MESA La Marina - Dénia — Restaurant in Dénia

What. A. Lunch.

We walked in with two tiny toddlers (3 years old and 1.5) expecting chaos and compromise — and left floating on a cloud of culinary bliss. This place is drop-dead gorgeous. Think Zen elegance meets earthy wabi-sabi. Soft lighting, natural textures, that “breathe and let go” kind of energy. I didn’t want to leave.

From the moment we sat down, we were in the best hands. Our waitress was an absolute gem — graceful, switched-on, and genuinely warm. We went for the tasting menu (x2) and it rolled out at the perfect pace — balanced, unhurried, divine. Eight courses that felt like a love letter to food itself.

The tuna? Silky, fresh, perfect. The salmon? Melt-in-your-mouth magic. The red prawn tempura from Dénia? Crunchy, light, addictive. The beef? Outrageously good. And the mochi? I’ve had mochi all over the world. This one wins. Airy, flavour-packed, gone too soon.

Even the kids’ menu was thoughtful and beautifully done — not an afterthought, but a proper little plate made with love.

Now, honest truth? The only thing I didn’t love was having my own kids with me (sorry, darlings) — because I wanted to stay. I wanted to linger. Next time, I’m coming back with my husband, no pram in sight, for a long, luxurious dinner with a glass (or three) of something crisp.

Still, big shoutout to the team for making it so easy with little ones — everything about this space was warm, generous, and soul-soothing.

We’ll be back. Next time, dressed...

MESA Marina is a welcome recent addition to the large selection of enjoyable restaurants at Denia Marina. It stands out from the crowd with its unique menu and elegant, air-conditioned interior with Japanese influences which carry into the Japanese-fusion menu. In the summer, this was a wonderful sanctuary from the neighbouring eateries which were crowded like sardine tins with people looking for a cheap all in menu. Here, albeit for a considerably higher price but well worth it, we had space, airco, elegance and a very attentive and professional staff. The wines have all been excellent and the menu has options for most tastes though you may need to decrypt the Japanese names on your phone to better understand the options. A vegetarian menu de degustation is also available. It was a surprise to find this is part of a chain of restaurants in this area, each with a different menu - - see https://www.mesadenia.com/ and for the MESA Moraira - https://www.mesamoraira.com/en/ - Mesa Benitachtell (Fusion BBQ ) - ...

I came here on a recommendation, ready for some Japanese-Asian goodness. The service was the highlight—Valentina, my waiter, was warm, friendly, and genuinely made the experience better.

The food was a mix. Sauces often stole the spotlight, leaving the sushi and tartare in the background. The gyozas were tasty but a bit saltier than needed.

Then came the “Wagyu A5.” For an A5, it was suspiciously dry—like it had forgotten it was supposed to melt in my mouth. Without the sauce, it would’ve been a bit of a desert trek. Not terrible, but if that was truly A5, I’d be surprised.

The matcha cheesecake, however, was lovely. Overall, great service, a few bright spots, but for the price, I expected a little more sparkle...