12 Best Places to Eat in Marbella (A Local’s Review)

The Marbella food scene has become more and more popular, and it’s the main Costa del Sol destination with numerous Michelin-star restaurants.

However, you don’t necessarily need to go to Michelin-star restaurants to enjoy good food in Marbella.

Whether you’re looking for cafes to have breakfast or brunch, enjoy freshly squeezed juice to cool down on warm days or eat at an authentic Spanish tapa bar, I’ve got you covered.

In this article, you’ll discover some of the best places to eat in Marbella, which I’ve tried myself.

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2. Churrería Ramón

Churrería Ramón is a small cafe in Plaza de los Naranjos. You’ll probably spot its pretty fresh juice stall next to the Ermita de Santiago.

The menu is smaller than at other churrerías or cafes in the area; however, it’s a great place to enjoy fresh juice or churros con chocolate.

My favourite juice is watermelon juice. It’s refreshing and perfect for a warm and sunny day in Marbella! However, you can also have the standard orange juice, other juice combinations, and smoothies.

I wouldn’t recommend having a complete meal in Orange Square because it’s quite touristy and more expensive. On top of this, the quality isn’t always the best.

However, it’s nice to enjoy a drink while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of this lovely square.

If you’re looking for a more local vibe or a cheaper place to eat churros, go to Churrería Generalife. Their churros are also incredibly good.

💶 Price: €-€€

📍 Address: Pl. de los Naranjos, 8, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

3. Rosas Cafe

Rosas Cafe is the most instagrammable cafe in Marbella. Rose pink decor from the moment you step into the cafe. 

They have a beautiful outdoor seating area where you can soak up the sun while enjoying breakfast or lunch. There’s plenty of space, but it feels cosy somehow. 

Inside the cafe, everything is aesthetically pleasing. The comfortable booth seating, the marble tables, and the roses on the wall make it so pretty. 

When it comes to food, I love their drink selection. They have everything from cappuccinos and mochas to matcha lattes and fresh juices. They also make personalised coffee with your name or luxury brand logos, such as Dolce and Gabbana. 

I had the matcha latte and lemon tart topped with meringue. The matcha latte was light and not too strong (how I like it), and the lemon tart was spot on. The meringue was creamy and smooth. 

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: Gaviotas IV, Av. Playas del Duque, Local 3, 29660 Marbella, Málaga

4. Tragabuches Marbella

I had the misconception that restaurants owned by Michelin-star chefs were always expensive and too pretentious. However, my perspective changed when I visited Tragabuches Marbella, by local chef Dani Garcia.

This is one of Dani’s restaurants situated between Puerto Banus and San Pedro de Alcantara. It offers a unique culinary experience, and everywhere you look is aesthetically pleasing.

Although the à la carte menu has expensive dishes, such as lobster and seabass, their set menus are reasonably priced. 

I’ve personally tried his Andalusia-inspired menu, which is available Monday through Friday at lunchtime. The three-tomato salad is my favourite dish, but the meat croquetas and cheesecake are also high on my list.

💶 Price: €€€€€

📍 Address: C. Ana de Austria, 2, 29670 Marbella, Málaga, Spain

5. Casa Blanca

If you’re looking for a cheap and good tapas bar, you won’t go wrong with Casa Blanca. It’s the best place to eat in Marbella for Spanish tapas. It has a buzzy atmosphere, so you’ll always see it busy. 

The menu consists mainly of tapas, but you can also order main courses, such as grilled sole or flamenquín, pork loin rolled and filled with ham and cheese. 

When it comes to tapas, you can enjoy traditional tapas, such as ensaladilla rusa or salmorejo, but also tapas with a twist. 

One of my favourite small bites at Taberna Casa Blanca is the prawn skewer and the pepito. The latter consists of a slice of bread topped with grilled pork loin, Serrano ham and a small fried green pepper. 

I recommend ordering three tapas per person. That’s what I normally have when I go on my own. 

💶 Price: €-€€

📍 Address: Av. Miguel Cano, 1, 29602 Marbella, Málaga

6. Taberna La Niña del Pisto

Taberna La Niña del Pisto is one of the most emblematic tapa restaurants in Marbella. It has been open for 20 years!

It’s become one of my favourite places to eat authentic Andalusian tapas. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is cosy, and the service is quick and friendly. Every time my friends come over to Marbella, I take them there.

If you ask for my food recommendations, there are quite a few dishes I love, from fried anchovies and octopus to chickpeas with spinach and their famous Pisto (Spanish-style Ratatouille), which turns out to be my favourite.

💶 Price: €-€€

📍 Address: C. San Lázaro, 1, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

7. Art and Gourmet Bakery

I recently tried Art and Gourmet Bakery. This gem, located a short drive from Marbella bus station, is worth a visit. They serve breakfast through dinner.

The decor is beautiful and neat with details in gold and neutral colours. However, one thing that stands out is their wide selection of cakes as you walk in. You can tell they are made with love and care. You won’t be able to resist eating one or two!

I went for lunch and had some of the best pasta and pizza I had had in a while. I loved the chicken salad with pumpkin puree and peppers, but the pasta and pizza exceeded my expectations. The pesto was creamy and flavourful, while the pizza dough was incredibly fluffy and baked to perfection. 

The portions were good, and although I was full, my mum and I ordered dessert. We shared a lemon meringue tart, and let me tell you, it was scrumptious. The flavour profile was spot on. I sometimes find them too sweet.

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: C. León, 29602 Marbella, Málaga, Spain

8. Casa del Mar

Casa Del Mar is a lovely restaurant, a few minutes from the beach promenade and the old town.

The restaurant has outdoor and indoor seating and beautiful bohemian decorations. Its bamboo lamps and seating make you feel like you are in a beach club.

The menu has a wide range of dishes – from Spanish tapas and paella to delicious pasta. They also have fixed menus that are a good value for money.

I went for the a la carte menu and ordered the Norwegian salmon with tartar sauce and poor man potatoes. It was quite tasty. I especially liked the poor man’s potatoes. 

Although it took a little bit to come, the staff was very friendly and gave us some complimentary tortilla while we waited for our main course.

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: Av. Miguel Cano, 26, 29602 Marbella, Málaga

9. Kanaloa

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I can count on my fingers the number of times I have ordered paella in a restaurant. It’s difficult to beat a good homemade paella. However, I had seen Kanaloa a couple of times before I decided to try it, and I’m glad I did. 

Their seafood paella (arroz al señorito) is absolutely delicious. One of the best I’ve had in my hometown, so if you fancy paella, Kanaloa is such a good option. 

They also have other delicious dishes, and I can recommend the croquetas, which melt in your mouth! 

Leave room for dessert. My partner and I shared their take on a lemon pie, and we wished we had ordered one each. 

While the quality of the food is great, the location (right on the beachfront) and the decor are also stunning. 

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: P.º Marítimo, 29602 Marbella, Málaga

10. The Farm Restaurant

Located in the old town of Marbella, The Farm Restaurant is a fantastic place to enjoy a drink and dinner.

One of the things that I love about this place is its atmosphere. The tables are set up on a spacious and beautiful Andalusian patio.

When it comes to food, this isn’t a restaurant where you can enjoy traditional Spanish food, in my opinion. But they offer fantastic international dishes made with organic, locally sourced ingredients, along with quite a few veggie options.

Another great thing about The Farm is that it organises many events (flamenco shows, pottery classes, and much more), so I recommend checking out their website.

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: Pl. Altamirano, 3, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

12. Paladar Taberna

As much as I love traditional tapas, I love trying twists on these dishes, so I was looking for new places to eat in Marbella and found out about Paladar Marbella thanks to @malagaadictos 

This restaurant, a few minutes’ walk from Avenida Del Mar, is worth trying. It’s famous for its cachopo, a traditional dish consisting of fried steak served with a poached egg.

My partner and I ordered the mini burgers, which were juicy and delicious, and the Russian salad with fried egg. I wasn’t sure about the latter combination, but the fried egg works perfectly. 

I really enjoyed the food at Paladar and plan to go back sometime. 

💶 Price: €€-€€€

📍 Address: Av. Antonio Belón, 2, 29602 Marbella, Málaga

Conclusion on the best places to eat in Marbella

The cafes and restaurants in Marbella I mentioned above are some of my favourites, but there are so many more on my list to try next.

If you’d like to try a fine-dining restaurant, I’ve heard good things about Skina, a two-star Michelin restaurant, and Lobito de Mar by local chef Dani García.

As a general rule, avoid restaurants in main tourist areas like Plaza de los Naranjos and Puerto Banus. Walk a bit further to find better places to eat.

Enjoy your time in Marbella!

Cristina x