After more than 60 years of history, El Fuerte, Marbella’s iconic beachfront hotel, has been completely reimagined for a new century. Recently opened as a 5-star property, El Fuerte has a new rooftop, home to the destination restaurant Edge by award-winning Chef Paco Pérez.

With much anticipation, hotel El Fuerte Marbella re-opened this summer, 2023 with a completely new look, enhanced facilities, impressive interior design, and sparkling new pools.

What’s more the hotel’s culinary offering has also been upgraded in line with El Fuerte Marbella’s new 5-star positioning. The gastronomy is headlined by Edge, the new gastronomic restaurant that has opened on the hotel’s spectacular rooftop. Here’s our take on this innovative and elegant fine dining experience in Marbella.

Security greets you as you approach El Fuerte Marbella. Without a reservation, the chances are you will not be allowed in to have a look around. But with a restaurant reservation, you can pass and head into the swanky new lobby area that opens to the garden terrace with fabulous sea views.

To the right are the elevators that will whisk you up to the rooftop, where the friendly team at Edge will greet you.

Travelling Mediterranean cuisine

The concept of Edge restaurant is ‘cocina Mediterránea viajera’. Here the menu designed by Executive Chef Paco Pérez showcases Andalusian Mediterranean produce, with preparations that reflect the history of the area and influences from further afield that have impacted and evolved the cuisine.

This is a contemporary Mediterranean restaurant, with an easy-to-navigate menu of 22 dishes and 5 deserts that focus on the region.  Chef Perez, whose restaurants have been awarded a total of 4 Michelin stars, commented at the launch that his goal was to ‘offer creative Mediterranean cuisine, based mainly on the local area and its produce. Our aim is to try to bring to the table the culinary fusion that has been evolving in the Mediterranean for so many years.

This is the place to enjoy classic Andalusian dishes (like Iberian ham, as well as anchovies, prepared in imaginative ways), fresh seafood and fish, deep-fried dishes prepared at 180 degrees, (like the typical cod fritters of Andalusia) and premium produce prepared over fire, on the Josper grill.

Horizon views

The setting of the restaurant is standout. The dining room is like a large glass box – its glass curtains fold open so the whole rood terrace becomes one expansive space. Cocktail tables are to one side, the bar to the other.  A few sofas create cosy clusters for al fresco pre-dinner drinks, with views of Marbella town and the Sierra Blanca mountain range.

The dining tables face out to the Mediterranean and the horizon – one really feels as if you are sitting at the edge of the sea with a privileged perspective, with great views of the hotel gardens, leading out to the promenade with the sea beyond.

The menu is well-priced with plates starting at 15 euro and nothing more than 45 euro (the most expensive dish is a red curry with crayfish which have been prepared on the Josper grill).

The wine list has been designed by sommelier Meritxell Falgueras. The selection is modest but tempting with Spanish and international choices and very well priced. Wine by the glass from 6,50 euros for an Albariño. Meritxell is quoted as saying, ‘My aim is for the wine service to be the finishing touch to an exceptional meal. For El Fuerte Marbella I have selected the most powerful, intelligent, intense, courageous and brave wines in the world to create an original list, with classics from surprising vintages’.

The cocktail list has been designed by Cristian Pineda, with a desire to continue the storytelling of this restaurant, with a vision to take diners on a journey in which various cultures, aromas and flavours merge. From the Hispania of the days of the Roman Empire and the legacy left behind by that civilisation on the Iberian Peninsula, to tributes to various expressions of Andalusian art, such as the beginnings of flamenco or the birth of cubism with Picasso.

Fine Dining

The experience is most definitely gourmet.  Our meal began with tasty pre-starters of sardines and tartlets with tuna and garum, evocative of the historic cuisine of the coast. 

If you want to have a real flavour of the south, you should order fried fish – it’s so good here. The classic deep-fried cod fritters ‘buñuelos de bacalao’ on this menu are given a lift with lemon & ginger – crispy on the outside and light and flavoursome inside.

The blue-fin tuna, from the fresh fish part of the menu, looked amazing with its oil and vegetable emulsion marbling. This is such a wonderful-looking dish.

The white prawn and avocado ceviche with elegant foam presentation is a winning summery, refreshing, flavoursome hit. 

We couldn’t resist ordering from the Josper Grill., You see the chefs working over hot ambers by the kitchen and tempting aromas occasionally waft over during the meal. So, we went for the Moorish-style Doruc pork ribs – served off the bone –  a delectable balance of meat and fat. 

The half lobster was also prepared on the charcoal Josper grill and served with noodles, and a seafood ‘Bolognese’ – with on point presentation.

Edge is a welcome addition to Marbella’s diverse dining scene.

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