff, suya, akara, plantain chips and chapman. Nigerian cooking involves a combination of frying, grilling and roasting, steaming, boiling and baking, resulting in flavourful dishes that reflect the country’s rich culinary heritage. We have added a few of our own cooking…

Hero-image-6f8712a.gif
width: 990
height: 900

Food in Fez: 10 things we love
type: item
date: 2024-08-02T14:07:02.000Z
subject: Africa
subject: Guides
subject: Travel
subject: 10 things
description: Houssam Laasiri, head chef of Palais Amani in Fez’s old medina, shares what makes his home city so special
encoded: Learn all about what makes the cuisine of Fez, a city in Morroco, so special, from the roots of its dishes to the treasured delicacies found in medinas, local twists on tagine and couscous and more. Plus, find some top places to eat in the city and the best places to stay. Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, Cork in Ireland or Istria in Croatia. The food in Fez: 10 things we love Tagine The tagine, describing both the dish and the clay chimney-style pot used to make it, is influenced by Berber, Jewish, Arabic and Andalucían communities. In Fez, the most popular are makfoul – beef or lamb locked in with onions and tomato – and chicken with preserved lemons and daghmira onion sauce. To try making your own, check out our collection of tagine recipes. Bastilla This light filo pastry snack was brought to Morocco by the Andalucíans. Traditional sweet cinnamon and almond versions are served at special occasions including weddings. There are also savoury options, filled with shredded pigeon or chicken, with crunchy almonds and a touch of cinnamon for sweetness. Friday couscous Fridays are sacred days in Morocco. Many merchants close shop to take a hammam, visit the mosque then catch up with friends and family over couscous. Fez’s regional topping is t’faya, a preparation of caramelised onions and raisins. Briouats You’ll find many types of these pastry parcels in Fez, enjoyed as snacks throughout the day. Most are triangular or cylindrical and filled with the likes of kefta (ground meat), cheese, rice and shrimp. Medina life Many locals live in the new town but come to the medina to meet friends for tea or coffee and to buy spices, fresh fruit and veg, incense and traditional dresses for Eid. People come to Fez’s medina from all over Morocco to buy chebakia – sticky, sweet, rose-shaped pastries made using sesame paste that are traditionally eaten to break fast during Ramadan. Tea shop…

Sierra Leone food: how to cook like a local
type: item
date: 2023-07-31T10:21:19.000Z
creator: Maria Bradford
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Cook Like A Local
description: Explore the rich, fiery flavours of this West African country, from pepe chicken grilled over hot charcoals to steamed fish balls
encoded: Want to learn about Sierra Leone food? Looking for Sierra Leone recipes? Read Maria Bradford's guide below, then check out these West African recipes. We also have our cook like a local guides to Ethiopian, Tunisian and and Omani cuisine. Words and recipes extracted from Sweet Salone by Maria Bradford (£30, Quadrille). Imagine mountains rising from the sea, beautiful beaches, rainforests, mangrove swamps, savanna grasslands and rivers. That’s Sierra Leone. A country so beautiful that the locals have nicknamed it Sweet Salone. We have a rich culture, expressed in our arts and crafts, folklore and religion, clothing, cuisine, music and languages. Our cuisine is diverse and influenced by the country’s cultural heritage. There are 18 recognised ethnic tribal groups in the country, which adds value to the diversity in our food, food stories and culture. Our food is known for its rich flavours, use of fresh ingredients and a combination of African, European and indigenous culinary traditions. Rice, yam, fonio, plantain and cassava are key staples. We have a number of plasas (vegetable stews) made with a variety of leafy greens such as cassava leaves, sweet potato leaves and jute leaves. We are known for our groundnut stew, also known as peanut stew, which is a hearty dish made with peanut butter, tomatoes, onions, spices and meat. Sierra Leone also has a rich culture of street foods including morkor (sweet and savory banana fritters), untu (steamed fish or chicken balls) and gari kanyah (a chewing snack made with cassava and peanut butter). In many ways Sierra Leone’s colourful culture brings people closer together through food. Sierra Leone recipes Pepe chicken There are 54 beautiful countries in Africa and one thing they all have in common is African culture. We are party people. Our culture encompasses a love of celebrations that combine food, fashion, music and dance. In my view, no party is complete without pepe chicken. Street vendors in Freetown grill this over hot…

7B3A9703-7a78714.jpg
width: 5760
height: 3840

Ethiopian food: how to cook like a local
type: item
date: 2023-06-07T17:04:46.000Z
creator: Yohanis Gebreyesus
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Cook Like A Local
description: From the country’s hot lowlands to its high plateaus you’ll find richly spiced stews, springy injera flatbreads and some of the world’s best coffee
encoded: Want to learn about Ethiopian food? Looking for Ethiopian recipes? Read Saba Alemayoh and Yohanis Gebreyesus' guides below. Now discover how to cook Omani food like a local. Saba Alemayoh's guide to Ethiopian cuisine Saba is a cookbook author and restaurateur who was born in Sudan to Ethiopian parents. Saba opened an eponymous restaurant in Melbourne's Fitzroy, where she worked front of house while her mother, Tekebash Gebre cooked the food of her homeland. Saba is also a regular on ABC radio in Australia. Her debut cookbook, Tekebash & Saba: Recipes from the Horn of Africa (£22, Murdoch Books), is out now. Located in the northernmost state of Ethiopia, Tigray’s cuisine has very much been influenced by faith and availability. 95 percent of Tegaru are Orthodox Christians – as part of this we practise Lent and other fasting periods, eating exclusively vegan meals 180-210 days of the year. Meat and veg are not seen as the backbone of meals here, nor is the idea of a three-course meal complete with dessert. That is not to say that food is only about sustenance in Tigray. It is revered in its own right, like music and dance, and there are entire events around the preparation of food. For large celebrations everyone comes together to peel tonnes of onions and make litres of honey wine. Women are allocated to the coffee station, and some are simply invited to provide entertainment with sentences that always start with ‘Remember...’. Tigray’s cuisine has three essential recipes that form the building blocks for most dishes: injera (a fermented flatbread), tesmi (spiced butter) and berbere or dilik (powdered chilli mixture or paste). Injera, which also doubles as a utensil with which we eat stews, is usually made with a grain called teff, which is one of the earliest grains to be cultivated in Tigray – as early as the third millennium BC. This hearty superfood is drought-resistant and relatively easy to grow in the mountainous lands of Tigray, although today many Tegaru make…

EthiopianChickenRecipe-644f82b-scaled.jpg
width: 1709
height: 2560

Tunisian food: how to cook like a local
type: item
date: 2022-07-27T09:03:55.000Z
creator: Hafida Ben Rejeb Latta
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Cook Like A Local
description: From restorative meat and grain-based broths, to spiced carrot salads, experience the vibrant and diverse flavours from North Africa
encoded: Want to learn about Tunisian food? Looking for Tunisian recipes? Read Hafida Ben Rejeb Latta's guide below, then check out 10 of the best Mediterranean islands for foodies. We also have our Cook like a local: Ikaria, Greece, Cook like a local: Crete and Cook like a local: Oman. Words and recipes extracted from The Tunisia Cookbook by Hafida Ben Rejeb Latta (£25, Nomad Publishing). Tunisian cuisine Tunisia is the jewel of North Africa, where green fertile valleys lead down to breathtaking views across the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. The monuments of Roman-era Carthage speak of past civilizations who thrived here, and the land has been criss-crossed by invading empires ever since. Each has left its own indelible mark on the national cuisine. Today, the cuisine of Tunisia is possibly one of the greatest undiscovered treasures of the Mediterranean. The country’s proud heritage of embracing and assimilating the foods and tastes of other cultures is evident in every dish. From the Phoenician sailors who brought the olive tree and Spanish explorers returning with tomatoes from the New World, to traders who introduced the herbs and spices from the Middle East so valued by ancient physicians for their health-giving properties, Tunisia has always been a melting pot of societies and food traditions. The delicate flavours of garden vegetables stand in stark contrast to the pungent seasoning, but ever in harmony with the ubiquitous extra-virgin olive oil grown from ancient cultivars. The oil – and indeed the whole cuisine – are now the subject of contemporary research revealing the profound benefits for health at the heart of the Mediterranean diet. It seems the Tunisians evolved a natural goodness in their food which ties in well with the contemporary popularity of healthy eating. Tunisian recipes Shorbat frik (Tunisian soup) This hearty meat, frik (freekeh) and stock soup is flavoured with ras el hanout and paprika. It's especially well-loved in the fasting mont…

GettyImages613666154-0ca0ab3.jpg
width: 4076
height: 6142

Foodie road trip in Morocco
type: item
date: 2020-03-03T13:17:10.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
description: Dodge donkeys in the souks, and piles of spices and vegetables in mountain markets, to track down slow-roasted lamb, coriander-spiked kebabs and sardines served with wedges of lemon
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Marrakech? Want to know where to eat in Fez? Travel writer Lucy Gillmore takes us on a foodie road trip through Morocco, stopping off at riad hotels, souks and street-food stalls. Marrakech Follow your nose from the Djemaa el-Fna, the mesmerising main square in Marrakech’s medina – its chaos and cacophony fed by a frenzy of hawkers, hustlers, henna tattoo artists and snake charmers – to Mechoui Alley. On the edge of a spider’s web of claustrophobic passageways and dark dead ends in the old quarter, the smoky aroma of slow-roasted lamb seeps out, drawing you in. It’s the lunchtime rush and vendors at the street-food stalls dish up tender strips of lamb, roasted in deep clay pits in the ground and devoured with bread, a sprinkling of cumin and salt, and sweet mint tea. Alongside this mechoui, another local speciality is tangia – urn-like clay pots stuffed with lamb, vegetables and olive oil, and slow-cooked over coals until the meat is falling off the bone – and a more niche delicacy: roast sheep’s head. It might be just a date stone’s throw from the stalls piled high with gaudily painted tagines and tourist trinkets but these are the authentic flavours of Marrakech. Flavours which, in this North African country, have their roots in French, Arabic and indigenous Berber culture. I’m hungry but I drag myself away, snaking through the medina to Le Trou au Mur, sleek sister restaurant of luxury riad hotel Le Farnatchi, where mechoui is also on the menu. I find the door and climb the stairs, emerging into a vibrant room ringed with lime-green banquettes, a vivid black-and-white-tiled floor and a roaring fire. Another set of stairs leads up to a roof terrace and tables with views over the magical muddle of the medina. The restaurant’s design might be starkly contemporary but its ethos is bedded in ancient traditions, the menu showcasing old family recipes passed down from generation to generation. It’s an eyeopener for diners who imagine Moroccan …

Palais-Amani-rooftop-view-of-the-medina-f667433-scaled.jpg
width: 2560
height: 1920

Foodie road trip in Mauritius
type: item
date: 2019-05-21T09:44:13.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
description: The Indian Ocean island’s newest resort encourages guests to discover local flavours by visiting markets and supper clubs, trying shrimp croquettes, sticky tamarind sweets and homemade passion fruit aperitifs along the way
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Mauritius? Want to know where to eat in Port Louis? Food and travel writer Lucy Gillmore takes us on a foodie road trip though Mauritius, stopping off at sustainable hotels, roti stalls and fruit markets. Next find out our best honeymoons for foodies and best romantic getaways for food lovers. Ten minutes from the sleepy village of Clemencia, an organic smallholding is blanketed in thick, rubbery vegetation, a verdant tangle of coconut, banana, lychee, sugarcane and taro. It’s off the beaten track, and a million miles away from the clichéd, honeymoon images of Mauritius. There’s a makeshift shelter and mattress in a clearing, and red flags fluttering to ward off bad spirits and wild boars. “I love being up here on my own,” says young farmer, Denis Aristide. “I’ve just planted some chilli bushes and curry plants,” he says, as he points to some spindly stalks. He is also gradually replacing the sugarcane with taro plants, because he can get a better price for the root vegetable. Crouching down, he shakes a plant free from the soil. The leaves are one of the ingredients in a traditional Mauritian curry, the speckled stalks used to make very snackable taro chips. Denis, who farms without pesticides, supplies Salt, the new community-centred, food-focussed, environmentally savvy resort on the east coast (where I’m staying) with taro leaves. He’s also the head bartender. One of the hotel’s aims is to get guests out meeting Mauritian people, and this window into Denis’s life adds an extra dimension to my stay. I pull up a stool at the rooftop bar and watch as he whips up one of the hotel’s signature cocktails: No Smoke Without Fire. Each drink comes with a background story relating to the island’s heritage. In this case, I learn that sugarcane was once the most important crop on the island. And that, as far back as 1639, Dutch settlers used it to produce an alcoholic drink called arrack. My own, very 21st-century Mauritian tipple is a mix of oak-a…

Rocky-Beach-at-Salt-Mauritius-7fe459d.jpg
width: 4032
height: 3024

Cape Town foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2018-12-22T08:30:01.000Z
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
subject: Local city guides
description: Summer in South Africa means platters of crayfish and local oysters, and glasses of local chenin blanc enjoyed by the water’s edge
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Cape Town? Want to know where to eat in the South African capital? Local food writer Ishay Govender-Ypma shares her insider tips for the best restaurants in Cape Town, along with where to find killer brunches, the freshest seafood and local food markets. The Pot Luck Club – for dinner with a view Luke Dale-Robert’s The Pot Luck Club, headed up by rising star Wesley Randles, sits on the 6th floor of Woodstock’s Old Biscuit Mill lifestyle centre. Wraparound views of Cape Town and a chic, laidback ambiance set the tone for tasting plates of impeccably prepared local ingredients with an Asian influence; think grilled duck breast with naartjie and yuzu dressing. thepotluckclub.co.za Bo-kaap – for Cape Malay cooking Book a historical walk in colourful Bo-kaap, an iconic area renowned for its commanding views over the city and its tight-knit, traditional Cape Malay community. Shireen Narkedien, a Bo-kaap resident and guide can also arrange a meal in the home of a local after the tour, featuring Cape Malay classics like chicken curry and koeksisters – spiced, coconut-flecked doughnuts. shireen.narkedien@gmail.com Saucisse – for picnic ingredients The city’s numerous parks and Kirstenbosch National Botanical gardens are perfect for picnicking. For platters of the best Western Cape produce – think goat’s milk labneh, cumin-studded boerenkaas, chorizo, homemade pâtés, pickled South African peppadew peppers and spreads – head to Saucisse. Even the (eco-friendly) packaging is a step up from the norm at this deli. saucissedeli.co.za Neighbourgoods Market – for market vibes The Saturday Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock is a great place to pick up artisanal staples and vegetables if you’re self-catering (or food souvenir hunting). Many shoppers stay on for a street food brunch from one of its stalls, from steak sandwiches at Kitchen Cowboys to cultivated Saldanha Bay oysters from Mother Shuckers. neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za Truth …

19400.jpg
width: 600
height: 800

Babylonstoren, Stellenbosch, South Africa: hotel review
type: item
date: 2018-05-22T08:30:06.000Z
creator: Alex Crossley
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
description: Read our review of this Cape Dutch farm hotel, restaurant and garden in South Africa, set in the country's wine region between the pretty towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
encoded: Looking for vineyard hotels in South Africa? Want foodie places to stay in Stellenbossch? Read our hotel review and check out where to eat and drink in Cape Town here. What is Babylonstoren’s USP? A 3.5-hectare working farm in South Africa’s Cape Winelands (just half an hour's drive from Cape Town) which is the epitome of farmhouse chic. Previously a Cape Dutch stone fruit and citrus farm, the site, at the foot of the dramatic Simonsberg mountains, now houses a formal French fruit and veg garden, well-regarded vineyard and destination farm-to-fork restaurant (along with a tranquil spa and stylish bedroom suites housed in former farmhouse buildings). And the general vibe? Having previously worked as editor of South Africa's Elle Decoration, Babylonstoren’s owner Karen Roos has a sharp eye for interiors and attention to detail, resulting in the most stylish farmhouse stay in the Cape Winelands. The 3.5-hectare site is dominated by a luscious, fruitful garden where gnarled olive trees and sprawling pumpkins grow alongside perfectly manicured rows of lemon trees and heart-shaped prickly pears, and where working ducks patrol the grounds to ensure snails don’t undo the hard work of the gardeners. This balance between rustic and contemporary is a theme throughout the estate – smiley, casually-dressed staff knock on your farmhouse door every evening at sunset with an elegant glass of Babylonstoren’s crisp, cold white wine; guests in fluffy white robes pad from the farmhouse-style Jacuzzi, salt room and sauna to take a plunge in the swimming pool, and visitors take part in bread making workshops in the on-site bakery. Which room should I book at Babylonstoren? Book one of the one-bedroom suites tucked away beside the gardens. A track takes you from the reception building and restaurant past ponds of waterlilies, tanks of multi-coloured fish and shelters for tiny dozing hedgehogs down a shady avenue lined with 18th century whitewashed farmhouse buildings. Here, dark green shu…

10.-Babel-chefs-in-the-kitchen-garden-8f2aee4.jpg
width: 7360
height: 4912

Riad Farnatchi, Marrakech: hotel and restaurant review
type: item
date: 2017-12-13T12:35:05.000Z
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
description: We review Riad Farnatchi, an all-suites hotel in the heart of the Moroccan capital with a new restaurant specializing in updated Moroccan classics and luxurious spa
encoded: Looking for luxury hotels in Marrakech? Read our expert review of Riad Farnatchi in Marrakech, a luxurious hotel with a new spa and restaurant serving traditional Moroccan cuisine with a contemporary twist. (Read our guide to the best restaurants and hotels in Marrakesh here...) Originally built as a holiday home, the at-home philosophy is still palpable at Riad Farnatchi today. Now a luxurious, all-suites hotel – and a welcome oasis from the commotion of Marrakech (be that the sound of citizens clamouring past on mopeds or merchants beckoning you to sample their mountains of spices) – the riad is run more like a house party. Breakfast, aperitifs (pre-dinner cocktails) or dinner are available to take wherever you choose and staff are a joy; charming and attentive without being intrusive. There’s also a luxurious new spa. The bedrooms at Riad Farnatchi Five houses were remodelled (and joined together) to create Riad Farnatichi’s ten luxurious suites. All are gathered around two central courtyards, one of which is home to a small swimming pool, one abundant with orange trees, and each with plenty of private nooks to relax in with a mint tea. The 10 suites vary in size but each one blends Moroccan and European styles, with neutral white and stone-coloured walls and eye-catching black and white tiling. Traditional Moroccan rugs and intricately carved plaster cornicing softens the hard lines. Each suite also boasts a fireplace, handmade beds and luxuriously soft duck-down bedding. Book suite 10 and you’ll also have a walk-in shower, a marble-topped bath and your own roof terrace. Fez hats and djellabas (traditional house robes) are also provided - enjoy them during your stay or buy them to take home as haggle-free souvenirs. There is no minibar, nor tea and coffee making facilities, but obliging staff are on call to deliver whatever you fancy, often accompanied by traditional sweets or biscuits. The food at Riad Farnatchi Tucked down the same alley, facing the Riad, Le T…

IMG 0133-33f777f.jpg
width: 2724
height: 2724

Marrakech, Morocco: Marina O'Loughlin's best restaurants and hotels
type: item
date: 2015-01-28T17:36:01.000Z
creator: Marina O'Loughlin
subject: Africa
subject: Travel
description: Marina O' Loughlin raids Marrakech’s souks and restaurants for slow-cooked lamb and fluffy couscous, then it’s back for a glass of wine by the hotel pool.
encoded: There are pomegranates growing outside our door. Behind the high, terracotta coloured walls and date groves of the Palmeraie district lie the houses of princes and potentates (I think an actual real-life prince lives next door to our hotel, the glamorous Mosaic Palais Aziza). We’re drinking chilled wine beside the pool, but half an hour ago, in a dusty alleyway off a vast square teeming with bewildering life, a man in a djellaba was fishing out a sheep’s head from a deep, smouldering pit and shredding it for our delectation. Marrakech is full of extremes. Extreme luxury – the mother-of-pearl inlaid bar at King Mohammed VI’s Royal Mansour hotel, its Yannick Alléno-headed restaurants with its eye-watering prices. Or the myriad, lavishly decorated, zillij-tiled, rose-petal strewn riads behind blank walls in the Medina (old town). Extreme challenges: trying to negotiate the souk with a shoal of fourteen-year-old boys deliberately trying to lead you towards their pet vendors (we give up and take refuge in a patisserie, gorging on sticky, honeyed cornes de gazelle and halwa chebbakia). And extreme eating: the blind faces of the animals on the street food stalls, vats full of oily, earthy snails, the pile of brown sludge that even our local translator doesn’t recognise (it turns out to be sellou, a pudding made from almonds and every spice from galangal to nutmeg). That sheep’s head was from ‘mechoui alley’, just off massive Djemaa el-Fna square where snake charmers, street food stalls and storytellers make you feel like you’ve been transported onto the set of Indiana Jones. Fortunately the slow-cooked lamb mechoui with freshly-baked khobz (bread) is glorious. I always try to unearth where locals eat, but it’s proving tricky. Marrakshis maintain that the best food is to be found in the home, so if you see them out, it’s mostly at street food stalls. Rich natives love vast, club-like ‘trendy’ dance spaces like Bo et Zin, the kind of place that brings me out in hives. The cl…

3063.jpg
width: 4000
height: 3000