Costa del Sol restaurant holds onto top spot of best in Europe list

For the second year in a row, Los Marinos José tops the list of the best 'casual' restaurants in Europe. The list is published every year by the Opinionated About Dining (OAD) guide. The Fuengirola restaurant specialising in fish and seafood, headed by Pablo and José Sánchez and siblings, spent three years in third place and in 2024 it made it to first place.

This year it has once again topped the list, sharing it again with the Galician D'Berto (O Grove) and for the first time, the Italian Pepe in Grani, which takes third place away from Elkano (Getaria), which came fourth this year.

Other restaurants in Malaga province to appear in the top 15 are Hermanos Alba, which has climbed from 53 to 14 and among the top 100 are El Saladero in Vélez-Málaga (which goes straight to number 32) and Tánicos in Fuengirola (89).

Others are: Kutral, Ronda (154th); La Taberna de Mike Palmer, Malaga (166th); La Milla, Marbella (196th); El Campanario Golf, Estepona (219th); Chinchín Puerto, Caleta de Vélez (230th); Sidrería Usategui, Marbella (235th); Asador Don Joaquín, Pizarra (new at number 240); Arte de Cozina, Antequera (247); Marisquería Jacinto, Malaga (272); El Parador Playa, Benalmádena (282); Uvedoble, Malaga (284); Andala Marbella (288); El Yerno, Málaga (295); La Cosmopolita, Malaga (353); Tragatá, Ronda (369); Tragabuches, Marbella (423); Bar Fiesta, Marbella (453); El Higuerón, Fuengirola (550); Marisquería Godoy, Malaga (643); Yerbgüena, Campillos (720); El Pimpi, Malaga (762); Leña, Marbella (774); Restaurante del Candado Golf, Málaga (794); and Misuto, Malaga (863).

In the 'classical' category are Areia (208) and Grill Marbella Club (426). At Andalusian level, in the 'casual' section are: Bar FM, Granada (17), Cañabota, Seville (39); Casa Balbino, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (45); Jaylu, Seville (48); La Castillería, Vejer de la Frontera (53); and El Faro de Cádiz (64).

Opinionated About Dining started as a blog, but has grown into a respected international guide. It was New Yorker Steve Plotnicki who started it a little over a decade ago as a means of sharing his dining experiences. But he wanted to go further, and from giving his own opinions he went on to offer the results of a series of surveys carried out by some 8,000 voters. Today, the basis of the voting system is the experience of the voter.