Bardal leads the list of Málaga among the best restaurants in Europe

Bardal has surpassed Kaleja this year as the best restaurant in Málaga according to the prestigious gastronomic guide Opinionated About Dining, known by its acronym OAD. The organization has released its most awaited listing, which defines the best restaurants across Europe, their 'Top Restaurants', where this 2025 they expand the scope to 673 restaurants in the old continent, unlike the 150 from the 2024 edition. These recognitions come days after OAD released its listings of 'Casual', 'Classical', and 'Top New Restaurants', where Málaga also had references.

The restaurant Bardal by Benito Gómez, with two Michelin stars and two Repsol suns, is the highest-ranked restaurant in the province of Málaga, at number 127, six positions ahead of the restaurant Kaleja by Dani Carnero, at position 133, which loses thirty positions compared to last year. These two Málaga restaurants are within the top 150 in Europe, a list dominated with notable solvency by Spanish gastronomy, which includes 47 of those 150 among the elite, almost a third of the best European restaurants are in Spain. According to the OAD, Bardal and Kaleja are the 42nd and 43rd best restaurants in Spain.

The podium of the best restaurants in Europe according to the OAD is, at the top, again the Danish restaurant Alchemist, by the prestigious Rasmus Munk, in Copenhagen. The second place this year goes to Restaurant Frantzén, in Stockholm (Sweden) and in third place repeats the German restaurant JAN, in Munich. The best restaurant in Spain according to the OAD this year is Andalusian, the Jiennense Bagá, by Pedro Sánchez, in fourth place. In the Top 10, there are two other Spanish restaurants: Diverxo by David Muñoz, in sixth place; and Etxebarri by Víctor Arguinzoniz, in seventh place.

But among the 673 restaurants that make up the listing, there is much more Spanish presence –175 restaurants from Spain– and from Málaga. In addition to Bardal and Kaleja, there are seven other restaurants among the best in Europe. Just outside the top 200 European restaurants is Skina, by Marcos Granda, appearing in position 203. You have to go to position 336 to find the next one, the restaurant from Fuengirola Sollo, by the caviar chef, Diego Gallegos. A hundred positions further back is Kava, the restaurant by Fernando Alcalá occupies position 436 in the ranking. José Carlos García and the restaurant named after him is at position 580, very close to that of David Olivas, Back (583). Finally, in the last batch of restaurants are Beluga, by Diego René (622), who receives recognition for the first time and appears for the first time in the OAD lists; and Nobu Marbella (647).

The positions of Málaga's restaurants in the OAD listing

• 127 – Bardal (Ronda)
• 133 – Kaleja (Málaga)
• 203 – Skina (Marbella)
• 336 – Sollo (Málaga)
• 436 – Kava (Marbella)
• 580 – José Carlos Garcia (Málaga)
• 583 – Back Tapas Bar & Restaurant (Marbella)
• 622 – *Beluga (Málaga)
• 647 – Nobu Marbella (Marbella)

*The restaurant Beluga by Diego René appears for the first time in the Opinionated About Dining listings.