Manilva offers a unique combination of culinary delights and a relaxed lifestyle. The area is segmented into four distinct quarters, each possessing its own unique allure and character. From the historic Castillo de la Duquesa to the bustling Puerto de la Duquesa, residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of dining experiences, from traditional tapas bars to modern chiringuitos. (Pictured: Fried aubergine with cane honey.)
There’s a certain relief that washes over you the moment you realise Manilva isn’t trying to be anywhere else. Not the “new Marbella”, not a quaint Andalusian postcard, not the Costa’s answer to Saint-Tropez. It just is. If you live here—or plan to—that’s half the appeal. The other half? You can eat extremely well without needing to book six weeks ahead or wear sunglasses indoors.
So, for those with taste and time (and frankly, if you don’t have both, what are you doing in southern Spain?), here’s your edible day out—no nonsense, no tourist traps, just good food in good places.
- La Traviata Duquesa
📍 Plaza Alta, Puerto de la Duquesa, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 952 89 13 72
🌐 latraviataduquesa.com
📸 Instagram | Facebook
The view is the first thing. Boats bobbing like they know they’re being watched. Then the clink of a wine glass, the burr of a soft Italian accent. La Traviata is where you go when you’re after the real deal: hand-rolled ravioli, fresh sea bass grilled with barely anything on it (because it doesn’t need it), and tiramisu that ruins all supermarket versions forever. Order the Spaghetti alla Bottarga—not everyone will tell you to, but it’s rich, salty, and the kind of plate that makes you lean back and pause.
- Tasty Tapas Bar
📍 Puerto de la Duquesa, Local 26B, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 667 22 62 88
📸 Facebook
It’s tucked away just enough to feel like you discovered it yourself. The tables spill into the walkway, the wine flows even when you say “just one glass”, and the kitchen doesn’t mess about. These are tapas without the fluff—the chorizo in cider sizzles when it hits the table, and the berenjenas con miel (fried aubergine with cane honey) might not sound like much but it has an almost religious following. It’s the kind of place where locals nod at you when you get the order right.
- Bar El Refugio
📍 Calle Bolivia, 4, San Luis de Sabinillas, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 952 89 22 49
📸 Tripadvisor
No Instagram, no reservations, no pretense. Just tiled floors, cold beer, and a menú del día that changes depending on what’s been caught, cooked, or carried in that morning. Ask for the carne mechada if it’s on—a slow-cooked pork shoulder that comes apart like silk and sits in its own juices like it knows it’s doing you a favour. Sit by the bar. That’s where the stories happen.
- Amaka Beach
📍 Playa de la Colonia, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 690 04 80 23
🌐 amakabeach.es
📸 Instagram | FacebookYou come for the cocktails, you stay for the view, you remember the tuna tataki like a well-written line from a novel. This isn’t your typical chiringuito—it has ambition. The décor is minimalist, but the food is not. Music hums low and friendly. There’s a chance you’ll order something trendy by accident, but it’ll still taste like summer on a fork.
The local gastronomy is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on fresh seafood, grilled meats, and local wines. (Pictured: Grilled dorada.)
- Viñamar Sabinillas
📍 Calle Duquesa de Arcos, 53, San Luis de Sabinillas, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 952 89 12 08
📸 Facebook
A no-fuss spot where the fish tastes like it swam here an hour ago. The grilled dorada is what you want—golden skin, flaking softly, served with potatoes that seem to have absorbed the entire Mediterranean. House wine? Don’t ask, just pour. It’s sharp and citrusy and works beautifully with the salt in the air.
- Chiringuito Andrés y María
📍 Paseo Marítimo de Sabinillas, 29692 Manilva
📞 +34 952 89 15 29
📸 Facebook | Instagram
Sardines, done the only way that makes sense—skewered and slow-roasted over an open fire pit. They arrive blistered, fragrant, and entirely defenceless against your fingers. This is beachfront food at its truest. It’s not reinventing anything. It’s reminding you how it’s supposed to taste.
- La Casita
📍 Calle Fernando Pessoa, 2, 29692 San Luis de Sabinillas
📞 +34 952 89 29 43
📸 Instagram
The name feels right. La Casita is a bit like dining at a friend’s—if your friend were a classically trained chef with a knack for good sauces. Try the solomillo de cerdo con Pedro Ximénez, a pork tenderloin dish bathed in a sweet, nutty sherry reduction. It’s oddly comforting and sharp at the same time, a bit like Manilva itself.
This Is Why You Live Here
There are places you move to because of tax breaks, or space, or safety. But Manilva? You move here because on a Tuesday afternoon you can sip Verdejo, eat jamón that’s been sliced with more care than you’ll ever give to a spreadsheet, and talk to your neighbour about sea salt and real estate as if both matter equally. Which, let’s be honest, they do.
Thinking of living here? Buying a home on the Costa del Sol is not just about what it looks like—it’s about what your life tastes like.
Explore homes near these foodie haunts now:
🌐 www.ultimate-lifestyles.com
📞 +34 951 12 07 12
📧 [email protected]
Because life’s too short to eat in the wrong postcode.