A menu that rewards exploration is also one that can be hard to navigate on a first visit. Marcella’s is built around Spanish instincts: sharing, layering, drinking alongside eating rather than before or after it. The dishes are honest and the drinks are considered, but knowing where to start makes the difference between a good evening and a great one.
This is what to order at Marcella, section by section. For everything else happening on the best Spanish restaurants on the Yas Island scene, Marcella remains the benchmark.
Start at the Bar
Before the table, the bar. The zinc-topped 30-seater bar at the centre of the room is the right place to open the evening, and the cocktail list gives you a genuine reason to stay there longer than you planned.
The Olegroni is the drink Marcella is most associated with, and it earns that position. Olive oil-infused gin, Oloroso Sherry, red vermouth, olive brine, and Campari: it is a Negroni built for a Spanish kitchen, and it is exactly what you want in your hand while you look at the menu. The Señorita Martini, on vanilla vodka with sea buckthorn-orange blossom cordial and Cava sparkling wine, is the lighter alternative. The Dance with Fire with tequila reposado, spicy liqueur, and raspberry-padron is for the table that wants something with a harder edge.
If you are arriving between 3 PM and 6 PM, Pintxo Hour puts selected cocktails at 50% off. The Matador and the Crema are both worth ordering at that price. If you do not drink alcohol, the N/A Silencio and N/A Dance with Fire are built to the same standard as the rest of the list.
The Tapas: Order More Than You Think You Need
The tapas section of the Marcella menu is where the evening’s logic becomes clear. These are not starters. They are the foundation, and the table that orders generously here sets up the rest of the meal correctly.
Begin with the pan con tomate and the potato and caramelised onion tortilla with saffron aioli. Both are Spanish classics that tell you immediately what the kitchen is capable of. The tortilla at Marcella is properly loose in the centre, set at the edges, and the saffron aioli has enough depth to justify ordering extra bread alongside it.
The chorizo and manchego croquetas are the most ordered plate at the bar and at the table, and the reason is straightforward: the shell is thin and crisp, the interior collapses into something rich and smoky, and the herb mayo alongside keeps the whole thing from getting heavy. Order two portions if you are four or more.
The 18-month Cecina ham with smoked piparra peppers is the plate that rewards a slow table. The cured beef is thinly sliced and intensely savoury, the peppers bring a gentle heat, and together they are exactly the right thing to pick at between drinks. The albondigas meatballs with paprika and cumin close the tapas section for those who want something more substantial before the larger plates arrive.
The Smaller Dishes: Where the Kitchen Shows Its Range
The smaller dishes section sits between the tapas and the larger plates, and it is where the cooking becomes most precise. The snapper carpaccio on tostadas with yellow chilli, pistachio, and candied lemon is the standout: a dish that uses acid and texture to create something that is light without being insubstantial. It is the right order for a table that wants something considered before the fire-grilled plates arrive.
The salt cod brandade on potato rosti with trout roe is richer and slower, the kind of plate you eat carefully rather than quickly. The prawn pil pil comes with bread as standard because the sauce demands it. Do not skip the bread.
The Larger Plates: Built for Sharing
The larger plates are where Marcella’s wood fire does its most visible work, and where the format of the evening comes into its own. These are dishes that need a table rather than a single plate.
The seafood rice with calamari, red prawns, and crab bisque is the plate most tables wish they had ordered in a larger portion. The rice carries the bisque without losing its texture, the prawns are cooked properly, and the whole thing has the kind of depth that comes from a stock given enough time. Order it as the centrepiece of the meal.
The grilled octopus with roasted red pepper, tomato, and beef fat crouton is the right order for a table of two sharing one larger plate alongside tapas. The bone-in ribeye on the parilla grill is for the table that wants something definitive to anchor the second half of the evening: a serious cut, cooked over fire, with enough on the plate to make the decision feel justified.
For Sunday lunch, the Asado Domingo format gives you a structured version of the same menu: shared tapas, a choice of main with all the trimmings, and dessert for AED 194 per person.
How to Close the Meal
The dark chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt is the dessert that earns its place on the menu. The olive oil cuts the chocolate’s richness in a way that keeps the portion from feeling heavy, and the sea salt does its job. The Rey Silo blue cheese with brioche and paprika honey is for the table that wants to extend the evening rather than close it: the honey’s smokiness against the cheese’s sharpness is the kind of ending that makes another glass of wine feel necessary.
The Carajillo, Licor 43 with double espresso and orange juice, is the drink that closes the meal at the bar. Order it there if the evening calls for one more.
The Practical Details
Marcella is open daily from 12 PM. The kitchen runs until midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Pintxo Hour runs daily from 3 PM to 6 PM with 50% off selected drinks and 10% off tapas. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar. For a dining room table, particularly on weekends, it’s worth making a reservation.
Call: +971 56 545 7290 | Email: manager@mymarcella.ae
FAQs
What should I order on a first visit to Marcella?
Start with the Olegroni at the bar, then move to the pan con tomate, chorizo and manchego croquetas, and snapper carpaccio from the tapas and smaller dishes sections. For a larger plate to share, the seafood rice is the most reliable order on the menu.
What is the most popular cocktail at Marcella?
The Olegroni: olive oil-infused gin with Oloroso Sherry, red vermouth, olive brine, and Campari. It is the drink most associated with Marcella and the natural choice before a meal built around Spanish flavours.
Is the Marcella menu good for sharing?
Yes. The entire menu is built around sharing. The tapas section in particular is designed to be ordered generously and passed around the table. The larger plates, including the seafood rice and the bone-in ribeye, are intended for two or more.
Does Marcella have vegetarian options?
Yes. The pan con tomate, potato and caramelised onion tortilla, patatas bravas, and roasted hispi cabbage are among the vegetarian-friendly options on the menu. The kitchen can advise on specific dietary requirements.
Where is Marcella located?
Marcella is located at the Yas Bay Waterfront on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
What is the best time to visit Marcella on Yas Island?
Pintxo Hour from 3 PM to 6 PM is the best value window, with 50% off selected drinks and 10% off tapas. For dinner, arriving at 7 PM to 8 PM gives you time to settle in at the bar before moving to the table. Weekends fill quickly so booking ahead is recommended.