Are you looking for the best restaurants in Fuengirola?
If you want to know where locals eat and what are the local favourites, you have come to the right place!
I’ve been living in Fuengirola since 2020, and even though the culinary scene in Fuengirola is not exactly exciting, I always try my best to test new restaurants to recommend here.
Fuengirola is a holiday resort town, which unfortunately translates into lower-quality restaurants mostly around the coastline.
Don’t get me wrong, you can get a decent meal in many places, but if you have your bar a bit higher (like me!), those places are harder to find.
There are a few gems in between the usual tourist traps, but they are hard to find especially if your only point of reference is glowing five-star reviews in Tripadvisor.
Best Restaurants in Fuengirola
Here are my favorite picks from the local culinary scene, in no particular order.
Why only nine? These are the only ones I happily return to on many occasions and they never let me down!
If you want to know what restaurants to avoid in Fuengirola, scroll to the bottom of the article for a bit of a rant!
- Tapa y Thai (my current no 1) – all-around best food and beautiful dining atmosphere
- Picoteo – the perfect pick for the old town district
- Chiringuito La Cubana – lunch by the beach
- Kudam Berlin – for meat lovers, next to the marina
- Merryland Restaurant – great value food that delivers on flavour
- Santorini Restaurant – for a different take on Mediterranean flavours
- Paseo 100 – burgers, pizza and Nordic cuisine
READ ALSO >
1. Tapa y Thai Restaurant
A very recent addition to the local culinary scene (winter 2022), this place is my absolute favorite, as evidenced by 4 or 5 dining experiences so far.
Not only it has amazing food, but they put a lot of effort and thought into the decor. It feels so welcoming and cosy, nothing like you will find in most of the restaurants in Fuengirola.
The menu features some of the classics of Thai cuisine and a few chef specials. Unfortunately, it is not available anywhere online, so I will take a photo on my next visit.
The food is very reasonably priced, and you will find plenty of meat specialities, but balanced really well with meals suitable for vegetarians and vegans (I love their tofu options!).
The most important thing – the food is absolutely delicious!
It’s hands down the best meal and the best curry I’ve had in Fuengirola.
You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients and the fact that the chef is using local Thai spices and knows what they’re doing. The food may look simple, but it’s full of flavor and texture, and in case you like it spicy, it does deliver on the promise!
Pay them a visit, you won’t regret it!
PS: they close for winter, opening in February again
READ MORE >
2. Picoteo Restaurant
Picoteo is situated in what I call the ‘Post Office Square’ as it’s the location of the very dated main post office building. The square is usually buzzing with life, with lots of restaurants and full terraces even outside of the main summer season.
Picoteo is a well-established restaurant that has been operating here for years and specializes in modern Mediterranean cuisine. The ambience reminds me a bit of a cute French cafe, with stylish chairs, quirky decor and always lovely music playing in the background.
Picoteo stands out with its original and creative menu, something you don’t see very often, especially in Fuengirola. Yes, it also comes with a price tag – it’s more expensive than the rest of the restaurants in the area, but it at least delivers on the quality of the food.
The seating options are fairly limited, especially on the terrace which is the most popular, so booking in advance is recommended. The service in the restaurant can be quite slow, even on quiet days.
READ MORE >
3. Chiringuito La Cubana
Even though I go into a very long rant at the end of the article about how bad Chiringuito restaurants are, this one is the exception to the rule.
La Cubana is at the very end of Fuengirola, in an area called Carvajal (technically it’s under Benalmadena but within easy reach of Fuengirola).
When I visited a year ago, it looked very rugged but they have massively upgraded the places and it gets busier and busier every year. You will spot it immediately thanks to the colourful chairs and tables, and the fact that it’s absolutely packed every time.
Even though they are super busy, we always find a table and never had to wait too long for the food.
The menu is a really good mix of healthy bits, naughty treats and anything in between. For such a busy place, the service is incredibly fast and friendly. And most importantly, the food is delicious and served with a side of a sea view!
(please note the restaurant is completely closed for the winter season from October till March/April – check their Facebook page for updated opening times)
READ MORE >
4. Kudam Berlin Restaurant
If you want to take a break from tapas and fried fish, Kudam Berlin might be just what you need!
Kudam Berlin can be described as a meat lovers heaven in the Marina area of Fuengirola.
This German restaurant owned by chef Michael Lienhoop made its name among locals for its great value food, traditional old-school dishes, and very generous portions.
This was my third visit to Kudam, and every time we go, I forget about their portion sizes – they are huge! Not just that, but the food is actually delicious and tastes super fresh.
Traditional German schnitzels and sausages of all kinds are dominating the menu, but you won’t be stranded either if you don’t eat meat. They have delicious (and very big!) salads, homemade soups, and a few small tapas options to choose from, including a few Spanish classics like Gambas Pil Pil.
The menu is updated seasonally, so in the winter you will find a nice selection of soups and stews and in the summer more fresh salads to choose from.
The restaurant also offers a great 14.99 euro set menu consisting of three courses and plenty of food options to choose from.
READ MORE >
5. Merryland Restaurant
Merryland is located in Los Boliches and they specialize in Lebanese cuisine. They also have an extensive international cuisine menu, from which I sampled almost everything it offers.
The menu is a perfect mix of salad dishes (my favourite with prawns, avocado & mango), pasta dishes (my son loves the salmon pasta), meaty specialties of the house, small bites and of course all the Lebanese flavours.
On the numerous visits me and my companions sampled everything from salad, dips, fish and meat and everything was absolutely spot on.
The presentation, flavours and delivery is always the same, and they never miss the mark – and I’ve been going there for years now.
The restaurant might not have the best setting as it’s by a busy road, but they always deliver on flavour and that’s why I keep coming back there, along with many other expats.
6. Santorini Restaurant
Restaurante Santorini is tucked away between other restaurants next to the Paseo Maritimo, on the ground floor of an apartment block.
Don’t let yourself judge the book by its cover – even though it looks similar to the rest of the restaurants on the main strip, this one is not a tourist trap like most of the rest.
The menu is quite simple and full of Greek staple dishes, many of which I recognize from Cyprus (and the surprising addition of the pizza menu which was welcomed by my son!).
We have now visited twice, and each time ordered salads with dip selection and also tried their Pil Pil prawns and feta with beetroot salad. If you ever want to taste a proper Greek salad, you have to come to this place!
The dips, salads and everything we tasted was absolutely delicious, and served by a friendly staff!
7. Paseo 100
Right next to Santorini Restaurant, you will find Paseo 100 restaurant, a Finnish restaurant known for its love for live sports and good food!
It may not be as cozy when it comes to interiors, but they offer good food, and if your husband or partner likes live sports, you will score extra points for this place.
I’ve previously tasted everything from salads, vegan menu, tapas, pizzas, and everything in between. Everything was always delicious!
My favourites are salmon burger with proper Finnish rye buns, Halloumi burger and also tried a variety of their salads.
The menu is a refreshing mix of some restaurant classics with some Nordic influences – check the full menu here.
Opening Hours: 11 am to 11 pm on weekdays, up to midnight at weekends
Address: Paseo Maritimo 100, Torreblanca area
Reservation: contact through Facebook
Restaurants to Avoid in Fuengirola
Let’s start with the worst – most of my worst food experiences involved Chiringuitos.
Chiringuitos
These are the shabby-looking restaurants scattered around the beaches focusing mainly on fried seafood. They all have wonderful views of the sea (in the winter, when it’s not blocked by sunbathing tourists in front of your table), but that’s where it ends.
They normally have very cheap plastic furniture and service that leaves a lot to be desired.
The old advice goes ‘eat where the locals do’ – in this case, it can’t be further from the truth.
Yes, Chiringuitos are full of locals, but they are probably there because fried seafood is something of a staple of the local cuisine and I feel like it’s more of a cultural thing, rather than a culinary experience.
The food is pretty basic, a lot of it cooked from frozen fish (which they don’t tend to mark on the menu), without taste or proper seasoning. Zero presentation and complete lack of culinary imagination.
There are a few exceptions, one of those is the Chiringuito Oasis. Great quality food, immaculate service, and unlike the other chiringuitos, it is built higher off the ground, so you actually get to enjoy the sea view.
Paseo Maritimo Restaurants
Scattered around the promenade are even more tourist traps – restaurants displayed sun-drenched images of burgers with chips, best deals for English breakfast, or deals on Paella.
You will be happy to grab a quick sandwich to take to the beach, but anything beyond that is at your own risk.
‘Michelin’ Recommendations
Fuengirola even has a Michelin star restaurant which turned out to be an utter disappointment.
The dish looked like something that’s served in a Chiringuito and slapped together in a hurry.
After I returned my undercooked half-raw salmon, I was told by the waiter that apparently that’s the correct way to cook salmon (leave it completely raw in the middle).
Got Your Favourites?
I will keep updating this list regularly, but if you have a favourite of your own, leave a comment below so I can test it out!
My Local Guides For Fuengirola
Fuengirola Tourist Attractions You Shouldn’t Miss
Best Things to Do with Kids on Your Trip to Fuengirola
How to Spend a Day in Fuengirola
Fuengirola Marina: What To See & Do in The Port
A Complete Guide to Fuengirola Beaches: All You Need to Know
Best Fuengirola Bike Hire Places
10 Best Things To Do in Fuengirola When it Rains
17 Best Things to do Near Fuengirola
LOVE it? PIN it for Later!
Hola, Buenas noches.
Desde luego, leyendo los comentarios de la arriba firmante Lucía, me asaltan varias dudas a la vez.
Una de ellas, su claro y contundente optimismo en todo los sentidos. Ya sean culinarios como de edificios( llámese el “anticuado edificio” de Correos.
El otro. Según sus gustos, muy diferentes en cuanto a gustos, se te quitan las ganas a priori de comer en esta particular y diferente ciudad.
Existen muchos lugares que omite, y que se come extraordinariamente bien, como son por ejemplo, La Carihuela Chica, Paz y Garrido, Los Manolos, El Asador Navarro, El Charolais, y no sigo, para no hacer demasiado extensa este comentario. En fin, creo que la prudencia debe ser la primera regla a seguir cuando te pones frente a un teclado. Espero no afecte el artículo de esta firmante a los lectores.
hola Jose, gracias por tu comentario, el artículo nunca dice que no hay buenos restaurantes en Fuengirola, sino que no hay muchas buenas opciones para elegir. El lugar que mencionaste: El Charolais, sé que a los lugareños les encanta, pero tuve una comida horrible allí con un servicio muy grosero. No seguiré tus consejos ni pensaré dos veces lo que escribo, es mi blog y mi opinión. Siempre puedes consultar Tripadvisor y obtener recomendaciones de comida desde allí. Lucia