Five oceanfront lunches (or dinners)

Summer, as every year, unfolds before the traveler as the perfect time to visit restaurants, beach bars and beach clubs, facing the sea, where you can enjoy long appetizers, meals with endless after-dinner conversations or fun dinners at sunset. Travel to Ibiza in search of “El Silencio”? You can not miss the gastronomic proposal of the three Michelin star chef Mauro Colagreco or the nights to the Japanese rhythm in Urusai. The best of Greek gastronomy in Marbella? Discover Ammos Greek, a lively restaurant facing the Mediterranean where Greek flavors become the absolute protagonists. An old Civil Guard barracks on the beach of La Barrosa converted into a restaurant? You will have to travel to Chiclana de la Frontera to discover El Cuartel del Mar, one of the essential beach restaurants on the coast of Cádiz. There is no summer without Beso Beach! In addition to its classic restaurant in the waters of Formentera, you can enjoy its restaurants in Mallorca, Estepona, Sitges or Barcelona, its latest opening. The best of Italian gastronomy in front of the Costa Brava? Let yourself be caught, in front of a plate of pasta, by the spirit of the “Dolce vita” in Isabella’s Llafranc.

Hurry up, summer is slipping away!

EL SILENCIO, THE WILDEST IBIZA

Located in the small Cala Molí, in the heart of the island of Ibiza, EL SILENCIO has become one of the most anticipated reopenings of the season. It returns with a gastronomic proposal signed by the three Michelin star chef Mauro Colagreco, focusing on local produce and grilled cuisine. A menu, one hundred percent Mediterranean, which could not miss dishes to share such as its Peruvian ceviche, tuna tartar, prawn carpaccio, the photogenic and sophisticated grilled king crab with hazelnut butter or its complete salads. You can’t leave without asking for the “catch of the day”, with its delicious grilled turbot as the protagonist. This beach restaurant, designed by the Moredesign architecture studio, also has a “Pool bar” and chill out area by the pool, perfect for relaxing and enjoying a refreshing cocktail. As a novelty, this year they deploy in “Urusai”, their night proposal, an “Iberian izakaya” inspired by the gastronomy of Ibiza and the menus of the renowned Japanese restaurants in Paris, Ojii and Onii-San. In their menu you will find dishes to share such as their bull carpaccio and akami ikejime, the famous toro saando, sobas with red shrimp and pistachio, island vegetable tempura and fermented honey with black garlic, the refreshing fresh carpaccio of Ibiza tomatoes and shiso oil or the classic sushi temari. In the background, one of the best sunsets on the island.

AMMOS GREEK, GREECE IN MARBELLA

Travel to Greece without leaving Marbella, this is the proposal that AMMOS GREEK offers to those who sit at their cozy and bright tables. A local, located at the foot of METT Hotel & Beach Resort Marbella, whitewashed walls, polished stone floors and rustic furniture in soft tones bathed in natural light that manage to capture the essence of the Aegean coast and catch the visitor, transporting him to the heart of the Greek islands. An interesting and casual international project, born in Dubai, with a gastronomic proposal inspired by the authentic and most traditional Greek recipes. Fresh fish and seafood brought directly from La Lonja, such as its spectacular grilled sea bass, along with a wide variety of exquisite typical Greek dishes, such as tzatziki, souvlaki, mezzo, mousaka or the classic seafood orzo pasta with prawns, mussels, clams and squid, some of the star dishes of its menu. It is also the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail and long evenings with live music by the sea. This project, which also has a branch on the Pitiusa Island, in the busy Platja d’en Bossa, bases its philosophy on the concept of Greek origin “Meraki”, which is used to describe the fact of putting heart and soul, to leave a mark on everything that passes through our hands.

EL CUARTEL DEL MAR, IN FRONT OF THE ATLANTIC

A former Civil Guard barracks, located in the town of Chiclana de la Frontera, masterfully rehabilitated, with absolute respect for the environment, by architect Paula Rosales. EL CUARTEL DEL MAR stands as a large terrace overlooking the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean in Cádiz launched by Azotea Grupo, becoming its first opening outside the city of Madrid. Its gastronomy, in charge of chef Manuel Berganza, is based on the product as a starting point towards a search for the identity of the raw material through an honest cuisine with really creative touches. A fresh menu with a predominance of smoked grilled flavors, grilled whole fish pieces and a concept designed for sharing. Among its star dishes are the scallop tartar, fresh cream and roe, its red shrimp carpaccio, ajoblanco and oil from its heads, the classic tuna tartar, mustards and cured egg yolk or its red shrimp rice. Do not forget to ask about its latest opening, very close, Valhalla Gastro Beach Club, located on the beach of El Palmar, in Vejer de la Frontera, a project that combines gastronomy and leisure, with an interesting cultural and musical program that extends throughout the summer season.

BESO BEACH, NOT ONLY IN FORMENTERA

“There is no summer without Beso”, or so they say. BESO BEACH, which has become one of the most popular and successful Beach Club and beach restaurant concepts in Spain, has also managed to relocate from its first opening on the magical island of Formentera to open the doors of projects in coastal cities such as Estepona, Mallorca, Sitges, Ibiza and Barcelona, its latest and long-awaited opening. This concept, born in 2012 in the paradisiacal setting of Cavall d’en Borras beach, brings together everything we ask of the perfect beach restaurant: music, the best gastronomy and lots of fun. With locations in front of the sea and a gastronomic concept based on the 0 kilometer product, the different locations of Beso Beach have become perfect places to live unique experiences and enjoy the purest taste of Mediterranean gastronomy. The rice dishes become the protagonists of its menu. You can enjoy the classic paellas, fideuàs, such as prawns with aioli, or sweet rice dishes such as prawns or lobster. In its menu you will also find meats and fish or emblematic dishes such as lobster or lobster with potatoes and fried eggs. The music of their live DJ’s will make you do not stop dancing.

ISABELLA’S LLAFRANC, IN FRONT OF THE COSTA BRAVA

Located on the first line of the Mediterranean Sea, in one of the best beaches of the Costa Brava, ISABELLA’S LLAFRANC becomes a perfect place to let yourself be caught by the spirit of the “Dolce vita”. The best of Italian gastronomy in the middle of one of the most beautiful and photogenic coastal villages of the Girona coast. This cozy and sophisticated restaurant, with interior design signed by the acclaimed architecture studio Quintana Partners, which draws from the vintage heritage of the 60’s, fuses the most authentic Mediterranean flavors with the Italian culinary tradition, a gastronomic offer focused on local and proximity products. A menu that places homemade pastas at the center of the experience, classic recipes such as Spicy Lobster linguine, tagliolini al Pesto Genovese, pappardelle Alla Norma, spaghettoni mancini Alla Nerano with mussels, spaghetti Vongole or sea risotto, and fresh fish of the day such as sole Meuniere. There is also room for starters with a Mediterranean flair, perfect to whet your appetite and share, such as tuna carpaccio with Parmesan, fried calamari, burrata with tomato, fried fish of the day with Tartara sauce or bean, tomato and onion salad. On its pleasant terrace, overlooking the Mediterranean, you will enjoy the sea breeze and the sound of the waves.

Editor: Álex de la Rosa

Álex is a journalist and a reference in the world of gastronomy, creator of the successful blog “Que no me la den con queso”.