Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant | Vancouver's Best Places

Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant in Yaletown

Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant in Vancouver serves traditional Moroccan tagines, couscous, kebabs, seafood, desserts and cocktails in Yaletown.

The Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant serves traditional North African dishes including tagines, couscous, kebabs and Moroccan desserts. The restaurant features Moroccan-inspired décor, a cozy atmosphere, and a menu with halal meats, seafood and vegetarian options.

Moroccan Dining at Moltaqa

Located in the heart of Yaletown, Moltaqa has been serving Moroccan cuisine since 2018. The restaurant’s name means “meeting place” in Arabic, reflecting its focus on bringing people together over food and drinks.

The restaurant combines traditional Moroccan cooking techniques with an intimate dining space decorated with North African artwork, teapots and warm lighting. Traditional music adds to the atmosphere creating a dining experience that feels different from most other restaurants in Vancouver.

Moltaqa is listed in the Michelin Guide which recognizes its Moroccan and regional cuisine. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes prepared using traditional methods including slow cooking in clay pots known as tagines.

Moltaqa Bar in Yaletown

Location and Hours

Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant is located at 1002 Mainland Street in Yaletown, not far from the Yaletown-Roundhouse SkyTrain station. The restaurant is open seven days a week with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Along with Hamilton Street which runs parallel to it, the area has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the city, including some really nice ones, like Moltaqa.

What to Expect at Moltaqa

Moltaqa’s menu features a range of Moroccan dishes, including slow-cooked tagines, grilled kebabs, couscous, soups, seafood and vegetable dishes. Lamb is a highlight with options such as lamb shoulder tagine and rack of lamb flambéed at the table. We’ve had the lamb dishes and both were delicious!

Other traditional dishes include harira, a Moroccan tomato-based soup made with lentils, chickpeas, herbs and spices, and pastilla, a filled pastry that can feature chicken, seafood or other ingredients. The menu also includes vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free options. Being a North African restaurant, all meat dishes are sourced from certified halal suppliers.

The restaurant’s tagines are prepared using traditional slow-cooking methods, combining meat or vegetables with aromatic spices and other ingredients. Some dishes feature sweet and savoury combinations such as lamb cooked with prunes, saffron and toasted almonds.

Moltaqa in Yaletown

Drinks and Desserts

Moltaqa has an attractive, well-stocked bar serving Moroccan-inspired cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks. The cocktail menu includes options featuring spices, fruit and other distinctive flavours. Moroccan mocktails and traditional coffee options are also available.

Desserts include Jawhara, a layered phyllo pastry with Moroccan cream and caramel sauce, along with Moroccan walnut cookies, cheesecake, chocolate cake and other sweet treats. The restaurant’s dessert selection offers a traditional finish to a Moroccan meal. We’ve tried the Jawhara and walnut cookies and recommend both for sharing.

Moltaqa's Moroccan Lamb

Happy Hour and Set Menus

As of the last time we checked, Moltaqa offers weekday Happy Hour specials with discounted drinks and appetizers available from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and again from 9:00 pm until closing, Monday through Friday.

The restaurant also offers set menus for lunch and dinner. These include a three-course lunch menu and a four-course tasting menu, both of which include Moroccan tea. The set menus provide another way to sample several dishes from the restaurant’s selection. The set lunch menu costs $25 and the dinner one costs $45, both of which are really good deals.