Paella is the typical Spanish dish par excellence, but there are many delicious recipes cooked with rice in the Mediterranean. Here we are going to discover must-visit chiringuitos or beach bars if you want to eat a good rice dish in Marbella. We are also going to mention some surprising dishes worth trying, such as black rice, creamy “meloso” rice or a recipe without rice, but very similar to paella, called fideuá.

On the other hand, a good lunch or dinner needs a special place to stimulate all the senses and enjoy it to the full. So, there is nothing better than enjoying spectacular sea views, with the roar of the waves, the infinite blue on the horizon and the cool breeze caressing you. So we have chosen beach bars in different areas of the Marbella coastline, which for us are essential.

Top beach bars in Marbella for a good rice dish

Marbella Club - Mc Beach

This legendary hotel on Marbella’s Golden Mile, the place where glamorous Marbella began, has numerous catering options on its premises. Any of them are a safe bet, as they are very elegant, beautiful places with first class service.

The hotel’s best-known beach bar is its Beach Club, with its 1950s Acapulco style and refreshing Mexican-style menu. However, the Marbella Club Hotel has another treasure on the beach. This is the MC Beach. This is a beach bar with all the flavour of traditional Malaga beach restaurants, but with a touch of subtle sophistication in its white and blue décor. Its menu is full of fresh local fish and seafood, although it is also a place for meat and sushi lovers. Among its rice dishes there are suggestive proposals such as paella de secreto ibérico [paella with Iberian pork fillet] or fideuá (which is made with noodles instead of rice).

Taberna del Alabardero Beach Club

With a great respect for the traditional flavours of Andalusia as the flagship of its cuisine, rice dishes and paellas are the stars of Alabardero’s tasty menu. More than a dozen rice dishes, some with seafood such as octopus, lobster, scallops, langoustine or prawns, and others from the land, such as chicken, vegetables, mushrooms or oxtail, create an incredible fusion that explodes on the palate. Among their recommendations is the rice with tripe, Iberian criollo de bellota and fried eggs, a strong and original proposal. Of course, they will give you great advice on the wine and it is a good idea to try to leave some room for dessert.

La Milla

With a terrace in the middle of Nagüeles Beach, it offers one-hundred-and-eighty-degree sea views. It is easy to find as it is in the Puente Romano area. It has its own sun loungers in case, once you have finished lunch, you want to enjoy a day at the beach or a typical Spanish siesta.

In the evening the sunsets are also amazing, if you dine early. They bring the raw material from the coast of Malaga, Tarifa, Granada or Almeria, ensuring the best catches. In their cellar there are more than eight hundred types of national and international drinks and they are expert creators of cocktails. You can really experience the sensation of a culinary feast when you visit them. As regards their rice dishes, the clams with green sauce is a must.

Beach bars with a local flavour to eat rice in Marbella

Los Sardinales

Since the mid-nineties, the family business that runs Los Sardinales has been trying not to lose its essence and to offer the best of Malaga’s cuisine. Located in the urbanisation Alicate Playa, in the paradisiacal Marbella East, eating in its restaurant-chiringuito means soaking up the local atmosphere.The ‘Paella Ciega’ [Blind Paella] stands out in its menu of rice dishes. It is so called because you can eat it even with your eyes closed. The chef ensures that all the elements of the recipe are cleaned and peeled, without any seafood skin or any other element that could ‘get in the way’. It is therefore a great option to order with children if you want the paella to be easier to eat.

Another speciality not to be missed is the arroz negro or black rice. This rice dish is for people with a high tolerance to the taste of seafood, as the colour is obtained from octopus and/or squid ink, which gives it a very peculiar flavour. To accompany it, they usually use an Alioli sauce (a kind of garlic mayonnaise that may or may not contain egg) which creates a very fresh contrast with the rice.

Ahí te quiero ver

In the wonderful Playa Real de Zaragoza you will find one of the most historic beach bars in Marbella, as it has been operating since the seventies. From a small place where the typical Spanish potato omelette was served with a cold beer, it has become a reference point for Marbella’s beach cuisine. From father to son, the recipes have been passed on to the next generation with wisdom, adding a few more modern touches.

As for paellas and rice dishes, it is a temple of flavour. Its “meloso” rice dishes stand out with a more watery and creamy touch, similar to the Italian risotto style. Of this type, the spider crab or octopus with prawns are spectacular. They have also thought of a very interesting option for vegetarians. It consists of a wonderful spicy vegetable paella.

There is a very wide range of good rice dishes in Marbella as we have seen. But remember is a product that needs at least twenty minutes of preparation, so it is much better to order it in advance or order some starters to whet your appetite while you wait.

We hope you will try some of the places we recommend!

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