Best restaurants in Albuñol

La Costa

★ Michelin€€€€Contemporary, Mediterranean Cuisine

The western part of Almería province is famous for its huge greenhouses, a key feature behind its identity and its superb fruit and vegetables. Chef José Álvarez has successfully transformed this family restaurant combining tradition and modernity, basing his cuisine on strong flavours and a constant desire to surprise. The stars of the show here are fish and seafood from the locally named Alborán Sea, as well as local vegetables, usually sourced from small-scale producers. The chef demonstrates his commitment to the local area through his “Verde Mar y Tierra Azul” (Green Sea and Blue Earth) t

El Chaleco

Bib Gourmand€€French

A restaurant with a long history, now run by the daughter of the previous owners, who has managed to maintain its essence but with an exquisite professional touch. In the attractive dining room, divided into two separate spaces, guests can savour French-inspired cuisine which is somewhat unusual for this region. The cooking is mainly focused around two menus: a short 3-course option and a 5-course tasting menu (with good artisan breads and traditional dishes, like ravioli stuffed with prawns). Keep your eye out for regular themed menus (lobster, seafood special, anniversary, Belgian, etc.).

La Cantina de Diego

Bib Gourmand€€regional

A family-run restaurant located in the town’s old quarter, where you can choose between the summer terrace and two attractive dining rooms, both with a rustic, regionally inspired ambience. In the kitchen, owner-chef Diego Higueras focuses on technically uncomplicated traditional cooking that remains faithful to local, seasonal ingredients and is increasingly focused towards a “zero miles” philosophy (as an example, he produces his own olive oil and many of the vegetables are sourced from his own kitchen garden). The chef’s specialities include scrambled eggs with Monachil black pudding, fried

🕐 Tu-Th 20:30-22:30; Fr-Su 13:30-16:00,20:30-22:30

El Conjuro

€€€Contemporary

A minimalist family-run establishment, today successfully managed by two brothers, located in a fairly quiet coastal village, even in summer. They serve contemporary cuisine without constraints, based on the best coastal produce, select meats and the occasional Asian condiment. The menu, featuring house classics such as Kimuchi tuna or refreshing Ortiguillas, fried egg and cured yolk, is complemented by a section dedicated to offal and another to rice dishes for two (most of the latter only available upon reservation).

Barra de José Álvarez

€€Contemporary, Andalusian

A restaurant with its own distinct personality despite sharing its kitchen and wine cellar with its older sibling (the one-Michelin-star La Costa). It features a bar area and several bare wood tables where you can choose from a varied array of contemporary dishes, some with a “media ración” option, all prepared with top-quality ingredients, including excellent fish, seafood and meat. One standout dish that we particularly enjoyed was the “super-creamy vanilla flan”.

Espacio IME

€€Modern Cuisine

Located in a residential area of Motril, this is one of those restaurants that just might surprise you! The young chef at the helm, Iván Mateo, demonstrates expert technique, delicacy and personality when proposing a unique tasting menu (Aromas de la Costa). In it, through small and tasty bites, he wants to lead us by the hand through the seasonality of the environment, the Tropical Coast of Granada, with a special emphasis on seafood and subtropical fruits. Looking for a recommendation? We loved their Arroz de quisquilla, a superb dish that conquers palates for its flavour, with a potent fume

Elysium

€€€€Contemporary, Creative

In the heart of Valle de Lecrín, housed in a restored mansion overlooking the beautiful surroundings of Melegís in Granada, this restaurant adds a gourmet touch to the elegant boutique hotel of the same name. The couple at the helm, with chef Michael Sandoval (an American with Mexican roots) in the kitchen and Dutch-born Jasmijn Saft managing the front of house, have travelled halfway around the world through their work, but... fate brought them here to make their dreams come true! Michael, who sees the kitchen as his personal creative escape, trained under famous chef Thomas Keller, who has s

Ruta del Veleta

€€€Traditional Cuisine

Everyone knows this place as it has been run by the Pedraza family since 1976 and is considered a real dining institution in the province. Facilities include several function rooms for private events plus a main dining room that is particularly striking thanks to the typically Granada-style jugs (they say there are over 3 000 of them!) hanging from the ceiling. The extensive à la carte of traditional dishes and the restaurant’s setting in a Mudejar-inspired property have won it universal acclaim. A visit to the wine cellar is also a must.

Asador de la Reina

€€Traditional Cuisine

Utterly unique, as it occupies an old mansion located at the entrance to the Reina Isabel campsite, north of the town, this restaurant operates completely independently. The bar is dominated by two evocative maturing chambers and has two dining rooms with a regional feel, where chef Sergio Lara, known to everyone as ‘the crab’, offers a traditional grill menu, with select grilled red meats and a wood-fired oven where they roast with olive wood. Its extensive wine cellar helps you to choose the perfect pairing!