Dimitri’s – the oldest restaurant in Morocco is for sale! A never to be repeated opportunity to buy a piece of history; the renowned Dimitri’s restaurant in Ouarzazate, established 1928, is for sale, at 550,000 euros. This is an incredible opportunity to change your life, take on a new vocation – and mix with the stars! Exclusive with Bosworth Property Marrakech. Call Mark now on 00212 655 446 749 or email mark@bosworthpropertymarrakech.com
Probably the oldest established restaurant in Morocco – 1928
Chez Dimitri, established in 1928, occupies the heart of Ouarzazate, home to Morocco’s booming film industry. In fact, the town of Ouarzazate grew up around the iconic restaurant, started by Dimitrios Katrakazos, who landed in Casablanca aged 14 determined to make his fortune.
The terrace fronts Ouarzazates main Mohamed V avenue
The restaurant is the original rammed earth structure built by the Foreign Legion who were stationed in what is now the governor’s offices on the low hill opposite the restaurant. There’s an enormous amount of history here, deeply embedded in Ouarzazate and particularly in the film industry – with an unrivaled guest list and piles of memorabilia.
The bar, originally intended for thirsty soldiers
As an example, these are just a few of the stars who’ve dined at Chez Dimitri – Anthony Quinn, Peter O’Toole, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Alec Guiness, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Monica Bellucci, Omar Sharif, Jane Fonda, Steve McQueen… the list goes on beyond Hollywood to include Winston Churchill, Hilary Clinton, Yves St Laurent – and even the painter Jacques Majorelle – most famous today for his eponymous gardens in Marrakech.
The restaurant has a door with a keyhole arch leading to a private dining room
But what we are selling here is the restaurant building itself. A single storey, substantially built rammed earth or pisé structure, surrounding a small open courtyard, extending to around xxx square metres and with a frontage and terrace directly to Ouarzazate’s Avenue Mohamed V.
The walls of the restaurant are lined with movie memorabilia
An open terrace fronts Ouarzazate’s main thoroughfare. Double doors lead into the spacious restaurant, which still incorporates part of the original bar; a door with a keyhole arch leads to a private dining room, with a central passage leads to the central patio, kitchens, toilets and a service entrance.
A passage leads to the central courtyard
Most of the surrounding, more recent buildings reach three storeys in height, meaning that as a development site alone there is considerable extra potential for the site. It’s worth considering the historic Bagatelle Restaurant in Marrakech, which was redeveloped from an old single storey building into a mixed development, with the restaurant occupying the ground floor of a building several stories in height.
This gives potential to develop the site into a hotel restaurant with rooms above and a basement below, although doing so would lose the historical value of the existing building. Investors should note that the Dimitri supermarket, on the opposite site of the Avenue Mohamed V, is also available.
Dimitri’s – the oldest restaurant in Morocco is for sale! A never to be repeated opportunity to buy a piece of history; established in 1928 and for sale for just 550,000 euros. This is an incredible opportunity to change your life, take on a new vocation – and mix with the stars! Call Mark now on 00212 655 446 749 or email mark@bosworthpropertymarrakech.com
Property Features
- Absolute best location
- Central Location
- Fabulous Reputation
- Great development potential
- Terrace
