Tony García Espacio Gastronómico

A plant-forward contemporary restaurant in Almería that earns two consecutive Michelin Plates and a We're Smart five-radish rating — at mid-range prices

At the €€ price point, Tony García Espacio Gastronómico delivers more ambition than you would typically expect from a gastrobar on Avenida del Mediterráneo. Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and a top-tier We're Smart recognition for vegetable-forward cooking confirm this is not an accidental overachiever. For visitors to Almería who want a serious contemporary meal without the cost or formality of a destination tasting-menu restaurant, this is the clearest recommendation in the city. If you are comparing it against Ginés Peregrín or Travieso, Tony García sits in the same price band but with a more distinctive culinary identity built around Almería's agricultural produce.

What to expect on a first visit

The restaurant occupies the ground floor of the Avenida Hotel, which means street-level access and an interior that signals casual intent from the moment you walk in. The entrance is decorated with colourful vegetables — a deliberate statement about what the kitchen values , and the dining room runs an entirely open kitchen. The atmosphere reads as relaxed and conversational rather than hushed and ceremonial. Energy levels sit somewhere between a lively neighbourhood restaurant and a modern bistro; this is not a room that demands silence, but it is not a loud bar either. For a first-timer, the open kitchen is part of the experience: you can watch the cooks work without it feeling theatrical.

On a first visit, the most direct entry point is the à la carte service or the executive set menu, listed as Miniature Cuisine. This gives you a range of the kitchen's output without committing to the full tasting format. The à la carte also lets you pace the meal at your own speed, which suits the relaxed room well. Booking for your first visit is easy relative to comparable Michelin-recognised restaurants elsewhere in Spain , Almería does not draw the same reservation pressure as, say, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona or Arzak in San Sebastián. A few days' notice is typically sufficient, though booking at least a week ahead is sensible if you have fixed travel dates.

How to approach a second and third visit

The multi-visit case for Tony García is genuinely strong, and the menu structure is designed to support it. There are three distinct formats beyond the à la carte: the Miniature Cuisine executive menu, the Fortuny tasting menu, and the Jara tasting menu, which is 100% plant-based. On a second visit, moving from the executive format to the Fortuny tasting menu gives you a materially different experience of the kitchen's range and technique. The Fortuny format is where the fusion between traditional Almería cooking and contemporary methods is most fully expressed.

The Jara menu is the reason Tony García has a We're Smart five-radish rating , the highest recognition the organisation awards to vegetable-forward restaurants. We're Smart visited multiple times and specifically noted the evolution of the plant-based offering, describing it as something the region can be proud of. For a third visit, or for a diner whose primary interest is vegetable cooking, Jara is the menu to choose. In the context of Spain's broader fine-dining scene , which includes restaurants like Azurmendi in Larrabetzu and Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María that have built serious credentials around sustainability and produce , Tony García's plant focus is credible, not just a menu addition.

Spacing visits across the Miniature Cuisine menu, the Fortuny menu, and finally the Jara menu gives you three genuinely different experiences of the same kitchen. That is an unusual return on a single restaurant, particularly at the €€ price level.

Practical details

The restaurant is on Avenida del Mediterráneo, 281, ground floor, within the Avenida Hotel in Almería. Given the easy booking conditions relative to its award profile, there is no need to plan months ahead , but if you are travelling to Almería specifically to eat here, confirming a reservation before you arrive is worth the two minutes it takes. The open kitchen and gastrobar character mean dress code expectations are informal. Groups and solo diners both fit comfortably in the format. For a broader look at what else Almería offers, see our full Almería restaurants guide, and for context on where to stay, our full Almería hotels guide. If you want to explore the wider region, our Almería wineries guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest.