Tony’s Beach joins the Michelin Guide: the Marbella beach restaurant recognised after 30 years of history

Tony’s Beach Marbella has earned a place in the prestigious Michelin Guide after more than 30 years of serving diners on the Mediterranean coast. The restaurant, which began life in 1995 as a small family-run beach bar, has joined the guide's selection of recommended establishments following a transformation of both its facilities and its culinary offering.

The recognition comes approximately eighteen months after a major renovation launched in April 2025 by the second generation of the founding family. Leading this new chapter is Paula Sánchez de la Calle, the restaurant's director, while its kitchen is headed by Ivo Wakar, a chef trained at the Basque Culinary Center.

The inclusion places Tony’s Beach among the restaurants selected by Michelin in Marbella. It is a gastronomic recommendation, not the award of a Michelin star, which is a separate distinction within the guide.

Michelin highlights the restaurant's traditional seafood cuisine with contemporary influences, fresh fish and shellfish sourced from fish markets, charcoal-grilled meats and rice dishes, alongside the option of enjoying a tasting menu overlooking the sea.

From a small beach bar in 1995 to a Michelin-recommended restaurant

The story of Tony’s Beach dates back to 1995, when Paula de la Calle García decided to open a small restaurant directly on the sand in Marbella.

The business began with a concept rooted in traditional beachside dining and a personal approach to hospitality. Over the following decades, it developed into a popular meeting place for residents, tourists and families.

More than thirty years later, the project continues under the leadership of the family's second generation.

Paula Sánchez de la Calle took charge of a new chapter that began to take shape in April 2025, with a comprehensive renovation of the restaurant.

The aim was to modernise the dining experience while preserving the features that had defined the establishment since its beginnings: its Mediterranean beachfront location, its focus on quality ingredients and its family identity.

The transformation involved both the facilities and the kitchen, introducing a more sophisticated culinary concept with a greater emphasis on contemporary techniques.

Its inclusion in the Michelin Guide now represents recognition of that evolution.

What has the Michelin Guide recognised at Tony’s Beach?

In its official listing, Michelin presents Tonys, the name under which the restaurant appears in the guide, as a Mediterranean dining establishment located directly beside the beach.

The inspectors highlight its seafood-focused cuisine, based on fresh fish and shellfish sourced from fish markets and prepared using contemporary techniques.

They also mention charcoal-grilled meats, rice dishes and a tasting menu, three elements that broaden the restaurant's culinary offering.

Another notable feature is the setting itself.

The restaurant has a welcoming indoor dining room with wooden features and sea views, as well as two terraces elevated above the sand.

This combination allows Tony’s Beach to retain the distinctive atmosphere of a traditional Costa del Sol beach restaurant while providing a more refined gastronomic experience.

Michelin classifies the establishment as Mediterranean cuisine and places it in the €€ price category, indicating a moderate price range within its general classification system.

What does being recommended by the Michelin Guide mean?

The Michelin Guide recognises restaurants through several different categories.

Michelin stars are awarded to establishments that achieve specific standards of culinary excellence. Meanwhile, the Michelin Selected category includes restaurants whose cooking inspectors consider worthy of recommendation.

Tony’s Beach has joined this second category.

Although the restaurant has not received a Michelin star, its inclusion gives it greater international visibility by placing it among the establishments Michelin recommends visiting in Marbella.

Ivo Wakar focuses on fresh seafood, charcoal cooking and fish ageing

The restaurant's culinary transformation is led by executive chef Ivo Wakar.

Trained at the Basque Culinary Center, Wakar has developed a concept that combines Mediterranean traditions with contemporary culinary techniques.

His approach begins with carefully selected ingredients, particularly wild fish and seafood sourced from fish markets, which play a central role in the menu.

Cooking over environmentally friendly charcoal is another important feature of the restaurant's cuisine.

This technique allows different ingredients to be prepared over an open heat source, maintaining a connection with traditional Mediterranean cooking methods.

The menu also includes contemporary preparations designed to explore new textures and ways of presenting ingredients.

A specialist fish-ageing cabinet among the latest additions

One of the most recent developments in the restaurant's kitchen is the introduction of a specialist fish-ageing cabinet.

Fish ageing involves keeping selected fish under controlled conditions to manage how their characteristics develop during maturation.

The technique requires careful monitoring of factors such as temperature, humidity and storage conditions.

At Tony’s Beach, the new equipment forms part of the kitchen team's efforts to explore additional culinary possibilities using seafood.

The aim is to combine these techniques with a style of cooking that remains recognisable for its respect for ingredients and its Mediterranean identity.

Tony’s Beach launches a new tasting menu following its Michelin recognition

Coinciding with its inclusion in the guide, the restaurant has announced one of its main new offerings: a tasting menu created by Ivo Wakar.

The experience has been designed as a journey through the chef's personal interpretation of Mediterranean flavours.

Through a sequence of dishes, it aims to showcase the techniques and ingredients that define the restaurant's new culinary direction.

The tasting menu complements the existing à la carte offering, which continues to feature fresh fish, shellfish, rice dishes and charcoal-grilled meats.

The official announcement does not specify the number of courses or the price of the tasting menu, so these details should be confirmed directly with the restaurant.

Private celebrations, corporate gatherings and new beachfront dining experiences

Tony’s Beach is also expanding its offering with options for private events.

New plans include special menus for small groups, family celebrations, private gatherings and corporate events, which will be available over the coming months.

The restaurant aims to make greater use of its renovated facilities and beachfront setting to offer experiences suited to different occasions.

Its food offering is complemented by an extensive wine and Champagne selection, signature cocktails and a range of spirits and mixed drinks.

The establishment is therefore developing a dining experience that extends beyond traditional lunch and dinner services, with additional options for guests looking to celebrate special occasions by the sea.

A new chapter that preserves the restaurant's family identity

The evolution of Tony’s Beach has taken place without the founding family stepping away from the business.

Paula Sánchez de la Calle, the current director, has led the transformation that began in 2025, while the kitchen team headed by Ivo Wakar has worked to establish its new culinary identity.

In the statement released to mark the restaurant's inclusion in the Michelin Guide, Sánchez de la Calle emphasised the significance of the recognition following more than three decades of family dedication.

She described the inclusion as encouragement to continue developing and improving the project.

Wakar also highlighted the collective effort behind the achievement, recognising the work of the entire team and the importance of building a cuisine in which ingredients remain the central focus.

The Michelin recognition therefore marks a new chapter for an establishment that has evolved from traditional beachfront dining towards a more specialised gastronomic concept.

Where is Tony’s Beach Marbella and how can you book?

Tony’s Beach is located on Avenida del Naviero in Marbella, directly beside the Mediterranean.

Its Michelin Guide listing identifies it as Tonys and places it within the Mediterranean cuisine category.

The restaurant manages reservations directly, which can be made through its website or official contact channels.

Bookings are available at:

https://chiringuitolostonys.com/reservas

Guests can also contact the restaurant by calling +34 952 11 31 42 or emailing reservas@chiringuitotonys.com.

These contact details are included in the restaurant's official announcement.

Tony’s Beach strengthens its gastronomic identity in Marbella

The inclusion of Tony’s Beach in the Michelin Guide represents an important milestone for a business that began in 1995 as a small family-run beach bar.

The renovation launched in April 2025 and the new culinary direction led by Ivo Wakar have transformed the restaurant while keeping Mediterranean ingredients and seafood traditions at the centre of its identity.

The new tasting menu, fish-ageing techniques and expanded offering for private events are all part of this development.

More than thirty years after opening, Tony’s Beach retains its beachfront location and family management while introducing new culinary techniques and dining experiences that have earned it a place among the Michelin Guide's recommended restaurants.