Shop Like a Local: A Guide to the Moroccan Hanout
When you’re staying in a traditional Moroccan medina — whether for a few days or a few weeks — you’ll quickly realise that daily life revolves around small, local shops tucked into every corner. These are hanouts: humble, no-frills grocery stores where locals pick up everything from fresh bread to a spoonful of cumin.
Supermarkets are scarce, but hanouts are everywhere — and learning how to shop in one is a delightful part of settling into Moroccan rhythm. Here’s what to expect, how to ask for what you need, and why hanouts are the heartbeat of the neighborhood.
What is a Moroccan Hanout?
A hanout (from the Arabic word for “shop”) is a small neighborhood grocery store found on almost every street in Moroccan towns, cities, and villages. However, hanout is more than just a shop — it’s part of the social fabric of daily life.
The hanout is the heartbeat of Moroccan daily shopping: convenient, friendly, and essential for life in both city medinas and rural villages. By shopping at a hanout, you’re supporting your neighborhood and help maintain the character of Moroccan medina.
What Can You Buy at a Hanout?
Hanouts may look small, but they carry an impressive range of products in a very compact space. A typical hanout is packed from floor to ceiling with an eclectic mix of essentials. You’ll usually find:
- Fresh bread (khobz) delivered several times a day
- Milk, eggs, and yogurt
- Sugar, tea (atay), coffee
- Bottled water and soft drinks
- Spices and dried herbs
- Canned goods and cooking oil
- Rice, lentils, pasta, couscous, flour, oats
- Sometimes fresh mint, parsley, coriander (small bundles)
- Packaged snacks, biscuits, and sweets
- Cleaning products
- Phone recharge cards, batteries, matches
👉 Tip: Goods are often stored in big sacks or behind the counter, so you may not see everything on display. Don’t hesitate to ask the shopkeeper — they will often bring out the old-fashioned scales to weigh exactly what you need.
👉 Tip: One of the charms of hanout shopping is that you can buy exactly what you need — a spoonful of spice, a piece of soap, or a single egg. Customers rarely buy in large quantities unless for a special occasion.
👉 Tip: It’s common to ask for an amount in dirhams rather than weight. For example, locals might say:
ʿtini 20 dirhams dyal zibda — Give me 20 dirhams’ worth of butter (that will be cut from a large slab and weighted for you)
Or
,bghit ʿashra dyal dqiq. - I want 10 dirhams of flour.
A hanout is more than a shop - it’s a community hub. People don’t just come to buy, they stop to chat, check on neighbors, or even discuss local concerns. The hanout keeper may act as an informal problem solver, listening to disputes or helping settle small matters between neighbors.
Hanout culture
The shopkeeper often knows every family in the area. They may extend small amounts of credit (known as daftar) to regular customers — to be paid at the end of the week or month. This trust builds over time and helps people manage tight budgets.
For local kids, the hanout is the place to spend pocket change — buying 1dh sweets, one square of chocolate from the box on the counter, or a piece of chewing gum. Many hanout owners greet children by name and treat them kindly.
Unlike the souk, prices at the hanout are set. There are no writen prices but prices are fair as the hanout keeper serves the community, and the community trusts them in return. If you polite and friendly even in few days you can become a part of the local neighborhood and be treated as a local.
In smaller neighborhoods, hanout may become an informal gathering point, where passersby pause for a glass of mint tea or a cold soda. Some hanouts even have a small counter where tea, coffee, or soft drinks are served to local customers. Don’t be afraid to kindly step in to break the conversation and ask for your groceries.
Unlike supermarkets with strict hours, the hanout keeps pace with the rhythm of everyday life. It opens early to greet people heading out, stays open through the hum of the afternoon, and often serves as the last stop before families wind down their day. Hanouts stay open until late into the night — sometimes as late as midnight.
Hanouts are cash-only — bank cards are not accepted. Make sure to carry cash, and it’s best to have small change, especially if you’re only buying a few items. Handing over a large note (like 100dh or 200dh) for something that costs just 3dh may be tricky, especially early in the day when the shopkeeper hasn’t built up change yet.
While hanouts are open most of the day, the shopkeeper may occasionally step away — especially during prayer times, or to run a quick errand, or attend to family obligations. There’s usually no formal sign to indicate a closure. Instead, you might notice a broomstick or wooden crate placed across the entrance, a simple signal that the shopkeeper is nearby and will return shortly.
The list of common Moroccan Arabic (darija) words and phrases you might hear or use at a hanout.
| English | Darija (Latin) | Arabic | Typical Price (MAD) |
| Shop | hanout | حانوت | — |
| Shopkeeper | moul l’hanout | مول الحانوت | — |
| Bread (loaf) | khobz | خبز | 1.50 – 2 MAD |
| Egg | beyda | بيضة | 1.5 – 2 MAD each |
| Milk (1 liter) | ḥlib | حليب | 7 – 9 MAD |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | l’ma | ماء معدني | 6 – 8 MAD |
| Sugar (1 kg) | skkar | سكر | 8 – 10 MAD |
| Tea (250 g green tea) | atay | أتاي | 12 – 20 MAD |
| Coffee (Nescafé sachet) | qahwa | قهوة | 1 – 2 MAD per sachet |
| Oil (1 liter sunflower) | zit | زيت | 18 – 25 MAD |
| Butter (regular 250 g) | zibda | زبدة | 20 – 30 MAD |
| Salt (1 kg) | mlah | ملح | 3 – 5 MAD |
| Cumin (small bag ~20 g) | kamoun | كمون | 2 – 4 MAD |
| Lentils (1 kg) | ʿdass | عدس | 10 – 14 MAD |
| Rice (1 kg) | roz | روز | 12 – 16 MAD |
| Pasta (500 g) | maʿkrona | مقرونة | 5 – 8 MAD |
| Couscous (1 kg) | seksu | سكسو | 10 – 15 MAD |
| Chickpeas (1 kg) | ḥommos | حمص | 12 – 16 MAD |
| Mint (bunch) | naʿnaʿ | نعناع | 1 – 2 MAD |
| Parsley (bunch) | maʿdnous | معدنوس | 1 – 2 MAD |
| Coriander (bunch) | qsbour | قزبور | 1 – 2 MAD |
| Phone recharge card | — | — | 10 |
Give me a loaf of bread, please. ʿtini khobz, ʿafak عطيني خبزة، عفاك
How much is this? bshHal hadi? بشحال هادي؟
I want 10 dirhams of sugar. bghit ʿashrin dyal skkar بغيت عشرين ديال سكر
Thank you shukran شكرا
Shopping at a hanout is one of the best ways to experience the rhythm of a Moroccan neighborhood. You are not just buying goods — you’re embracing the rhythm of daily Moroccan life. Smile, take your time, and enjoy the interaction!
If you love the idea of immersing yourself in everyday Moroccan life — where the rhythm of the medina still beats strong — consider staying at apartment Riad Clou. Located just steps from local hanouts, fresh bread stalls, and the hum of the neighborhood, Riad Clou is more than a place to sleep — it’s your gateway to Essaouira’s daily charm.