2 Best Restaurants in Benalmadena, Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria

If you've done any traveling on the Costa's main A7 highway, you've doubtless spotted this place, high in the pine-clad hills above the village—the views from the dining room stretch all the way to Africa on a clear day. The dishes, made with the freshest ingredients, have a definite touch of northern Spain, and the restaurant and tapas bar are both popular with a sophisticated Spanish clientele. Highlights include traditional stews such as fabes con almejas (beans with clams), creamy rice with king prawns, and steaks grilled over oak wood embers. There's an extensive wine list.

Perched on the hillside on the way up to Benalmádena-Pueblo, next to the small municipal golf course and with panoramic views of the coast, this restaurant is a favorite with locals for lunch in winter and dinner in summer. The glass-box-on-stilts exterior gives way to a modern interior, where wooden beams and steel pipes crisscross the ceiling. Start with a classic ensaladilla rusa (potato salad), and follow with spicy pimentos with shrimp or the house oxtail stew. Most dishes come in half or full portions, ideal for sharing. Closing time is 9 pm, so late dinners are not an option.