Where to eat in Marbella: 17 restaurants recommended by the Michelin Guide

Choosing where to eat in Marbella can be difficult given the wide variety of restaurants available. The city offers everything from intimate tasting-menu restaurants to steakhouses, Japanese dining, Andalusian-inspired cuisine and establishments overlooking the Mediterranean.

This guide brings together 17 restaurants selected by the Michelin Guide in Marbella and the surrounding area. The first thirteen are located in Marbella, while the final four are in Fuengirola and can be included as part of a wider food trip along the Costa del Sol.

1. Leña Marbella: fire-led cooking at Puente Romano

Leña Marbella is Dani García’s restaurant dedicated to fire and grilling. Its menu gives centre stage to meat, fish, roasted vegetables and dishes designed for sharing.

Located inside the Puente Romano resort, the restaurant also stands out for an interior dominated by wood and stone.

Best for: meat lovers, special occasions and lively dinners.

2. Messina: creativity and local produce

Messina offers a creative culinary experience led by chef Mauricio Giovanini and maître d’ Pía Ninci. The restaurant combines technical precision, influences from different cuisines and a particular focus on fish from Marbella and the Andalusian coast.

It is well suited to diners looking for a slower, more gastronomic experience through a tasting menu.

Best for: celebrations, fine dining and creative cuisine.

3. Purosushi: a Japanese experience centred on premium ingredients

Purosushi is located in the Puente Romano area and offers an intimate Japanese dining experience.

Its concept revolves around sushi, seasonal produce and dishes prepared in front of the guest. It features an omakase counter, a lounge area and options for private celebrations.

Best for: sushi lovers, couples and exclusive Japanese dining.

4. Erre & Urrechu: three grills for meat, fish and vegetables

Erre & Urrechu structures its cuisine around three grills fuelled by different types of wood.

Meat is cooked over holm oak, vegetables over orange wood and fish over olive wood. Located in the Don Pepe Gran Meliá hotel, the restaurant combines Mediterranean produce with chef Íñigo Urrechu’s expertise in fire cooking.

Best for: grilled meat, elegant dinners and groups with varied tastes.

5. TA-KUMI: contemporary Japanese cuisine in central Marbella

TA-KUMI Marbella offers Japanese cuisine based on respect for the product, precise knife work and a combination of traditional and contemporary techniques.

The menu includes sushi, sashimi, nigiri and hot dishes. It is suitable both for experienced fans of Japanese cuisine and for diners discovering it for the first time.

Best for: sushi, Japanese produce and special meals in the city centre.

6. Candeal: Castilian flavours in Marbella’s old town

Candeal is located in Marbella’s old town and serves cuisine inspired by traditional Castilian recipes.

Its approach focuses on slow-cooked dishes, intense stocks, meat and familiar flavours reinterpreted in a contemporary way. Its intimate setting makes it a strong choice for a relaxed dinner.

Best for: updated traditional cuisine and evenings in the old town.

7. Kava: modern cuisine with personality

Kava is one of Marbella’s modern restaurants included in the Michelin selection.

Its cuisine combines technique, creativity and seasonal ingredients in dishes designed to surprise without losing focus on flavour. Guests can choose from the à la carte menu or more complete menu options.

Best for: contemporary cuisine, informal fine dining and couples.

8. Casa Eladio: a journey through Andalusian cuisine

Casa Eladio starts from Andalusian recipes and local produce to create a renewed take on Mediterranean tradition.

This family-run restaurant in Marbella’s historic centre combines recognisable flavours with modern presentation and techniques.

Best for: Mediterranean cuisine, local produce and Andalusian tradition.

9. Areia: seasonal cuisine near the Golden Mile

Areia takes inspiration from French culinary tradition and interprets it through a contemporary lens.

Seasonality and produce define a menu available both à la carte and through tasting-menu formats. Located near the Golden Mile, it offers a polished experience without excessive formality.

Best for: quiet dinners, market-led cuisine and special occasions.

10. Skina: seasonal Andalusian fine dining

Skina presents a contemporary vision of Andalusian cuisine based on local ingredients, nearby farms and the Mediterranean.

Its tasting menus are supported by an extensive wine and pairing programme. It is one of Marbella’s most exclusive dining experiences.

Best for: fine dining, major celebrations and wine enthusiasts.

11. Nintai: Japanese cuisine around a sushi counter

Nintai offers a Japanese experience centred around a large counter where diners can watch the chefs at work.

Its approach is based on seasonal produce, precision and tasting menus. A carefully selected range of sake and Champagne completes the experience.

Best for: Japanese cuisine enthusiasts, tasting menus and intimate dinners.

12. BACK: a global approach to Andalusian cuisine

BACK combines traditional Andalusian cuisine with contemporary techniques and international influences.

Chef David Olivas leads a proposal in which precision, creativity and a playful spirit come together. The experience is supported by an unconventional wine cellar and a notable selection of Andalusian labels.

Best for: contemporary Andalusian cuisine, wine lovers and gastronomic dinners.

13. La Milla Marbella: fish and seafood by the Mediterranean

La Milla Marbella is a beachfront restaurant on the Golden Mile specialising in fish, seafood and products sourced from the Andalusian coast.

The menu changes with the seasons and the daily catch, combining traditional preparations with more contemporary ideas. It also offers an extensive wine list and direct views over the Mediterranean.

Best for: beachfront dining, fish, seafood and long summer lunches.

Michelin-recommended restaurants near Marbella

The following restaurants are located in Fuengirola. Although they are not in Marbella, they appear in the Michelin Guide search for Marbella and the surrounding area.

14. Lila: Nikkei and fusion cuisine in Fuengirola

Lila offers Nikkei-inspired cuisine combining Peruvian and Japanese influences with a contemporary approach.

Ceviche, tiradito, sushi and fusion dishes form part of a menu designed for sharing and exploring bold flavours.

Best for: Peruvian cuisine, sushi, cocktails and informal dinners.

15. Charolais: Basque and Andalusian tradition

Bodega Restaurante Charolais is a long-established restaurant in central Fuengirola specialising in traditional cooking with Basque and Andalusian influences.

Its menu focuses on fish, meat, stews and fresh market produce. The venue includes a dining room, terrace, tapas area and extensive wine cellar.

Best for: traditional cuisine, family meals and wine lovers.

16. Sollo: creativity, sustainability and freshwater fish

Sollo is chef Diego Gallegos’ gastronomic project, known for creative cooking linked to sustainability and freshwater fish.

Located at Reserva del Higuerón, the restaurant offers a tasting-menu experience exploring unusual species, ingredients and techniques.

Best for: sustainable fine dining, gastronomic experiences and adventurous diners.

17. Los Marinos José: seafood and fish by the sea

Los Marinos José is one of Fuengirola’s leading restaurants for fish and seafood.

The Sánchez family selects produce from local fish markets and other parts of the coastline, serving it in a direct style that respects the quality and natural flavour of each ingredient.

Best for: seafood, fresh fish and meals by the Mediterranean.

Which restaurant should you choose?

• For meat: Leña Marbella or Erre & Urrechu.
• For Japanese cuisine: Purosushi, TA-KUMI or Nintai.
• For fine dining: Messina, Skina, BACK or Sollo.
• For Andalusian cuisine: Casa Eladio, Candeal or Charolais.
• For fish and seafood: La Milla Marbella or Los Marinos José.
• For beachfront dining: La Milla Marbella.
• For a creative but relaxed dinner: Kava, Areia or Lila.

Because many of these restaurants are especially busy during the summer, checking opening hours and booking through their official websites is strongly recommended.

The selection of restaurants and their culinary categories is based on the official Michelin Guide listing for Marbella and the surrounding area.