Fresh trout grilled over charcoal is the defining meal of the Ourika Valley, and the roadside restaurants that line the river for much of its length are where you eat it. The setup is almost universal: tables on a terrace above the river, fresh fish hung outside on hooks or displayed on ice, and a menu that rarely needs much explanation.
Most restaurants will serve the trout whole — split, seasoned, and grilled — with a Moroccan salad, bread, olives, and preserved lemons. Some add a tagine or two for the less adventurous. Prices are modest, portions are generous, and the setting above the rushing river is the kind of simple pleasure the valley does well.
The restaurants become noticeably more expensive as you approach Setti Fatma. The best value tends to be in the middle valley, roughly between Asgaour and Tafza. Look for places where local families are eating, and check that the fish displayed is genuinely fresh before sitting down.