Diners at outdoor tables under bougainvillea outside Casanis Bistrot in Marbella Old Town

Best Restaurants in Marbella Old Town

2027: courtyards, squares and Michelin-listed cooking

By Live Love Marbella · Updated 18 October 2026

Marbella’s Old Town is the opposite of the marina: narrow white streets, little squares shaded by orange trees and restaurants tucked into townhouses and courtyards. It is where we take guests who want dinner to feel like Andalucía.

This is our pick of the best restaurants in Marbella Old Town, all inside the historic quarter, the Casco Antiguo. For the port, see our separate guide to where to eat in Puerto Banús.

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In this guide

  1. In brief
  2. The Orange Square
  3. Courtyards
  4. Michelin-listed
  5. Classics
  6. Skina has moved
  7. Elsewhere
  8. Tips for dinner in the Old Town
  9. FAQ

At a glance

Old Town dining in brief

Where
The Casco Antiguo, north of the Alameda park and the seafront
Heart of it
Plaza de los Naranjos, the Orange Square
Best for
Courtyard dinners, tasting menus and Andalusian classics
Getting there
On foot from the seafront; cars cannot get into most of the lanes

The setting

Around the Orange Square

Plaza de los Naranjos is the centre of the Old Town. According to Marbella’s town hall, the square was laid out after the Christian conquest under Ferdinand the Catholic, around the older Ermita de Santiago, and over the centuries it held the town hall, the jail and the house of the royal magistrate.

It was once known as the Plaza Mayor. Its current name comes from the orange trees planted in 1941. The terraces around it are lovely for a drink; for dinner, the best tables are usually a lane or two away. Our things to do in Marbella guide covers the rest of the quarter.

Courtyard dining

Courtyards and townhouses

Some of the Old Town’s most atmospheric meals are eaten behind a doorway you would walk straight past.

French-Belgian

Casanis Bistrot

French and Belgian bistro cooking in a restored historic townhouse, with escargots, coq au vin and bouillabaisse, plus a courtyard for warm evenings.

Book Casanis Bistrot

Organic

The Farm

Organic, seasonal Mediterranean food in a plant-filled historic courtyard, with good vegetarian and vegan options and regular live music and flamenco nights.

Book The Farm

Chef-led

Michelin-listed kitchens

Two Old Town restaurants are in the MICHELIN Guide’s Marbella selection. Neither holds a star or a Bib Gourmand, according to the guide in October 2026.

Creative Mediterranean

Candeal

On Plaza Blas Infante, in the heart of the old quarter, in a dining room styled like a bodega. The MICHELIN Guide describes chef Pablo Rebollo’s cooking as creative Mediterranean with the flavours of Castile and nods to his native Valladolid. Alongside the à la carte there are two tasting menus, Degustación and Gran Menú Degustación.

Contemporary Mediterranean

Casa Eladio

A family restaurant with a long history on Calle Virgen de los Dolores, with the third generation now in the kitchen. The MICHELIN Guide describes updated traditional cooking based on seasonal, local produce and focused on the sea. Alongside the à la carte there are two tasting menus, Esencia and Camino del Sur.

Since 1978

A long-running classic

El Balcón de la Virgen, on Calle Remedios, has served traditional Andalusian food since 1978.

Worth knowing

Looking for Skina?

Many older guides list Skina in the Old Town. The Michelin Guide now gives its address as Calle Cánovas del Castillo 9, in an old cortijo opposite the Parque de los Enamorados, which Michelin places on the Golden Mile. It is no longer in the historic quarter; our Golden Mile guide covers that side of town.

Every Old Town restaurant in this guide
  • Courtyard Casanis Bistrot, French-Belgian
  • Courtyard The Farm, organic
  • MICHELIN Guide Candeal, Plaza Blas Infante
  • MICHELIN Guide Casa Eladio, Calle Virgen de los Dolores
  • Classic El Balcón de la Virgen, Calle Remedios, since 1978

Beyond the Old Town

Eating elsewhere in Marbella

For marina terraces, see our guide to where to eat in Puerto Banús. Our city-wide guide to the best restaurants in Marbella is coming next.

All Marbella restaurants

Insider tips

Tips for dinner in the Old Town

  • Walk in. Most lanes are pedestrian; park outside the quarter or take a taxi.
  • Book courtyards early. The outdoor tables go first on summer evenings.
  • Wear flat shoes. The streets are cobbled and narrow.
  • Drink first, dine second. Take an aperitif on the Orange Square, then eat a few lanes away.
  • Check the Michelin listing. Tasting-menu restaurants change menus and days often.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the best restaurants in Marbella Old Town?

For courtyard dining, Casanis Bistrot and The Farm. For tasting menus, Candeal and Casa Eladio, both in the MICHELIN Guide’s Marbella selection. For a classic, El Balcón de la Virgen.

Are there Michelin restaurants in Marbella Old Town?

Yes. Candeal and Casa Eladio are both in the MICHELIN Guide’s Marbella selection. Neither holds a star or a Bib Gourmand, according to the guide in October 2026.

Is Skina in Marbella Old Town?

Not any more. The Michelin Guide now lists it at Calle Cánovas del Castillo 9, opposite the Parque de los Enamorados.

Why is it called Plaza de los Naranjos?

After the orange trees planted in the square in 1941, according to Marbella’s town hall.

Can you drive into Marbella Old Town?

Most of the old quarter is pedestrian. Walk in from the seafront or the Alameda, or take a taxi to the edge.

Dinner in the Old Town

Courtyards, tasting menus and classic terraces: one message and we take care of it.

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