An explosion of sensations. A feast for the senses. Eating out in any of the Michelin-starred restaurants on the Costa del Sol is an experience you will never forget. Dishes are not just delicious: innovation and creativity at the service of flavour and texture, combinations of ingredients you would never have guessed were even possible.
And, of course, the Andalusian and Mediterranean culinary tradition in the background. Could it be otherwise? Here is a tour of the leading restaurants offering haute cuisine in Málaga, as recognised by the Michelin Guide.
Marbella: innovation and tradition
Marbella is synonymous with luxury and glamour, with elegance and exclusivity. As such, it could not be overlooked in a review of the best restaurants in the province. Among the factories of culinary pleasure that are trend-setters on the Costa del Sol, there is one that stands out: Dani García’s restaurant at the Puente Romano Hotel. It has not one but two Michelin stars, and it deserves both.
After training at La Cónsula, Málaga-born García focused on innovation in the culinary traditions and flavours of his homeland. Surprising dishes, a clean, well-lighted place wrapped in the perfect atmosphere, exquisite service: dining chez Dani García is like watching a magic show. You would never have guessed that his concoctions could come out of all-time, everyday ingredients.
El Lago (Michelin star 2005) has been offering personalised service and a bold menu in a funnily decorated establishment for 15 years. In fact, it is a two-faced restaurant: lighter and less expensive dishes during the day, avant-garde Mediterranean cuisine in the evening. In either version the views are the same: spectacular snapshots of the lake in a golf course. The chef is Diego del Río.
Finally, in the heart of town there is Skina, a cosy restaurant with a fine location run by chefs Hideaki Yoshioka and Jaume Puigdengolas. Theirs is one of the world’s smallest restaurants to have been awarded a Michelin star. They pay painful care to patrons and use only organic ingredients.
Málaga: sensations by the sea
The only Michelin star in Málaga City belongs to José Carlos García, whose restaurant is in the perfect setting for Mediterranean haute cuisine: Muelle Uno. Sun, sea breeze and a top-notch menu prepared by a chef that brings together skill, ingenuity and thought. Plus, just like his colleagues at La Cónsula, he reveres Málaga’s smells and flavours. The cosmopolitan touch is added by the environment – one of the nerve centres of modern Málaga, one of Spain’s new cultural capitals.
