Food & Wine
Davero: an Italian success on the Spanish Costa del Sol
Looking for an Italian restaurant in Marbella that cooks with ingredients from Italy? Davero, a small family restaurant by the old fishing port, is the place.
Gita Simonsen
‘It’s probably the best Italian pizza I’ve tasted in my entire life,’ my partner said when he returned home from a night out with the lads when we were on holiday.
In short
Davero is a small, family-run Italian restaurant near Marbella's old fishing port, opened in 2014. The ingredients come from Italy, and the carbonara is made with egg, not cream. Book a table, as locals and visitors both come here. To stay in town with the beach on your doorstep, Amàre Beach Hotel is our first choice.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella
The links to the hotels and car hire are partner links. If you book through them, Picolo may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Wow, I thought. He's never spoken so highly of a restaurant in the many years we've been together.
‘Do you really mean that?’
‘Yes, and I’ve eaten a lot of pizza in my lifetime.’
I certainly know that's true. So, naturally, I got the whole group we were travelling with to goback to the restaurant. I just had to experience this.
Davero lies in the old fishing port in Marbella
The white facade is easy to miss. Look for the sign and listen for Italian.
A hole in the wall by the fishing port
Davero is discreetly situated between Quiron and the old fishing port, not far from Marbella's old town. The area is best known for its rich fishing history and is home to a variety of restaurants and bars. Davero looks like a simple restaurant. You could almost call it a ‘hole in the wall’, and it is easy to walk right past it. If you do stop, you will be able to hear the waiters speaking Italian to each other, which provides a kind of confidence in what is to come.
If you shift your focus further and use your sense of smell, you will undoubtedly be drawn into the restaurant. On closer inspection, Davero is a cosy restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. Come as you are and with whomever you want. Our group consisted of six adults and four kids, and there was enough seating outside for all of us.
A traditional, family-run restaurant
Davero is a family restaurant, where one brother and his wife serve the food, while his sister and her husband run the kitchen. The family came from Italy to Marbella and wanted to open a restaurant that was not necessarily typical of the area. This is no seafood restaurant.
In true Italian style, the owner enthusiastically explains that they wanted to touch the soul of their guests through the food they served.
"In 2014, we bought an old restaurant with no identity in a forgotten area of Marbella, and I think Davero is today the best place for authentic Italian food. People were very surprised when we first opened the restaurant because we focused on something other than seafood," he says.
Things were quiet when they first opened its doors.
"My wife and I spent our days watching films. We sat in the bar, and the hours passed without anyone coming. But we were in love and weren't going to give up on our dream of Davero. Over the past nine years, we've turned the place around, without ever touching any of the products or recipes. We have retained the main reason for our success, namely quality."
Gnocchi
Gnocchi in a golden, creamy sauce, spooned from the dish at the table.
Genuine Italian ingredients from Italy
Davero only uses ingredients from Italy. The restaurant receives deliveries of products and goods every day.
"Whenever we are on holiday in Italy, we always spend some time finding new products that we can add to the menu in the coming year. Based on that, we change the recipes and the menu, but the classic dishes will always be available at our place."
Burrata to start
Burrata with sun-ripened tomatoes, balsamic and a scatter of nuts. The olive oil is poured at the table.
Order a little of the entire menu
The secret to good Italian food is simple but really good ingredients, and a pinch of love for the food. The fact that it is not possible to hide behind anything makes it easy to find errors and deficiencies. I've been told that you can reveal the level of an Italian restaurant based on its pasta carbonara, and the one we were served that night testified to the quality at Davero.
We ordered a little bit of everything, following the chef's recommendations...
Angus Carpaccio, arguably the best carpaccio I've tasted, burrata pizza, a pasta carbonara made with eggs, no cream, and with truffle flakes and crispy bacon. We were served delicious orecchiette, cheese with a variety of hams, and the table continued to be filled with plates of various sizes. We finished with tiramisu, Nutella cheesecake, and panna cotta with pistachio. Everything was homemade, of course.
"Food is our philosophy," says the owner. He goes on to talk about his wife, who obviously means a lot to both him and the restaurant.
"My wife is the heart of the restaurant, she simply has a gift, which is a shame for all other restaurants, but lucky for us. Combined with good service and a lovely wine cellar, I think we have a recipe for success. That's what sets us apart from other restaurants in town," he says.
Pasta Carbonara
Homemade carbonara with crispy bacon and truffle flakes, topped with parmesan.
A wine cellar that warms your heart
Together with our meal, we are served a lovely, light rosé wine, which complemented both the food, the atmosphere, and the sea air. The restaurant has a large selection of wines, and it is clear that they have a high level of knowledge about the bottles that are stored neatly inside the room. If you want to sample something, they are more than happy to serve you a sip or two.
"My wine cellar is not just a selection of wine, but a personal collection that my guests have the pleasure of experiencing."
The owner goes on to say that for every wine they take in, there are at least 20-30 bottles that are rejected and that are not allowed to adorn the wine shelf.
"We want to serve the very best. We are talking about both award-winning wines and also undiscovered gems."
I ask him why they have such a strong focus on wine when they are a relatively small restaurant.
"It's simply because I have a kind of love affair with wine, the heart controls more than the brain. Every time we sell one of the wines I value the most, I don't sleep well at night," he says with a laugh.
‘Every time we sell one of the wines I value the most, I don't sleep well at night,’ he says with a laugh.
However, the price tag will nevertheless not scare you away. Here, you get generous portions at a very good price. If you want to try out the restaurant do make sure to book a table in advance, as its popular with both locals and visitors.
Order the carbonara, a pizza, and a tiramisu and anyone who loves Italian food will be satisfied...
Where to stay in Marbella
To walk to dinner, stay in town. If you would rather have the beach and the pool to yourself by day, stay out of town and take a taxi in for the evening. These three hotels cover both.
Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella
The hotel sits on the seafront promenade in the town centre, two minutes from Venus beach and four from Bajadilla beach. It is adults only, and guests under 16 cannot stay. Suits couples who want to walk out for dinner and stroll home along the sea.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella
Puente Romano Beach Resort
The resort is right on the beach along the Golden Mile, the stretch of coast between Marbella town and Puerto Banús. Inside the gates are five outdoor pools and around 20 restaurants and bars, with the tennis club a six-minute walk away. Suits anyone who wants beach days and pasta in the old town at night.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Puente Romano Beach Resort
Don Carlos Marbella
Don Carlos is on the beach well outside the town centre, a six-minute walk from Nikki Beach. There are two outdoor pools, nine tennis courts, a children's pool and a free kids' club. Suits families travelling with children, though you will need a car or taxi to reach Davero.
Book your stay: See available rooms at Don Carlos Marbella
Frequently asked questions about Davero in Marbella
Where is Davero in Marbella?
Davero sits discreetly between Quiron and the old fishing harbour, not far from Marbella's old town. The place is small and easy to walk past, but the smells and the Italian chatter of the waiters draw you in.
Who runs Davero?
Davero is a family restaurant. A brother and his wife serve the food, while his sister and her husband run the kitchen. The family came from Italy and opened the restaurant in Marbella in 2014.
Is Davero good for families?
Yes. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere where you can come as you are. Picolo's group of six adults and four children all got a table outside. Many people rave about the pizza.
Have a nice trip to Davero
Gita Simonsen
Car hire in Marbella
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With your own car, Ronda, Mijas and the white villages in the hills make an easy day trip.
