Samna Marbella – Review

Samna Marbella brings the flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean to Nueva Andalucía, just inland from Puerto Banús. Created by chef Meir Adoni, with executive chef Olha Kovernikova leading the kitchen, the restaurant hosts an intimate chef’s table dinner once a month.

A slice of seared tuna toro arrives beneath a shard of charcoal-dusted crisp toast, resting on artichokes, apricot, fennel and Kalamata olives, with bright green herb oil at its edge. Rich, cool fish against the snap of the toast, sweet fruit against briny olive. One mouthful in, it was already clear this would be one of the best meals I’ve had in Marbella for a long time.

The occasion was the chef’s table at Samna, the Nueva Andalucía restaurant from chef Meir Adoni, held once a month around a specially created menu. Samna is close to the Hard Rock Hotel Marbella, on the mountainside of the highway by Puerto Banús. It is an understated exterior, with an elegant Mediterranean terrace, yet once inside the restaurant has real impact, in terms of design, service and gastronomy.

Adoni’s gastronomy is Eastern Mediterranean at heart, shaped by the Moroccan dishes of his mother’s and grandmother’s kitchens. He now divides his time between Marbella and Cyprus, where his family is based, and while Samna remains unmistakably his restaurant, its kitchen increasingly reflects the hand of his Ukrainian executive chef Olha Kovernikova as well.

This Chef’s Table experience wove a few Japanese threads through the Eastern Mediterranean menu. Yuzu and shiso appeared alongside apricots and olives, and the raw fish was handled with real delicacy. The Japanese notes seasoned the cooking rather than defining it, adding freshness and a fine edge of acidity.

Dinner opened with a trio of small bites. A smoked white prawn tostada with tomato and Thai basil, scallop sashimi with mussels, squid and a parmesan tuile, and a warm foie gras tartlet with white anchovy, shallot and Osetra caviar. Each bite built in layers of temperature, texture and flavour, accompanied by a deliciously creative, deconstructed Bloody Mary with all the savoury, spicy flavour of the classic, yet in a clear pour.

The layering of texture and flavour of the opening bites continued through the evening. After the tuna toro came Moroccan octopus, remarkably tender, wrapped in vine leaves and served with tomato, aubergine, lemon and a sheep’s milk yoghurt, a dish with depth and freshness in equal measure. Slow-cooked lamb followed, falling from the bone as it was served table side, plated over buttery couscous with charred okra and dried apricots. Fresh herbs appeared everywhere, bringing brightness and balance to every plate.

The chef’s table may change monthly, but the à la carte menu gives a clear sense of the kitchen on any night. A raw bar offers Gillardeau oysters and a hamachi ceviche, while the Samna signature dishes include the kubbana bread with tomato and shug, plates of meze and Moroccan cigars. Starters such as hummus with oxtail sit alongside vegetarian dishes like roasted cauliflower with tamarind and tahini, and among the mains is a seven-hour lamb shoulder for two or three, served with vegetables and freekeh. To finish, there is a short list of desserts to share, among them the Malabi Rose.

The dining room deserves its own mention. Designed by Ukrainian studio YOD Group, it is crowned by a sculptural timber ceiling of concentric ripples, like rings spreading from a drop of water, which won the Ceiling category at the 2025 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. With deep blue glass columns and warm wood throughout, the space has an elegant, almost maritime style that suits the food, and its Ukrainian craftsmanship is a fitting echo of the kitchen it serves.

Service matched the cuisine. Toto and the front of house team were wonderfully welcoming and attentive. The chef’s table returns each month. I already have my eye on the next date.

The Luxury Editor attended as a guest of Samna Marbella.