Yzabelle Bostyn
EL Pimpi Marbella has opened its doors with help from Mask of Zorro star, Antonio Banderas.
The famous Malaga bodega is spreading across the Costa del Sol, with a new restaurant inside Marbella’s Puente Romano Beach Resort Hotel.
A chic rebirth of the original, the venue was inaugurated by Malaga native actor and director, Antonio Banderas.
The Puss in Boots star is also part owner of the new bodega, alongside Elena Cobos and Pablo Gonzalo.
READ MORE: Iconic Malaga restaurant will expand for the first time and open new venue before the summer
Photo: Ayuntamiento de Marbella
Banderas unveiled the barrels with an autograph, wishing the premises ‘good luck’.
El Pimpi Marbella has a small bar area for tapas, which will be served for a few hours everyday, alongside the restaurant’s gastronomic offer.
It will officially open to the public today, Friday, May 10.
During a press conference, the proud owners claimed the venture came from a shared love of all things Andalucian, including El Pimpi and Puente Romano.
Banderas has a life-long love affair with El Pimpi having gone to the restaurant for the first time at just nine-years-old.
He said: “I took my first girlfriend to dinner at El Pimpi all the time, I also shot a film there (El Camino de los Ingleses) and I practically live on top of it.”
READ MORE: Why you NEED to visit Malaga’s iconic El Pimpi restaurant, part-owned by Antonio Banderas
The actor also has strong ties with Marbella, as he wrote on the barrel: “My daughter Stella was born here and now Pimpio 2.0 too. Full circle.”
Banderas inaugrated the bar and restuarant by signing one of their iconic wine barrells.
Photo: El Pimpi Marbella/Instagram
The venue was inaugurated with true Andalucian flair, with a flamenco show, tapas and plenty of wine.
The owners hope the restaurant will serve as a ‘starting point’ for customers to experience ‘the flavour and history of Malaga’.
Diners can expect Pim-pi prawns (€24), fried aubergines with cane honey (€15), Andalucian cheese platter (€30), seafood including fried anchovies or marinated dogfish (€18) and for those who like the finer things, there’s also Riofrio organic caviar (€150).
The interiors of El Pimpi are traditional with modern touches.
Photo: Puente Romano
The El Pimpi owners contacted Puente Romano, to solve the lack of Spanish food available at the hotel.
Daniel Shamoon, co-director of Puente Romano said El Pimpi was the ‘perfect’ venue, he said: “For me bringing the heart of Andalucia to Puente Romano has been the best decision.”
The opening ceremony was also attended by the mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz.
Bodegas El Pimpi has been an icon of Malaga ever since it opened in 1971 and now employs over 200 people in the region.
