{"id":76010,"date":"2023-07-03T14:56:15","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T12:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=76010"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:39:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:39:36","slug":"alta-cocina-in-marbella","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/alta-cocina-in-marbella\/","title":{"rendered":"Fine dining in Marbella and Puerto Ban\u00fas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Marbella has five Michelin-starred restaurants<\/strong>, and six stars in total. It is the highest concentration on the Costa del Sol.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s one detail that hardly anyone mentions: half of those stars belong to the same man.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Marbella\u2019s five-star hotels<\/h2>\n\n\n
Restaurant<\/th>Stars<\/th>Kitchen<\/th>Where<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n
Skina<\/strong><\/td>Two<\/strong><\/td>Signature Andalusian cuisine<\/td>Old town<\/td><\/tr>\n
Nintai<\/strong><\/td>A<\/td>Japanese, omakase<\/strong><\/td>Marbella<\/td><\/tr>\n
Messina<\/strong><\/td>A<\/td>Italian-Argentinian Mediterranean cuisine<\/td>Severo Ochoa Avenue<\/td><\/tr>\n
The Lake<\/strong><\/td>A<\/td>From the territory<\/td>Elviria<\/td><\/tr>\n
Back<\/strong><\/td>A<\/td>Contemporary Andalusian<\/td>Next to La Fontanilla<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

And the fact that links them: Marcos Granda is the owner of Skina and Nintai.<\/strong> In other words, three of the municipality\u2019s six stars belong to him<\/strong>. And he is not a chef: he is a sommelier<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The ratings vary from one edition of the guide to the next. It is advisable to check them before booking.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Skina, two stars on a narrow street<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Skina<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

12 Calle Aduar, in the old town.<\/strong> It is the city\u2019s most prestigious restaurant and the only one with two stars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What strikes you on arrival is the size:<\/strong> It\u2019s a tiny little place, tucked away in an alley, with very few tables. There\u2019s nothing to give away what\u2019s inside.<\/p>\n

The wine cellar is its hallmark.<\/strong> Marcos Granda is first and foremost a sommelier, so the wine list exceeds 950 labels<\/strong>, an extraordinary range for such a small dining room. It is his signature feature.<\/p>\n

Andalusian specialities tasting menu<\/strong>, featuring reinterpretations of southern classics.<\/p>\n\n

Nintai: twelve seats and the hardest reservation<\/h2>\n

Ram\u00f3n G\u00f3mez de la Serna Street. Marcos Granda\u2019s other project<\/strong>, opened after a trip to Japan, and awarded a star in less than a year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The key detail before booking: there are just twelve seats.<\/strong> All are at a single sushi counter<\/strong>, where the itamae<\/em> prepares each piece in front of the guest.<\/p>\n

The format is strictly omakase:<\/strong> you leave the choice to the chef. Two tasting menus built around the day\u2019s finest fish.<\/p>\n

It is the hardest reservation to secure in Marbella.<\/strong> With twelve seats and one counter, plan several weeks ahead.<\/p>\n

Another detail for enthusiasts: it has one of Spain\u2019s finest sake lists.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Messina, the veteran<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Messina<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

12 Severo Ochoa Avenue. Opened in 2003<\/strong>, so it has been open for over twenty years, which is a long time in the world of haute cuisine.<\/p>\n

It is run by chef Mauricio Giovanini and P\u00eda Ninci<\/strong> in the dining room, and the cuisine is Mediterranean with Italian-Argentine heritage<\/strong> and many international influences.<\/p>\n

Tasting menus that change with the seasons.<\/strong> And they have added a space, InsIDe Messina<\/strong>, from which you can see the kitchen in action.<\/p>\n\n

El Lago, next to a real lake<\/h2>\n

In Elviria<\/strong>, 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Its focus is regional cuisine:<\/strong> produce from M\u00e1laga province, with a recognised commitment to local sourcing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the one furthest from the centre, so you\u2019ll need to take the car.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Back, the latest<\/h2>\n

Near La Fontanilla beach, a short distance from the old town. It was awarded a star in 2024<\/strong>, the most recent one awarded in Marbella.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s a story behind it:<\/strong> the chef David Olivas<\/strong>, from \u00dabeda, worked with Dani Garc\u00eda for fourteen years<\/strong>, at Tragabuches and Calima, before launching his own venture.<\/p>\n

He did so with the sommelier Fabi\u00e1n Villar<\/strong>, which is why the wine list is one of the most interesting in the city.<\/p>\n

The atmosphere is the most relaxed of the five:<\/strong> bistro-style, with a menu divided into house classics and rotating dishes. Almadraba tuna and squab<\/strong> are signature ingredients.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for haute cuisine without all the fuss, this is the one for you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Haute cuisine without a Michelin star<\/h2>\n

There are some good restaurants not listed in the guide<\/strong>, and several with a Michelin recommendation but no stars.<\/p>\n\n

Boho Club<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Boho<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Lomas de R\u00edo Verde housing development, right in the heart of the Golden Mile.<\/strong> It is the city\u2019s leading non-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant.<\/p>\n

It is set within a garden<\/strong>, with ingredient-led cooking and careful presentation. And a practical advantage: non-stop cooking<\/strong>, from breakfast to dinner, unusual at this level.<\/p>\n\n

Dani Garc\u00eda\u2019s three concepts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Le\u00f1a,<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One frequently misreported point needs clarifying.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dani Garc\u00eda once held three Michelin stars, but gave them up in 2019<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

So saying that he \u201chas three stars\u201d is incorrect:<\/strong> He had them and gave them up.<\/p>\n

His three Marbella projects are Michelin-recommended without a star:<\/strong><\/p>\n