Dining in Malaga

Dining in Europe > Malaga
Hotels in Europe > Hotels in Spain > Malaga Hotels

Cosmopolitan and attractive, a meeting point for diverse cultures and nationalities, Malaga offers the visitor an great variety of cuisines: from the most traditional and native to the most exquisite and innovative. If its strength is pescaito frito (small, whole fried fish), it is not weak when it comes to meat, rice dishes and even exotic dishes. As they say round here, there are places to give away, but being Malaga it could not be that simple.

A culinary tour of the south coasts capital should start with taverns some of which are more than 100 years old and wines. All over Andalucía and also in other regions is the tradition of the Via Crucis: a procession route with penance stops in each of the churches along the way. We propose a very different type of procession. Start from one bar and then try stopping in all the others along your route. The penance is a (small!) glass of wine. This is not a British pub crawl, mind you; its a very Spanish social practice.

Start in the Campana with a glass of moscatel (sweet wine), then on to the Antigua Casa del Guardia (Old Guard House) the oldest in the city and ask for a Pedro Ximenez. From there to the Quitapenas, and have another one. In Orellana you can have some tapas rice or grilled prawns would be the best choice. In the Inn a Barbadillo de Sanlúcar of Barrameda and in Ajo Blanco a glass of rosé to accompany the porra antequerana.You have to give your body something solid so that it can carry on. A Ribera del Duero in the Rebaná and a fruity wine from the Canaries in the Tapería Siglo XXI. And now a good siesta.

Good food

From the Paseo Maritimo Antonio Machado (seafront promenade) to the Avenida Pintor Sorolla you will find all types of restaurants, and rest assured that they are all first class. For fish and seafood Sal Gorda, in the Malagueta; for Basque cooking, the 7 de Julio. For pasta enthusiasts and those who love traditional Italian cuisine the Commendatore or Tommasino are good bets. A grill with tangos and lassoos at the Malena and mariachis and enchiladas in Nacho´s Tex-Mex. Ox chops and lamb chops in the Madre del Cordero and paellas and delicatessen in the Conde Ansurez.

But if you want to go somewhere really original, where the decor, service and cooking deserve top marks, then head for Bodegón de Gurpegui, in the area of Cerrado de Calderón.

Bandit Style
It is best not to drive because the wine of the Montes is strong indeed, but the decision is yours. Whilst you are admiring the impressive scenery of the Montes de Malaga (surrounding hills), try the best of the best moscatel in the Venta Nueva, and the next place to visit is the Olivos, on a little detour off the main road and where you can try fried breadcrumbs with wine from the area. The winding road will take you to the Mirador, which is approaching heaven and one of the best places for lunch. The chef María has been using garlic, tomatoes and meat to make soups for over 50 years. The wine, whether you choose house or sweet, is from the Montes. If you prefer to go straight to a country inn, we suggest the Túnel, a perfect place to go with children and all the family. Pre-order one of their rice stews by telephone; these combine seafood and chicken paella that would raise the dead.

Seafood and pescaíto (fried fish)
Huelin is a seaside neighbourhood par excellence; here there are plenty of restaurants where you will probably eat the best seafood you have ever tasted although many people say the place for that is Madrid. One of the most traditional places is Mario-Eva, whose specialties are prawns and fried fish. For fried fish the place is Dos Erres, where they use pure olive oil and a little seasoning. Seafood and shellfish finas and mussels at Santa Paula are heavenly. And if you want to eat beside the sea, go to Pedregalejo and El Palo. At the Tintero try the boquerones vitorianos (fresh anchovies), at Casa Pedro, the salpicón de marisco (a mixed seafood dish) and at the Cobertizo red mullet and calamari, Malaga-style salad and a good moscatel to celebrate.

Entertainment in Malaga

Malaga has a lot to offer at night. There is plenty to do for the young as well as for the young at heart. Whether you go dancing, drinking or looking for a good time, you can be assured that each time will always be a new experience.

Open-minded and Modern Spots
The city has always been ahead of its time in terms of gay bars and discotheques, but the ambience is also a mix of ultra-modern heterosexuals, rich kids and gay people. Start off an entertaining night by having your first drink in the Calle de Bruselas, and the second and third in Flor de Lys. Don't miss out on meeting Carmen, the owner. After this, put on your dancing shoes and go to the craziest spot in the city, Varsovia, where you will dance to the rhythm of kitsch music like that of Camilo Sesto, Alaska and Rafaela Carrá. When you've had enough, its time for Torero-Torero.

The last drinks of the night, or early morning, could be in Sodoma. The décor and music are the best. For salsa lovers Habana Café offers entertainment as well as dance classes. Don't think twice about taking to the dance floor. If you prefer funk, your night-spot is Dr. Funk, with its young and multi-racial ambience. Liceo, for real night owls, and Medievo are perfect spots for the more traditional. For the younger set there is Warner, and for those who like the most up-to-date alternative music the places to go are Jack Daniel´s and ZZ Pub. ZZ Pub has concerts on Thursday nights that are always packed out.

If you like concerts, go to the Road House, generally frequented by a young twenties crowd. The owners, who play guitar and bass in the Malaga group Duty Free, often play here as well.

For the over thirties
Its never too late to learn to boogie. During the week at Basurte they teach salsa classes and they also serve wonderful cocktails. The clientele are mainly thirtysomethings who enjoy a good time, and include many journalists. Some fun places to go are Boom Bear, Bocacho (they've been around more than 15 years) and Saloma (for those with more refined tastes). If you like somewhere quieter, try Vip´s Copas or Donde. The latter is in the Pedregalejo district and has a fantastic open-air terrace. You might also enjoy Mercader and Pries 18.

However, if you prefer sitting down to have a drink, and listening to great music, try Cantor de Jazz, probably one of the best the city has to offer in terms of atmosphere, music and service. Casa del Conde takes a while to warm up, but the atmosphere is always good and you can listen to good flamenco music in Onda Passadena. They also have shows during the week.

Interesting drinks
Irish bars have become really popular in the past few years throughout the city. Ever-lively are O´Neills and Morrisey´s. On Monday nights they have games and competitions. You can practise languages and generally just have fun. Last to open its doors is Wish You Were Here, a place with very original décor.

The décor of Cheers is a replica of the famous American TV series, complete with a plaster of Paris rendition of Norm forever propped against the bar with a beer in his hand. For the best in ambience and music, try the Boulevard. And if you feel like a Cuban atmosphere, you can find it in Bodeguita del Medio, where they serve first-class mojitos with Cuban rum and cane sugar. Despite its name, they don't serve beer in the Botellita (little bottle), but the walls are covered in shelves filled with miniature bottles. Their drinks are reasonably priced, and you can be assured of not being taken for a ride here.

Dining in Europe > Malaga
Hotels in Europe > Hotels in Spain > Malaga Hotels