Eat & drink

Restaurants

Nowhere on this list made it in because it's famous. It's here because we keep going back.

Estepona

Tapas Diez

Our go-to for a proper tapas spread, just back from the beach on the edge of the old town — order a handful of small plates and let the table fill up.

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Estepona

Taberna Diez

Local cooking with a modern twist, just up the street from its sister spot. Order the mussels and the gambas pil pil — we've never once skipped them.

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Estepona

La Cozzeria

Casual Italian right by the beach, with great pizza and pasta done simply and well. An easy, reliable pick.

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Estepona

Tacos y Tequilas

The best Tex-Mex tacos we've found anywhere in Europe, and the drinks hold their own too. Not what you'd expect to stumble on in an Andalusian old town.

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Estepona

La Tarantella

A step up from casual Italian — the pasta here is the kind you're still thinking about after you've left. Worth dressing up a little for.

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Estepona

La Casa del Rey

Elegant tapas in the heart of the old town — book ahead, it fills up fast and for good reason.

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Estepona

Brizola

A Greek spot that's become a genuine favorite of ours. The moussaka is excellent, and the portokalopita is something we think about between visits.

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Estepona

Berries Specialty Coffee

Our brunch spot, full stop. Good coffee, better food, and a nice easy morning.

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Estepona

Bardo

A great, unpretentious take on the local highlights — order a few plates for the table and share.

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Estepona

La Bulla Gastrobar

A slightly dressed-up night out with sea views, and a menu that goes a step beyond the everyday tapas place.

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Estepona

Chanchalay Bar

Easygoing bar and grill for when you want cold beer and proper bar food. The chicken parm and the parmesan garlic fries are the move — we're obsessed.

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Estepona

Heladería Ambrosia

Our favorite of Estepona's many ice cream shops. It gets busy at night — take a number and wait for it to be called.

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Estepona

Chiringuito África Beach

A classic beachfront chiringuito — sand underfoot, cold drinks, and a seafood paella we order every single time.

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Estepona

Malva Beach

A more upscale chiringuito with great vibes and food to match — good for an afternoon that turns into an evening.

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Estepona

AIRE Restaurante

White-tablecloth Spanish cooking with views out to the sea and Gibraltar. It's also the closest fine-dining option if you're staying at the Penthouse.

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Málaga

El Tintero

The one even Gordon Ramsay came to film — waiters run the floor with trays of whatever's fresh, and you just wave down whatever looks good. Get there early, order a jug of something cold, and let the food find you.

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Puerto Banús

Norte

Our favorite pinchos spot — waiters circle the floor with trays and you grab what catches your eye, then pay by counting the little sticks left on your plate at the end. There's an à la carte menu too, if you'd rather just order.

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Marbella

Genji Sushi

The best sushi we've found on this coast. It's small and gets packed the moment it opens, so go early — but it's worth the wait.

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Marbella

Candeal

Fine dining in Marbella, with a private dining room if you want something a little more special. The pick for an occasion, not a Tuesday night.

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Puerto Banús

Jack's Smokehouse

A proper steak-and-burger joint right on the marina in Puerto Banús, with views of the boats to match. Casual, satisfying, and a nice change of pace from tapas.

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By the water

Beaches

The stretches of coast we actually spend our own afternoons on.

Estepona

Playa de la Rada

Estepona's main beach, stretching the length of town right where all our apartments are. The water runs a little on the cooler side, but it's clean, chiringuitos and restaurants line the whole shore, there are volleyball nets in the sand, and you can rent SUPs or jet skis right off the beach. An easy, all-around good time.

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Manilva

Playa de la Chullera

Fifteen minutes down the coast and worth the drive — not sand but fine, almost sand-like pebbles, and cleaner for it. Big rocks rise out of the sea that you can climb and jump from. Quieter than Estepona's beach, though it still fills up in high season, and parking takes some patience — go early.

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While you're here

Things to Do

For the hours between the beach and dinner.

Estepona

Rent a Boat for the Day

One of our absolute favorites, and something we do every single trip — friends along or just us. Bring drinks, stretch out and sunbathe, and the boat anchors a few times along the way so you can dive straight into open water. There's always a chance of dolphins, sometimes even whales. A magical day, every time.

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Estepona

Tour the Old Town

Our guide is a good starting point, but don't be afraid to channel your inner Anthony Bourdain here. Get lost in the streets, stop for a drink somewhere that looks like the locals' spot, try the restaurant that catches your eye. You're guaranteed a good time.

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Estepona

Estepona Orchid House

A glass-domed botanical garden tucked into the middle of the old town — waterfalls, winding paths, and thousands of orchids from around the world under cool, humid air. It's a strange, lovely thing to stumble into between whitewashed streets, and a perfect way to escape the midday heat for an hour.

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A little extra

More We Love

No neat category for these — just things worth knowing about.

Estepona

The Markets

Three times a week the squares and promenades turn into a proper market town — Wednesday's the big one, rows of fresh produce and Andalusian souvenirs stretching the length of Avenida Juan Carlos I; Sunday's a slower wander by the marina for jewellery and crafts; and there's a small Bio Market for seasonal, organic goods grown just outside town. Go early, bring cash, and wear shoes you don't mind walking in.

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Estepona

An Evening in Plaza de las Flores

No agenda needed — grab a table at one of the restaurants ringing the square, catch the live music that plays through the summer season, and finish the night at the hotel's skybar overlooking it all.

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Estepona

Old Town Shopping

The old town is full of tiny boutiques hiding real deals on quality clothing — we're obsessed with the linen we find here, both men's and women's. Worth an aimless wander between market days.

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Further afield

Worth the Drive

Rent a car for a day and you can be somewhere completely different by lunch.

Marbella

Marbella

Marbella's worth the trip on its own — a livelier culinary scene, an endless run of shops, and a bigger-city energy than Estepona whenever you're in the mood for a proper night out.

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Málaga

Málaga

An hour along the coast for the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba, and a historic center that rewards a full day rather than a rushed one. Take the train and skip the parking.

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Sevilla

Sevilla

We love this one with our whole hearts. We've done a guided bike tour through the city twice — once just us, once a year later with friends — and it never disappoints: a beautiful city with endless dining and more worth exploring than a single day really allows.

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El Chorro

El Caminito del Rey

A boardwalk bolted to the cliffside a hundred meters above a river gorge — one of the most thrilling walks in Andalusia, and not one you forget. Book a guided tour, wear real shoes, and let your heart do a little work for once.

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Cádiz

Cádiz

One of the oldest cities in Europe, all salt air and crumbling grandeur — walk the old town, catch the sunset from La Caleta beach, and eat better seafood than you'll find almost anywhere else on this coast.

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