24 Best Restaurants in Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, and Costa de Almería, Spain

One of the eastern Costa del Sol’s foodie treats sits in a pleasant central square with its signature ruby-red feature wall. Chef Sergio González combines the best of local produce with more exotic touches to perfection: the tuna tataki comes with custard apple; and duck, local mango, and grilled avocado accompany the tomato salad. Red tuna takes center stage on the seasonal menu, where you’ll also find fresh fish, grilled meats, and a short list of vegan choices. There are also good-value tasting menus (€70) and an extensive list of tapas that are a gourmet world apart from the rest of the bars in town and on a par with the best in Andalusia.

Sandwiched between the Museo Picasso and Fundación Picasso is one of Málaga's largest wine collections (there are more than 600 on the list). The two historic mansions that make up this restaurant include an original patio and 17th-century stone wine vats; you can sit on barstools in the beamed tapas section, where the walls are lined with dozens of wine bottles, or dine on the airy patio, which is covered with stained glass. Each of the creative dishes here can be paired with its own wine if you wish: crujiente de ternera (crispy beef) with fino sherry, for instance, and black cod with purple potato and coconut sauce arrive with white Málaga wine. Wine and olive-oil tasting sessions, led by the owner, are available on request.

Perched high in the hills above Fuengirola, this is one of the best fish restaurants on the Costa del Sol. Holder of regular and green Michelin stars, chef Diego Gallegos champions sustainable and healthy cuisine, and his on-site aquaponics facility raises most of the fish and vegetables used here. As a result, 90% of the ingredients are ‘homegrown’ with the remainder sourced locally. Freshwater fish such as trout and sturgeon take pride of place on the tasting menu (four aperitifs plus nine dishes), where you’ll also find organic caviar and smoked fish. 

Alquemy in the cuisine and cocktails comes into its own at this funky venue at the heart of the city center. The restaurant has a laboratory vibe, with nods to pop art and the Simpsons, while waiters wear lab coats and appetizers come in test tubes. Stars on the menu combining local produce with traditional recipes include the Peruvian sandwich, ensaladilla de gambas rojas (red shrimp salad) and croquetas de Carmela Morales (with 90% Iberian ham). Live DJ sessions on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Tucked behind the Picasso Museum, Araboka has a well-deserved reputation as an excellent gastro bar serving Mediterranean dishes made from local produce. Inside, the restaurant is contemporary with low lighting and plant motifs on the walls, and outside there’s a pleasant terrace. Sharing plates is encouraged, and the maître d' offers good advice on wine pairing from the extensive list.

Andalusian cuisine meets Basque tradition at this authentic restaurant in the heart of the older part of Fuengirola. Dine on fresh local produce either outside on the pleasant corner terrace or inside the rustic dining room. The menu takes Andalusian cooking as its base but adds Basque traditional dishes in a unique and very tasty north-south fusion. Try the txangurro (Basque-style crab), milhoja de foie con queso, membrillo y manzana (mille-feuille with foie gras, quince, and apple), or the house specialty, duck. There's also the cozy Charolais Tapas bar next door where you can enjoy inexpensive tapas (from €2.50) and sharing plates. The wine list runs very long and staff offer good advice on pairing.

Tucked away to the north of the old quarter, a block from the Museum of Glass and Crystal, this bustling restaurant offers a range of traditional tapas and sharing plates, plus a good choice of rice dishes, all served in generous portions. The decor inside is eclectic, with vintage children’s bikes and amateur artwork taking center stage, while the small outside terrace (tables for two only) provides a quieter dining option. Despite the large number of tables inside and the rush of locals at weekends, service is efficient and always with a smile.

Right on the sands at the southwestern end of La Carihuela, this family-run restaurant has been serving up fresh fish and seafood for more than 50 years; not for nothing is it a regular winner of the best espetero (maker of grilled sardines) prize. Sit in the bright and airy interior dining area, furnished in jaunty nautical navy and white, or grab a table outside on the beach to soak up the Mediterranean vibe. Highlights on the menu include any of the grilled fish (ask for daily specials) and a good choice of rice dishes. Finish with a cocktail on the frontline “armchairs” as you watch the waves.

Fresh seafood and crisp fried fish star on the menu at this busy chiringuito (beach restaurant) on the western seafront near the tall chimney. Eat inside in nautically themed decor or outside on the terrace on the sand. Sardines grilled over olive-wood charcoal are the best in town in season (May to August), and barbecued whole fish is also worth trying. There’s a good selection of salads including pipirrana de pulpo (octopus). Desserts aren’t so good, but nearby Marcello and Maiten serve ice cream. Service is always swift and efficient even when the venue is packed. If you like quieter dining, go midweek.

If you've done any traveling on the Costa's main A7 highway, you've doubtless spotted this place, high in the pine-clad hills above the village—the views from the dining room stretch all the way to Africa on a clear day. The dishes, made with the freshest ingredients, have a definite touch of northern Spain, and the restaurant and tapas bar are both popular with a sophisticated Spanish clientele. Highlights include traditional stews such as fabes con almejas (beans with clams), creamy rice with king prawns, and steaks grilled over oak wood embers. There's an extensive wine list.

Just a block from Plaza de las Flores, a 200-year-old building hides this sleek, modern wine bar, serving some of the best tapas in town. Choose from a long list of hot and cold pinchos (small snacks)—the rabo de toro en hojaldre (oxtail in pastry) and graten de bacalao (cod gratin) are perennial favorites—tostas, and miniburgers, or from the à la carte menu, where meat dishes star. The wine list has more than 300 labels (including some of Spain's best), and the friendly staff can offer advice on pairing options.

This justly popular restaurant is housed in an 1860s building that also incorporates an 11th-century Moorish well. Time may have stood still with the setting, but the cuisine reflects a modern twist on traditional dishes, including seafood mains like bacalao con cebolla, miel y pasas con crujiente de espinacas (cod with onion, honey, and raisins) or rabo de novillo con almendras (oxtail stew with almonds). Desserts such as the milhojas de manzana (apple mille-feuille) are also good, and the wine and gin lists are among the best in the city. The restaurant is fronted by a popular terrace and tapas bar (first tapa free) that is generally filled with a boisterous business crowd.

Tucked away in the casco antiguo, this small venue with upstairs and downstairs dining offers a taste of Córdoba tapas and Montilla wine in Marbella. There is a good choice of tapas (from €4) and sharing plates, including homemade croquettes, cold cuts, fried fish (the squid is particularly good), and the house pisto (ratatouille) served with a fried egg or pork.

Located on the west side of town, about a 10-minute walk from the center, this modern restaurant specializes in rice dishes; there are 13 on the menu, including the signature baked rice with pork and the squid rice with prawns and chickpeas. Fideuá (similar to paella but made with noodles instead of rice) also features on the menu. There's a good choice of sharing plates of croquettes, cold cuts, and seafood, as well as innovative salads. Sit inside in the elegant dining room or outside on the shady terrace on the plaza. 

As the name suggests, this cozy restaurant offers art in cooking, and its take on typical local dishes is one of the best in Málaga province. The menu is seasonal with an emphasis on local produce; it might include a selection of porras (thick, cold soup) and choto malagueño (kid goat in spicy sauce). Don't miss the delicious desserts, including the local bienmesabe (made from honey, egg yolks, and almonds, it translates to "it tastes good to me"). Next door Arte de Tapas does excellent, inexpensive tapas.

Tucked into the elbow of a narrow street near the main church square, this restaurant serves up superb local dishes, including alcachofas salteadas con jamón y langostinos (braised artichokes with ham and shrimps), tartar de salchichón de Málaga (cured sausage), and berenjenas con miel (eggplant with sugar cane syrup). The three-course daily menu with a half bottle of wine (€19.50) offers a wide range of choices. The interior is warm and rustic, with lots of dark wood and beamed ceilings. The tapas bar comes with a tempting display of light bites (from €4), and the wine selection is well conceived and extensive.

This restaurant has a loyal following among locals and visitors with its stunning location—the terrace has far-reaching views over the village and to the Strait of Gibraltar (don’t miss the griffon vultures soaring the thermals above you)—and delicious food. Local produce takes center stage, and you can try Casares cheese, suckling goat, and lamb as well as locally sourced tropical fruits and fresh fish from the coast. Highlights on the menu include croquetas de pringá con infusion de hierbabuena (meat croquettes infused with mint), paletilla de chivo (leg of kid goat), and ensalada de remolacha asada y queso de oveja (baked beet salad with cheese).

A firm favorite with locals who flock here for the value cuisine, Taberna Gaspar offers a long list of traditional seasonal dishes on a handwritten menu. Portions come hearty, so go for sharing plates, or ask for the dish of the day (weekdays only) if you're less hungry. Sit outside on the shady terrace or inside under lofty ceilings and next to eclectic antiques such as matador outfits, telephones, and glass siphons. Service is friendly and efficient even when every table is packed to capacity. 

Come to this sprawling, noisy restaurant for the experience rather than the food, which is fine but not spectacular. There's no menu—waiters circle the restaurant carrying various dishes (tapas and main courses) and you choose whatever looks good. The bill is totaled up according to the number and size of the plates on the table at the end of the meal. On the El Palo seafront, Tintero specializes in catch-of-the-day seafood, such as boquerones (fresh anchovies), sepia (cuttlefish), and the all-time familiar classic, gambas (grilled prawns). Be warned that it's packed on weekends with expats and boisterous Spanish families. 

This popular, central spot serves fine regional specialties, such as arroz de marisco (rice with seafood), cazuela de rape en salsa de almendras (monkfish stew with almond sauce), and the delicious kokotxas de bacalao en salsa de ostras (cod cheeks in oyster sauce). The surroundings are rustic-yet-elegant Andalusian: whitewashed walls, dark wood, and exposed brick. If you're open to a splurge, go for the lobster. Book ahead to be sure of a table for dinner.

On a river bend between the hamlets of Árchez and Corumbela, this friendly venta offers traditional country cooking at its best. Sit outside on the shady terrace for stunning views of the valley as you dine on generous portions of grilled meats (pork, veal, and chicken) and salads or tapas. Finish with a house dessert such as natillas (custard) or crème caramel. The staff don't speak much English, but their friendliness more than makes up for possible language barriers. Book if you plan to eat here on weekends or go midweek for a quieter lunch. Be sure to check out the Mudejar churches, with their minaret towers in Árchez and Corumbela, before or after your meal. 

Ask the locals which beachfront chiringuito they prefer and El Yate will probably be the answer. Run and owned by an affable cordobés family, the menu holds few surprises, but the seafood is freshly caught, and meat and vegetables are top quality. Have the classic Córdoba salmorejo (thick, garlicky gazpacho, topped with diced egg and ham) as a starter. Then you may be tempted by the barbecued sardines; or choose a freshly grilled fish like dorada (sea bream) or lubina (sea bass), or a more substantial paella. The back terrace with its sea and sand views fills up fast, but the dining room is pleasant too, given its large and light picture windows. Service is friendly and fast, although little or no English is spoken. Desserts are the usual limited choice of crème caramel, rice pudding, and the like, but they're locally made.