What to eat in Marbella: local dishes, espetos and where to try them
A guide to Marbella's traditional food: sardine espetos, fried fish, gazpachuelo and homemade sweets, beach bars, Michelin stars and dinner in Puerto Banús.
Marbella is famous for its beaches and its marina, but people also travel here to eat. According to Marbella's tourist board, the town has more than 600 restaurants and four Michelin stars, yet its most recognisable cooking is still the simple kind: fish of the day, olive oil and time-honoured recipes. Here's a short guide to what to try and where.
Sardine espetos: the taste of the beach
The espeto is the most photographed dish on the Málaga coast: sardines skewered on a cane and grilled next to the embers, usually inside a sand-filled boat beside the beach bar. The Town Hall's tourist brochure lists it among Marbella's traditional dishes, and the tourist board's beach bar guide lists dozens of chiringuitos along the coast where you can order it. Eat it straight off the fire, with your fingers and the sea in front of you.
Fried fish and seafood
Pescaíto frito, a platter of fried fish (anchovies, squid, red mullet and whatever came in at the fish market), is another local signature. According to the Town Hall, traditional Marbella cooking also includes cuttlefish in sauce, sautéed wedge clams and clams, and salt cod fritters. Good advice: ask what the fish of the day is and let the staff guide you.
Warming dishes for autumn
Now that the evenings are cooler, it's a good time for the spoon dishes the Town Hall lists as typical of Marbella: gazpachuelo (a hot fish broth with mayonnaise), stewed noodles, garlic soup, stewed potatoes and cabbage stews. They're humble home recipes you can still find in neighbourhood bars and in the Old Town.
Homemade sweets
For dessert or an afternoon snack, local baking is all about tradition: tortas de aceite (olive oil biscuits), wine rosquillos, borrachuelos, torrijas, fritters, rice pudding and, of course, churros in the morning. Pair them with a stroll around Plaza de los Naranjos.
Fine dining: Marbella's Michelin stars
If you're after a special dinner, the tourist board highlights its Michelin-starred restaurants: Skina (two stars), BACK, Messina and Nintai (one star each). Book well ahead.
When you fancy something different
After a few days of seafood, many visitors, especially families with children, feel like a pizza or a plate of pasta overlooking the yachts. Puerto Banús is the place for that: here are ideas for a full day in the port.
