In the heart of Nueva Andalucía, one of Marbella’s most elegant and tranquil neighbourhoods, Samna is a Mediterranean fusion restaurant quietly making waves on the Costa del Sol.
The visionary behind it is internationally acclaimed chef Meir Adoni, who also hosts exclusive monthly Chef’s Table dinners. Day-to-day, Executive Chef Olha Kovernikova leads the kitchen, while General Manager Todor Parvin oversees the restaurant.
Samna feels almost like an oceanic sanctuary. A striking wave-like wooden ceiling mimics the movement of the sea, while deep-blue glass columns and raw black marble give the room a distinctive identity, far removed from the usual Marbella flash. A biodynamic lighting system gradually shifts from warm sunset tones to a darker, more intimate evening glow.
We hit the jackpot on the night we visited: Adoni himself was there.
Samna Marbella features and open kitchen, where Chef Meir Adoni and his team prepare his internationally acclaimed dishes blending traditional Middle Eastern and North African flavours with classical French training and global culinary techniques.
Just like a composer blends individual musical notes into a single symphony, Chef Adoni harmonises ingredients from all corners of the Mediterranean, marrying the rich, smoky spices of the Middle East and North Africa with the fresh, elegant culinary traditions of Southern Europe.
The restaurant is also particularly attentive to allergies and intolerances. Dietary restrictions are dealt with thoughtfully, without making the resulting dishes feel like second-best alternatives.
Luckily, neither my companion nor I have any food issues, so we began with kubbana, a brioche-like bread served with tomato and a green herb and spice sauce. Sweet, aromatic and gently spicy, it was the kind of opener that immediately sharpened the appetite.
The raw bar is particularly strong, with crudos and ceviches that reflect Adoni’s talent for combining Mediterranean ingredients with Asian and Middle Eastern flavours. The Samna ceviche of hamachi with mango, shallots and nut crumble is irresistible, while the tuna tartare, served on potato gratin with tomato consommé, is beautifully balanced and surprisingly delicate.
From the left: Tuna tartare on potato grating with cristal clear tomato consome; kubbana bread with tomato and fiery shug sauce; White Velvet – a mango tart finished with buttermilk foam and peppery nasturtium leaves.
For our main course, we chose the slow-cooked lamb, considered one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. After seven hours in the oven, the meat is deeply flavoursome and so tender it almost falls apart on contact with the fork. It comes with vegetables and freekeh, the traditional Levantine green wheat grain whose nutty texture sits somewhere between brown rice and barley.
Dessert was inevitable. I chose White Velvet, a multi-layered mango tart with chocolate yoghurt crumble, cherry sorbet and a light blanket of buttermilk foam. Rich, fruity and indulgent, it nevertheless avoids becoming too heavy.
My companion went for the affogato with halva. Instead of stopping at the classic combination of hot espresso and vanilla ice cream, Adoni adds shaved sesame halva. As the espresso melts the ice cream, the halva begins to dissolve into it, bringing an earthy tahini note and leaving its distinctive flaky texture at the bottom of the glass.
Samna Marbella is at its best for diners who prefer quiet elegance and ambitious cooking to the louder side of Marbella nightlife. The setting is beautiful, but it is Adoni’s distinctive way with flavour, interpreted by Kovernikova and her kitchen team, that gives the restaurant its real personality.
Book your table HERE.
Author: Lina Ress
Planning a trip to Marbella? You may also enjoy spending a day at Nikki Beach. See our review, HERE.
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