TL;DR: Gueliz is the modern side of Marrakech, known for its art deco architecture, contemporary galleries, independent boutiques, and diverse food scene. This guide explores the neighborhood’s history, streets, and best places to eat, from traditional Moroccan cuisine to international cafés and brunch spots. Whether you’re exploring the city’s cultural side or looking for somewhere to enjoy a good meal, Lily Billy in Gueliz is a welcoming stop for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
How Gueliz Became the Modern Side of Marrakech
Gueliz was born in the early 20th-century, during the French protectorate, when planners drew a ville nouvelle outside the walls of the old city. The result was a modern city grid of wide boulevards, the largest of which, Avenue Mohammed V, still runs like a spine from the medina to the new town. Along it, art deco architecture survived the decades. Look up on Avenue Mohammed V or along Abdelkrim Al Khattabi and you will spot an art deco building with rounded balconies and geometric ironwork on almost every block.
That layered history explains the food. Colonial-era brasserie dining rooms, Moroccan family kitchens, and a new wave of contemporary Moroccan chefs all coexist here. The neighborhood never chose between French and Moroccan influences. It kept both.
A Guide to Gueliz: Galleries, Museums, and Side Streets
Before you eat, walk. Gueliz is compact and genuinely walkable, and its cultural stops double as appetite builders.
Start with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, the terracotta landmark designed by Studio KO. Yves Saint Laurent fell for Marrakech in the 1960s and later saved the garden next door, the Jardin Majorelle, created by the painter Jacques Majorelle around his cobalt blue villa. Both sites sit at the northern edge of the neighborhood and draw visitors from around the world, as the Moroccan National Tourist Office notes in its coverage of the city’s cultural circuit.
From there, head into the side streets. The Comptoir des Mines Gallery occupies a restored art deco building and exhibits contemporary Moroccan artists across several floors. Around Rue de la Liberté, you will find the city’s best independent boutiques, from a design-focused concept store to small fashion ateliers, plus the Carré Eden Shopping center for bigger brands. Shopping and dining flow into each other here, which is exactly the point.
What Eating in Gueliz Actually Looks Like
The Gueliz food scene runs on contrast. In the morning, a cafe terrace fills with regulars over espresso and msemen. At midday, office workers queue at street food stalls near the central market while visitors settle into dining rooms for long lunches of Moroccan and international dishes. By evening, the social scene shifts toward chic rooftops and modern dining rooms serving everything from grilled fish to pasta.
This is what separates the new town from the souks. In the medina, eating is an adventure. In Gueliz, it is a habit. Menus are contemporary and international, service is relaxed, and you can build a full day around food without crossing the same street twice.
For a taste of how a modern Moroccan neighborhood does mornings, start with breakfast in Marrakech done the Gueliz way: fresh juices, organic lattes, and homemade granola on a quiet terrace before the avenues wake up. Weekends belong to brunch, which the neighborhood has adopted as its signature meal.
Gueliz or Hivernage: Two Sides of Modern Marrakech
Travelers often confuse Gueliz with Hivernage, its southern neighbor. The two are close but feel different. Hivernage is a district of large hotels, wide gardens, and evening venues, built for a slower, more polished pace. Gueliz is denser and more lived-in, with a gallery, a bakery, and a bookshop on the same block. If Hivernage is where Marrakech dresses up, Gueliz is where it actually lives. For food, the choice is simple: Hivernage for a hotel dinner, Gueliz for variety, energy, and the city’s most interesting kitchens.
Where Lily Billy Fits in the Heart of Gueliz
In the heart of Guéliz, on Rue Loubnane, Lily Billy Coffee & Restaurant captures what the neighborhood does best. The menu moves easily between comfort and freshness: Signature Eggs Benedict and Mascarpone Pancakes in the morning, generous salads and lunch and dinner plates later in the day, Matcha Latte and homemade iced tea from the drinks menu at any hour, and Homemade Cheesecake when you need a reason to stay.
The room is calm, the pace is unhurried, and the crowd mirrors the neighborhood itself: families, friends, expats, and travelers who found the address once and kept coming back. If you want a shortcut through the menu, the premium flavors and recommendations page highlights the dishes guests ask for most. To be sure of your table at peak brunch hours, it is worth a call to reserve a table in advance.
Final Thoughts on the Gueliz Food Scene
Gueliz rewards curiosity. Walk Avenue Mohammed V, step into a gallery, browse a concept store, then follow your appetite down the side streets. Few places in Marrakech pack this much history, art, and good food into such a small, walkable grid. Whether you come for the art deco balconies or the brunch tables, this corner of modern Marrakech will keep you longer than planned, and Lily Billy will be there when you get hungry.
FAQ: Exploring gueliz food scene
Is Gueliz worth visiting in Marrakech?
Yes. Gueliz offers a different side of Marrakech: art deco streets, contemporary galleries, independent boutiques, and the city’s widest choice of cafes and restaurants, all within a short taxi ride of the medina.
How far is Gueliz from the medina?
The two districts are about a 20 to 25 minute walk apart along Avenue Mohammed V, or roughly 10 minutes by taxi. Many visitors stay in one and eat in the other.
What is Gueliz known for?
Gueliz is known as the ville nouvelle of Marrakech, built during the French protectorate. Today it is famous for the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, the Jardin Majorelle, its art deco facades, and a food scene that mixes Moroccan and international dishes.
Is Gueliz good for food?
Very. The neighborhood covers everything from street food stalls near the central market to chic modern dining rooms. It is the best area in the city for breakfast, brunch, and casual lunch or dinner in one walkable zone.
Where can I have brunch in Gueliz?
Lily Billy Coffee & Restaurant, on Rue Loubnane in the heart of Guéliz, serves brunch favorites such as Signature Eggs Benedict, French Toast, and fresh juices, a few minutes on foot from the neighborhood’s main galleries and shops.