​TORRE DE ANDALUCIA
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LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Los Farolillos
This is on any interpretation the best local restaurant and the best value local restaurant of all. It is mainly a pizzeria but does a wide variety of meat and fish recipes. Please note however that it is closed on Mondays. It is open for lunch between about 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm and in the evenings from about 7:30 until about midnight. This is also the best bet for all vegetarians as they do a wide selection of pastas and pizzas. You can do much worse than eat at Los Farolillos every single night of your stay (apart from Monday when they are closed). You are always made very welcome and you will be amazed as to how good value the food (and drink) is. It is owned by Juan, and if he recognises you on a second occasion he will always make a fuss of you.
From the Torre walk down the hill and turn right at the roundabout on the road towards San Pedro. Do not turn right at the bend by the chicken bar but go straight down the hill towards San Pedro and Calle 17B is on the left by the tobacconist. Los Farolillos is approximately 100 metres on the left.
VIVO LOS FAROLILLOS
Manuelos
Next door to Los Farolillos. It is the place for traditional Andalucian dishes and a regular for local Spanish residents.
Mammalina
As you make your way down the hill towards San Pedro turn right into Avenida Gustavo towards La Campana Village. Mammalina is next to Cocos. Once the Bar de Oro, the pool table and dartboard have all disappeared in favour of extra seating and an excellent menu. Since El Churrasquito closed down, what is offered for the menu del dia is the best in town.
Taj Mahal
Tel: 952 81 47 19 (takeaway service available too)
At the last count there were at least two Indian restaurants in close walking distance of the Torre. The Taj Mahal is, in our view, the better of the two. It is run by Sri Lankans and has the usual Indian menu.
From the Torre go down the hill to the roundabout. Go straight over towards the Gym and La Caixa bank and walk down the hill towards the post office. The Taj Mahal is on your left. It is very close to Vibekes (See Car Hire)
Pegatty’s
Proper Fish & Chips and a lot more too. Opposite the entrance to the Torre just down the hill on the right hand side. not cheap but wait until you see the size of the fish. Although they have recently reduced both prices and portions.
Chateau Briant
The first restaurant on your right as you pass the Supermercado Sol at the bottom of the hill and just before the steps up to Johnnys Bar. The menu del dia is €9 for a full and fantastic three courses including a drink. The evening menu del dia is €10.
Johnny Bar
On the balcony overlooking the roundabout. Very friendly. He has been there years and is as much a part of Nueva Andalucia as the Torre itself. Try the meatballs (Albóndigas) Johnny’s Bar is a bar/ restaurant so it's a great place for just a drink.
La Campana
Another long established local restaurant and a favourite of many Torre residents.
The Bull & Grape
Down Calle de Los Jazmines towards the post Office and the Taj Mahal restaurant you will find the Bull & Grape on the right hand side below the Chinese restaurant. I was immensely disappointed at first as we had lost Yves Bar and there was no longer a pool table nearby but one visit to the Bull & Grape changed all that. I very much hope they have managed to keep it going they were by no means busy when we visited but the food was outstanding.
Magna Cafe
Go to the Golf Courses page on this site for directions and the link to the Magna Marbella website. At the Magna Bar and Cafe whether after golf or otherwise is a pleasant experience. The panoramic view from the balcony overlooks the course and the surrounding area. The restaurant is exceptional
Yanx
This is a little further afield but a particular favourite of ours particularly on Saturday (Bullring Market Day) but great any time of the week. A great all round menu and very pleasant. On the plaza just north of the Puerto Banus Bullring. Very busy on Market day.
Terra-Sana
The Terra Sana is also a little further afield and is located in the square next to the Casino Hotel. But is very much the healthy option and very worth a visit. Salads, smoothies, wraps, sandwiches with special recipes and home made dressings. The colourful décor, the freshest ingredients and a second-to-none vegetarian selection. Laid back music too.
SAN PEDRO RESTAURANTS
Our starting point is the beach promenade in San Pedro, adjacent to the development now known as Nueva Alcanrara. Whether on season or off season the chirinquitas are all enjoyable and the beaches are now all kept so well with the usual exercise machines on the promenade for you to work up an appetite and playground facilities for children.
The beach walk is now open all the way from Puerto Banus to San Pedro and the distance ids not to far and a pleasant stroll. Either try taking the L-4 bus to the Port and walking along the beach to San Pedro or even walking down the hill through the underpass and stroll straight on to the beach.
The L-4 bus will take you into the San Pedro town.
El Abrevadero
Our favourite chiringuita. Exceptional fish all the year round. Without doubt the best on the San Pedro Sea front. Even in the high season you are never rushed. We last visited with three generations of a large family and spent a pleasant afternoon enjoying the excellent and friendly service.
La Pesquera
La Pesquera is a long established restaurant chain with restaurants in Marbella and Puerto Banus. We feature La Pesquera in San Pedro because we visited it recently with friends and enjoyed the occasion, the atmosphere and the service very much. It is also a very safe bet if you want to take someone out for an evening. It is located on the West side of the beach promenade in San Pedro (often called Nueva Alcantara) and overlooks the sea. La Pesquera in Puerto Banus is situated at the East side of the Port. They offer traditional Andalucuian recipes, fish and shellfish dishes. We prefer La Pesquera in San Pedro but both restaurants were delightful. La Pesquera is harder on the wallet than most of the equally delightful restaurants along the front in San Pedro.
Bar Rafa
Right on the East side of the San Pedro promenade. Excellence meat and fish dishes and traditional Andalucian recipes all week long. Maybe this is another one that we should have kept to ourselves. Like Chinales below, It’s busy enough already. Try the mixed fish plate for two people but make sure you have more than two people if you hope to finish it. The best paella around too. For the best Paella in town try Rafa’s on a Sunday but you may need to book.
Ristorante Bel Mare
Right next door to Bar Rafa facing the sea. We went in one Sunday because Rafa’s was so busy we could not get a table. It was a very pleasant alternative that can hold it’s own against most of the competition. There is at least the opportunity of a sea view whilst you dine, which is something, alas, that Rafa cannot offer.
Ristorante Chinales
In the centre of town, this restaurant is situated on both sides of a small pedestrian street, Calle Pozo. This is our favourite fish restaurant of all (with Rafa’s Bar and Los Patos of course coming a close second) The most excellent tasting fresh fish every time,cooked in the usual Spanish ways. This is the place to come with a group of four to six and share a number of plates of fish. Expect a queue and a sometimes long wait for a table. It will be worth the wait.
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS FURTHER AFIELD
(You need a car or cab)
La Parcela
We are still not sure whether we should have tried to keep this one a secret. A little bit more expensive than restaurants in the village but still not as expensive as the Port. Get onto the Carretera (N340) the coast road going west towards Estapona. Go past San Pedro and turn off the road at the sign “Cambio de Sentido Cancelada”. This exit brings you to a roundabout. Take the one o’clock exit as if you were almost going back onto the coast road again but you are not going on to the coast road, you are going on to a slip road signposted to Cancelada. Approximately half a kilometre later turn right. After approximately 100 metres turn right and another 100 metres on the right hand side is La Parcela. This is the best restaurant we have been to in Spain. Very nice decor too.
El Carnicero
El Carnicero is to be found in Cancelada and if you follow the directions to La Parcela above, you will see El Carnicero immediately before you take your last right turn la Parcela. Also look out for El Carnicero 2 in Marbella.
Mandarin Palace Chinese Restaurant
Take the main coast road (N340) in the direction of San Pedro. Go past San Pedro towards Estapona. Turn off at the Cambio de Sentido de Cancelada. Turn all the way around and back the way you came from. The Hotel Santamarta is signposted on the right hand side. Follow the road down to the the Hotel Santa Marta used to have a lovely beach club, pool and bar and was the location of the wonderful Yin Yang restaurant, but alas no more.
The Mandarin Palace is on the main slip road before you turn down towards the beach. It is owned by Mr Leung, the brother of the owner of the Mandarin Palace Restaurant in Gants Hill, Essex for those of you who have a knowledge of East London.
El Relicario
On Calle de la Concha, a slip road to the south side of the carretera (A7) just West of San Pedro. Charming decor, built in an old granary.
Taberna Del Alarbadero Restaurant and Beach Club
Carretera de San Pedro a Ronda Km 167 29679 Benahavis
TIPPING
The Spanish are fairly relaxed about tipping etiquette, however service is not usually included in restaurants and it is customary to leave the spare change in a bar restaurant, or up to 7 to 10% of the total in a smarter restaurant. It is more common for the posher restaurants to expect it and many of the posher restaurants in Marbella and Puerto Banus include Service or adding it to your bill.
Taxi drivers and bartenders may be tipped less, a few coins is sufficient in either case.