Spanish food is at its best when the table is part of the experience. Rather than building a meal around one main course, Spanish dining moves through smaller plates, dishes from the grill, rice for sharing and something sweet at the end. The pleasure comes from variety, contrast and the way each dish changes the pace of the meal.
At Marcella, that approach shapes the menu from the first plate onwards. The Yas Bay Waterfront restaurant is led by Chef-Patron Mario Loi, with an open kitchen and wood-fired parrilla at the centre. For anyone looking for Spanish food in Abu Dhabi, the menu shows how tapas, fire cooking and larger sharing dishes belong at the same table.
Spanish Dining Is Built Around Sharing
A Spanish meal does not need to follow a strict starter, main and dessert format. Smaller plates can arrive first, followed by something from the fire or a rice dish for the table. It gives everyone the chance to taste more than one thing and keeps the meal moving naturally.
That suits Marcella. Tapas and snacks sit alongside smaller dishes, larger plates and dishes to share, so the menu can be approached differently depending on the occasion. A couple might order a few plates and a larger dish, while a group can build a fuller table around tapas, grilled meat, seafood and rice.
Start with Tapas
Tapas are one of the clearest expressions of Spanish dining because they are about flavour in a small format. Salty, crisp, sharp and rich dishes can sit next to each other without needing to match. Marcella’s menu includes familiar Spanish references such as patatas bravas, croquetas and gilda skewers, alongside seafood and vegetable-led plates.
A good opening order should give the table contrast. Something crisp can sit beside something briny or acidic, while a richer croqueta works well next to a sharper bite. Start with a few plates, then move into warmer and more substantial dishes.
Fire Changes the Middle of the Meal
The wood-fired parrilla is one of Marcella’s defining features. It brings direct heat, smoke and char into the cooking, giving larger dishes a different character from the tapas that come before them. Grilled seafood, lamb and aged beef each respond differently to the fire.
This is where the meal can shift from smaller bites into something more substantial. An in-house aged bone-in ribeye, grilled octopus or another current parrilla dish can become the centre of the table, with sides and sauces shared around it. Because the menu changes seasonally, it is worth checking the current Marcella menu before visiting if there is a specific dish you want to order.
Paella and Rice Belong in the Centre
Rice dishes are another natural part of a Spanish sharing meal. They arrive in a format that encourages the whole table to eat together and work especially well after a first round of tapas. Across Marcella’s menus, dishes such as seafood rice, black rice with squid and Andalusian wood-grilled chicken rice show how rice can work as a shared centrepiece, with exact dishes changing through the year.
Paella is the best-known Spanish rice format, but the broader idea matters more than the name. The rice should carry the flavour of its stock, seasoning and ingredients. Served for the table, it also changes the rhythm of the meal as everyone moves from individual bites to one shared centrepiece.
What to Drink with Spanish Food
Marcella’s drinks programme is built to sit alongside the food. The wine list focuses on Spain, with Portugal and Argentina also represented, while cocktails are kept fresh and approachable rather than overly theatrical. That gives the table several ways to pair drinks with tapas, seafood, rice and dishes from the parrilla.
Fresh whites and lighter styles work well with seafood and sharper tapas. Red wine can take on grilled meat and deeper char. Sangria offers a familiar Spanish route for a social table, while citrus or bitterness in a cocktail can cut through fried food and richer sauces. Different dishes can support different glasses as the meal develops.
A Spanish Dinner at Yas Bay
Marcella sits on the pier at Yas Bay Waterfront on Yas Island, with the open kitchen, zinc-topped bar and water views all part of the room. The setting works well for dinner, but the food still leads. A meal can begin with tapas at the bar and continue into a full sharing dinner without changing the style of service.
For a first visit, explore the Marcella menu before you arrive and choose a mix of smaller plates, something from the fire and one dish for the table.
Book a table at Marcella in advance, particularly on busier evenings and weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of food does Marcella serve?
Marcella is a Spanish restaurant at Yas Bay Waterfront in Abu Dhabi, with a menu built around tapas, fire-led cooking, rice dishes and larger plates for sharing.
What Spanish dishes can I try at Marcella?
The menu changes seasonally, but Marcella has featured Spanish favourites and signatures such as patatas bravas, croquetas, gilda skewers, grilled seafood, rice dishes and Basque cheesecake. Check the current menu before visiting for the latest selection.
Does Marcella serve tapas in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Tapas and smaller sharing plates are a central part of the menu and can be ordered on their own or as the beginning of a larger meal.
Does Marcella serve paella or Spanish rice dishes?
Rice is part of Marcella’s sharing-focused menu, with seafood, black rice and other Spanish-style rice dishes appearing across the restaurant’s menus and experiences. Exact dishes change seasonally.
Where is Marcella located?
Marcella is on the pier at Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.