Paseo Maritimo in Fuengirola may be known for its gorgeous 7-kilometer sand beaches, but one thing that will almost always let you down is the restaurant selection that lines the promenade.
The typical tourist burger joints and places with sun-drenched picture menus are the main sights, along with beach restaurants – known as chiringuitos – that specialize in fried fish, mostly of very disappointing quality and overpriced.
So finding someplace decent to eat, with beautiful surroundings and attentive service is certainly a task that usually entails a few attempts.
I’m happy to report I found a new restaurant that extends my shortlist of recommended restaurants in Fuengirola – Vinea Restaurant, next to the Yaramar Hotel.
Having walked passed the place hundreds of times, I have finally given it a try when in need of a quick lunch with my family.
The restaurant always looked pretty from the outside and stood out with white-washed furniture and cozy surroundings inside, but I never stopped to check the menu. I’m so glad I did this time!
I walked in on a weekend, for a very late lunch (3 pm which is normal dining for locals) and returned once more for a dinner on Saturday night. On both occasions, the experience was superb so I feel confident including my short review here.
Vinea: The Restaurant
The restaurant is beautifully and simply decorated inside, with a whole wall dedicated to a wine selection. There is a bar at the end of the room, and a separate dining room behind the wine display.
The restaurant is connected directly to the Yaramar hotel, so you can stroll inside from the hotel lobby, but as far as I understood it is not operated or managed by the hotel.
There is a small covered terrace with cozy seating options outside, and big windows let a lot of natural light to the restaurant.
Vinea: The Food
The menu was fairly short, but well-distributed options even for someone like me, who doesn’t eat meat.
They had a dedicated selection of steaks, a variety of salads to choose from, a small selection of starters, a few pasta dishes, and even a kids’ menu (fairly limited fast-food type of dishes only).
Everyone at our table ordered a salad as we did not want anything heavy for a late lunch.
Safe to safe, they more than delivered on something as simple as a salad dish.
Everything was presented beautifully and only the freshest ingredients were used. I was very impressed with my beetroot and feta salad – it’s rare to see a restaurant using good quality feta cheese and you can really tell the difference. The flavours were beautifully balanced with beetroot and balsamic vinegar – I couldn’t get enough of it!
My companion had chicken Ceasar salad, greek salad, and marinated salmon salad – all received compliments all around.
The dishes were beautifully presented and very reasonably priced.
We also shared a starter of fried halloumi and finished the meal with a Pavlova cake.
Vinea: Overal Impressions
The service was one of the highlights of the dining experience – our waiter was very attentive, professional, and accomodating, something you don’t experience often when dining anywhere in Fuengirola.
If you’re looking for good food on Paseo Maritimo, Vinea is one of the safest options to try. Sure, it does not have the sea view (unless you’re sitting at the terrace area) and large outdoor space, but it makes up for it with delicious food served in a relaxing atmosphere.
On a Saturday night they normally also have a free program with live music, which was surprisingly good and we enjoyed a lovely Saturday night meal there too.
Pay them a visit and let me know how you liked the food!
Restaurant Details
Location: P.º Marítimo Rey de España, 64, 29640 Fuengirola,
Menu: check on Facebook page
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