Review: Playa Bella in Estepona is well worth a visit – despite its lack of curb appeal

Situated on the side of the A-7 motorway between Marbella and Estepona, Playa Bella is not winning any awards for its curb appeal. 

But don’t let its dated signage and location fool you, there is some good grub to be had here. 

Founded in 1972, the popular restaurant is a shining example of a proper Spanish restaurant done right. 

Its founder Pepe is still running the show, and it’s a run like a tight ship, with attentive and fast-moving staff – an increasing rarity these days. 

The eatery specialises in meat and the steaks come out sizzling, with suckling pig one of its star dishes. 

Booking a table could not have been easier via their online reservation system, and their toilets are spotless, which is always a good sign. 

Upon arrival, we were seated and served with a free tapa of Russian salad and garlic bread. The tapa was fresh and as good as any other on the coast, but I would have preferred normal bread that hadn’t been spread with garlic butter. 

For my main, I opted for the grilled sea bass, which was cooked to perfection, topped with onions, garlic and chilli.

The fish was tasty, tender and completely bone free, and I would happily order it again. 

My companion opted for the fillet of sole au gratin with prawns and seafood. 

She adored the cheese sauce and gave the dish five stars, although she struggled to finish it. 

The dishes came with sliced potatoes and assorted grilled vegetables, which could have done with more seasoning. 

We also ordered a plate of chips after seeing a plate go past us – they did not disappoint.

For dessert, I decided to try the traditional torrijas, which is effectively Spain’s version of French toast. 

Playa Bella’s version was soaked in Pedro Ximenez, although there had been far too much soaking for my taste and I was unable to eat it, although the turron ice cream was tasty. 

My companion had the chocolate cake, which was very sweet and almost too rich.

While the desserts missed the mark, the main dishes made up for it. 

Overall, the Spanish Eye gives Playa Bella a four-star rating, making it Spanish Eye approved.  

So if you love sizzling meats and grilled fish and seafood, then it is definitely worth a visit. (see the menu below).