Marbella has five Michelin-starred restaurants, and six stars in total. It is the highest concentration on the Costa del Sol.
And there’s one detail that hardly anyone mentions: half of those stars belong to the same man.
| Restaurant | Stars | Kitchen | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skina | Two | Signature Andalusian cuisine | Old town |
| Nintai | A | Japanese, omakase | Marbella |
| Messina | A | Italian-Argentinian Mediterranean cuisine | Severo Ochoa Avenue |
| The Lake | A | From the territory | Elviria |
| Back | A | Contemporary Andalusian | Next to La Fontanilla |
And the fact that links them: Marcos Granda is the owner of Skina and Nintai. In other words, three of the municipality’s six stars belong to him. And he is not a chef: he is a sommelier.
The ratings vary from one edition of the guide to the next. It is advisable to check them before booking.
12 Calle Aduar, in the old town. It is the city’s most prestigious restaurant and the only one with two stars.
What strikes you on arrival is the size: It’s a tiny little place, tucked away in an alley, with very few tables. There’s nothing to give away what’s inside.
The wine cellar is its hallmark. Marcos Granda is first and foremost a sommelier, so the wine list exceeds 950 labels, an extraordinary range for such a small dining room. It is his signature feature.
Andalusian specialities tasting menu, featuring reinterpretations of southern classics.
Ramón Gómez de la Serna Street. Marcos Granda’s other project, opened after a trip to Japan, and awarded a star in less than a year.
The key detail before booking: there are just twelve seats. All are at a single sushi counter, where the itamae prepares each piece in front of the guest.
The format is strictly omakase: you leave the choice to the chef. Two tasting menus built around the day’s finest fish.
It is the hardest reservation to secure in Marbella. With twelve seats and one counter, plan several weeks ahead.
Another detail for enthusiasts: it has one of Spain’s finest sake lists.
12 Severo Ochoa Avenue. Opened in 2003, so it has been open for over twenty years, which is a long time in the world of haute cuisine.
It is run by chef Mauricio Giovanini and Pía Ninci in the dining room, and the cuisine is Mediterranean with Italian-Argentine heritage and many international influences.
Tasting menus that change with the seasons. And they have added a space, InsIDe Messina, from which you can see the kitchen in action.
In Elviria, to the east of Marbella, set within a golf course and with a lake in front of it. The location is part of the experience.
Its focus is regional cuisine: produce from Málaga province, with a recognised commitment to local sourcing.
It’s the one furthest from the centre, so you’ll need to take the car.
Near La Fontanilla beach, a short distance from the old town. It was awarded a star in 2024, the most recent one awarded in Marbella.
And there’s a story behind it: the chef David Olivas, from Úbeda, worked with Dani García for fourteen years, at Tragabuches and Calima, before launching his own venture.
He did so with the sommelier Fabián Villar, which is why the wine list is one of the most interesting in the city.
The atmosphere is the most relaxed of the five: bistro-style, with a menu divided into house classics and rotating dishes. Almadraba tuna and squab are signature ingredients.
If you’re looking for haute cuisine without all the fuss, this is the one for you.
There are some good restaurants not listed in the guide, and several with a Michelin recommendation but no stars.
The Lomas de Río Verde housing development, right in the heart of the Golden Mile. It is the city’s leading non-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant.
It is set within a garden, with ingredient-led cooking and careful presentation. And a practical advantage: non-stop cooking, from breakfast to dinner, unusual at this level.
One frequently misreported point needs clarifying.
Dani García once held three Michelin stars, but gave them up in 2019, when he closed his highly acclaimed fine-dining restaurant to focus on more accessible dining concepts. It was a decision that caused quite a stir in the industry.
So saying that he “has three stars” is incorrect: He had them and gave them up.
His three Marbella projects are Michelin-recommended without a star:
They are a sensible way to enjoy fine cooking without a three-hour tasting menu, and it’s much easier to book.
Marbella also has local establishments that are featured in the guide but do not have a star, such as Casa Eladio, in the old town, founded in 1965 and now run by the third generation.
You can eat well for a fraction of the cost of a starred tasting menu. If budget matters, look here.
This is what determines whether or not the meal takes place:
And the trick that works: weekdays. Availability differs enormously between a Tuesday and a Saturday.
They are all operating at very reduced capacity —between eight and twelve guests in several cases—, so a group of more than six will need to split across tables. It’s best to mention this when booking.
Three things come together: Top-quality Andalusian produce, an international clientele willing to pay for it, and chefs who have chosen to stay in the area rather than move to Madrid.
And there’s one factor that isn’t often mentioned: the season is long. There’s no four-month closure here, which means staff can be retained and menus can be updated frequently.
Puente Romano is also home to more than twenty restaurants, including several international brands. It is a concentration that, in Spain, is only found here.
Marbella is about 60 kilometres from Málaga, via the AP-7 toll motorway or the A-7, which is free of charge. Puerto Banús is about seven kilometres from the town centre.
The plan that works: Plan to spend the morning in the old town, and leave the afternoon for the harbour and the shopping area.
And a word of warning: If you’re going for the tasting menu with wine pairing, allow for a taxi fare. It’s not the sort of place where you can drive afterwards.
More: where to eat in Marbella for other budgets, What to see in Marbella and Things to do in Puerto Banús.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. If you want to see Marbella and Puerto Banús without driving, a day out sorts it out:
Marbella and Mijas on the same day, with an accompanying guide and pickup on the Costa del Sol. Trips to Gibraltar and dolphin-watching outings also depart from here.
Five, making a total of six stars: Skina has two, and Nintai, Messina, El Lago and Back have one each. This is the highest concentration on the Costa del Sol. It is advisable to check the current ratings before booking, as they change from one edition of the guide to the next.
He is a sommelier, not a chef, and is the owner of Skina and Nintai, meaning that three of Marbella’s six Michelin stars belong to him. His role as a sommelier explains the importance of the wine cellar in his restaurants: Skina’s wine list features over 950 wines.
None at present. He once held three but gave them up in 2019, closing his acclaimed fine-dining restaurant to focus on more accessible formats. His current Marbella projects —Leña, Lobito de Mar and BiBo— are recommended by the Michelin Guide but have no stars.
Nintai, with just twelve seats at a single sushi counter and a strict omakase format. In high season, try booking four to eight weeks ahead, as with the other starred restaurants. Weekdays offer considerably more availability than weekends.
It can be tricky. Several restaurants have dining rooms that seat between eight and twelve guests, so a group of more than six people would have to be split across several tables. It’s best to mention this when booking and, for large groups, to consider alternatives such as more informal venues or a private chef.
Yes, although the five Michelin stars are spread across Marbella municipality rather than the port itself. Puerto Banús and the Golden Mile have many chef-led and fine-dining restaurants, including Dani García’s concepts, while Puente Romano brings together over twenty restaurants, including international brands.
Michelin-recommended restaurants without a star, such as Casa Eladio in the old town, founded in 1965 and now run by the family’s third generation. Dani García’s informal concepts also offer high-quality cooking without the cost or length of a tasting menu.
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