Restaurant in Fuengirola, Spain
Aquaponic tasting menu with a strong sustainability case.
Sollo is a Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant inside Fuengirola's Reserva del Higuerón resort, built around chef Diego Gallegos's aquaponic production system — 90% of ingredients grown and raised on-site. Ranked in OAD's Top 300 European restaurants, it is the most technically and conceptually serious dining option on the Costa del Sol. Book four to six weeks ahead; this is not an easy reservation.
If you're serious about Sollo, request seats facing the open kitchen when you reserve. The counter positions give you a direct sightline into Diego Gallegos's aquaponic-focused kitchen, and given that the tasting menu (Caminho) is built around ingredients the restaurant grows and raises on-site, watching the prep unfold adds real context to what lands on the plate. Sollo holds a Michelin star and was ranked #287 in Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Europe in 2024, climbing to #336 in 2025 — a one-star restaurant at a Costa del Sol resort address is an unusual combination, and booking difficulty reflects that. Plan at least four to six weeks ahead for dinner; weekends fill faster. Walk-in availability is effectively zero for the tasting menu format.
Sollo sits inside the Reserva del Higuerón resort above Fuengirola, and the setting matters: the dining room has coast views that orient the whole experience toward the Mediterranean, even as the cooking philosophy pushes in a more experimental direction. Gallegos, Brazilian-born with Peruvian heritage on his mother's side, has built a restaurant around aquaponic production , the kitchen's R&D; laboratory raises freshwater fish while growing vegetables in a closed-loop symbiotic system. Ninety percent of ingredients are produced in-house. That is not a marketing claim; it is the structural premise of the menu.
The tasting menu, named Caminho (the Portuguese word for 'path' or 'road'), runs through Modern Spanish and creative cuisine with South American inflections and a recurring use of Riofrío caviar , an organically produced Spanish caviar from Granada province that Gallegos has championed for years. The menu is priced at €€€€, which puts it at the upper end of what you will pay for a tasting menu in southern Spain. For context, a comparable format at Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María or Azurmendi in Larrabetzu operates at similar or higher price points, both with more stars. At Sollo, you are paying for a concept with genuine scientific infrastructure behind it, not just for a chef's personal style.
The wine list at Sollo is shaped by the same provenance logic that governs the food. Expect a Spanish-forward selection with real depth in Andalusian and southern Spanish producers , a deliberate curatorial decision that mirrors the kitchen's commitment to regional sourcing. Pairings lean into biodynamic and organic producers where possible, which aligns with the aquaponic ethos rather than being a casual add-on. For the explorer diner, the pairing option is the right call: the sommelier team has clearly thought about how fermented terroir matches with aquaponic freshwater fish, and that intersection is not something you encounter often even at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona or Arzak in San Sebastián, where wine programs are broader but less thematically focused on sustainability credentials. If you are a wine drinker who cares about provenance as much as palate, the pairing here is more interesting per euro than the pairing at most comparably priced Spanish restaurants. Ordering à la carte from the list is possible but the coherence of the experience is stronger with the paired format.
Gallegos sits in an interesting position within the broader map of Modern Spanish cooking. He is not building a career on classical technique in the way that Martin Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria does, nor is he chasing the theatrical provocation of DiverXO in Madrid. The closest peer in terms of ecological ambition is arguably Aponiente, where Ángel León works with marine biology to rethink seafood. Gallegos does something adjacent with freshwater systems. The South American influence also connects him to Ricard Camarena in València in terms of cross-cultural Mediterranean cooking, though the execution at Sollo is more ingredient-provenance driven than technique-forward. His annual 'Diego & Friends' event, which brings together sustainability-focused chefs from across Europe, has helped build the restaurant's reputation beyond the Costa del Sol circuit , it is one reason the OAD ranking has stayed consistent across the 2023–2025 period despite the resort location, which can work against recognition in competitive European rankings. For other Modern Spanish creative dining options worth considering alongside a trip to Fuengirola, Cocina Hermanos Torres in Barcelona and Casa Marcial in Arriondas offer a useful point of comparison on format and price.
This restaurant is a clear yes for food and wine explorers who want a tasting menu built around a coherent ecological idea rather than a chef's personality or a regional tradition. The Michelin star and back-to-back OAD rankings validate the technical level. The setting at Reserva del Higuerón means you are staying or visiting a resort, which suits some travellers and feels peripheral to others , check our full Fuengirola hotels guide if you are planning an overnight around the meal. If you want direct Costa del Sol seafood at a lower price point, Los Marinos José is the better call. If the concept and the wine pairing interest you, Sollo is one of the most considered restaurants on the southern Spanish coast.
Book four to six weeks ahead for weekend dinners, and at least two to three weeks out for weekday slots. Sollo holds a Michelin star in a resort setting with limited covers, which means demand consistently exceeds availability. If you have a fixed travel date, book the day your dates are confirmed rather than waiting until you arrive in Fuengirola.
Smart casual is the baseline expectation at €€€€ pricing in a Michelin-starred resort restaurant. Jacket not required for men, but shorts and beachwear are not appropriate. Given the coastal resort setting, many diners interpret the dress code on the relaxed end of smart , clean, put-together evening wear works well.
The tasting menu format and open-kitchen layout limit large group flexibility. Pairs and tables of four are the natural fit. If you are planning a group of six or more, contact the restaurant directly well in advance to ask about private dining options within the Reserva del Higuerón resort. Do not assume standard reservations will cover a large party.
Yes, if the concept justifies the format for you. At €€€€ with a Michelin star, OAD top-300 European ranking, and 90% home-produced ingredients, Sollo delivers a technically and conceptually serious meal. It is not the most affordable way to eat well in Fuengirola , Los Marinos José or Charolais cost less and serve well. But for what Sollo is doing with aquaponic production and sustainability-driven tasting menus, the price is in line with comparable one-star creative restaurants elsewhere in Spain.
Yes , this is one of the stronger special-occasion options on the Costa del Sol. The combination of Michelin recognition, coastal views, open kitchen theatre, and a structured tasting menu creates a clear occasion arc. The wine pairing adds further ceremony. If the occasion is a food-focused celebration rather than a casual birthday dinner, Sollo fits better than almost anywhere else in Fuengirola.
The Caminho tasting menu is the only real format here, and it is where the restaurant's concept is fully expressed. The aquaponic provenance story, the South American-Mediterranean crossover, and the Riofrío caviar thread only make sense across the full menu sequence. Ordering around it, if that is even possible, would undercut what makes Sollo worth the trip. Add the wine pairing , the curation is intentional and the per-glass value at this level is strong.
Dinner is the primary format and the one most aligned with the full Caminho experience. Lunch, if available, may offer a shorter or lighter version , but confirm directly with the restaurant since service format is not publicly detailed. For the coast views, an evening sitting as the light fades over the Mediterranean is the more complete experience, and it matches the occasion-dining profile that most guests bring to Sollo.
Three things: first, this is a tasting menu restaurant , arrive hungry and allow two to three hours. Second, the aquaponic concept is not background detail; it shapes every course, so the menu will feel less varied in protein terms than a conventional tasting format. Third, the resort location at Reserva del Higuerón means you need a car or taxi , it is not walkable from central Fuengirola. If you are staying nearby, check our Fuengirola hotels guide for options close to the resort.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sollo | €€€€ | Hard | — |
| Los Marinos José | €€€ | Unknown | — |
| El Higuerón | Unknown | — | |
| Charolais | €€€ | Unknown | — |
| Restaurante Tánicos | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Sollo measures up.
Book at least four to six weeks ahead, especially for weekend evenings. Sollo holds a Michelin star and ranked #287 in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Europe in 2024, so demand is consistent. The resort setting at Reserva del Higuerón means some tables may open on shorter notice midweek, but don't rely on it for a special occasion.
The setting is a resort fine-dining room with coast views and an open kitchen, which signals a polished but not overly formal dress code. Neat, contemporary clothing fits the room — think dinner-appropriate rather than black-tie. The food is creative and ecological in concept, and the atmosphere follows suit: considered, not stiff.
Sollo is best suited to small groups of two to four. The tasting menu format and open kitchen counter seating are both oriented toward an intimate, focused dining experience. For larger groups of six or more, check the venue's official channels to discuss options, as the Caminho menu format may require specific table configurations.
At €€€€, Sollo is justified if the aquaponic and sustainability concept interests you, not just the Michelin credential. Ninety percent of ingredients are produced in-house through a working R&D; aquaponic system, which is a verifiable distinction rather than a branding claim. If you want coast-view fine dining without the ecological focus, El Higuerón nearby is a more straightforward fit at a lower price point.
Yes, with a clear caveat: the tasting menu format, Michelin star, and coastal resort setting make it a strong special-occasion choice, but the experience is intellectually led rather than conventionally celebratory. It works well for couples and food-curious guests who want a dinner with a clear point of view. For a more crowd-pleasing anniversary meal without the tasting menu commitment, consider Los Marinos José.
The Caminho tasting menu is the only format here, so the real question is whether tasting menus work for you. What makes Sollo's version worth considering over generic Michelin tasting menus is the coherence: every course connects to Diego Gallegos's aquaponic production system, South American background, and use of Riofrío caviar. Ranked #336 in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Europe in 2025, it has maintained sustained peer recognition since its 2024 Michelin star.
The coast views from the Reserva del Higuerón dining room are a genuine part of the experience, and daylight hours will make the most of them. If the setting matters to you alongside the food, lunch has an edge. Dinner shifts the focus squarely onto the open kitchen and the menu itself, which suits guests who are there primarily for the cooking.
Location
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