Our favourite places for Tapas in Malaga…by bike, of course!
Congratulations! You have chosen to visit marvelous Malaga- a city with one of the most happening gastronomical scenes in Spain. Therefore, we have selected a few of our favourite tapas in Malaga places. Of course, we have also included some great restaurants, breakfast spots and ’chiringuitos’- beach bars. All of the places on the list are easily reachable by bike. Book your rental bike in advance to avoid disappointment.
And… Bon Appetit! (Or as we say in Spanish- Buen Provecho!)
The link to our map of suggestions can be found at the end of this blog.
Best breakfasts
Naturally, when in Spain do as the Spanish do. Accordingly, that means ’dunking’ is socially acceptable- especially when we are talking about Chocolate con Churros. Quintessentially, it is the most typical Spanish breakfast (and afternoon snack). Order the quantity of churros you feel like and dip away into the thick creamy cup of hot chocolate.
The most famous churros place in Malaga is Casa Aranda. They have been in business since 1932, so they certainly know a thing or two about making churros. With two locations in the city, the oldest one is just near the Central Market and is the one pinned on our map.
As well, another traditional and very quaint breakfast spot is La Recova. You can read all about it along with more best breakfasts in our breakfast blog.
Tapas in Malaga
As you can see on our tapas in Malaga map, we have both traditional tapas places as well as ’trendy’ tapas spots. Our all time favourite traditional tapas bar is El Cortijo de Pepe.
NOT on the map is a trendy tapas place called KRAKEN. It is in the same location as the gastro restaurant Beluga which IS on the map. (They are side by side and are owned by the same people, but KRAKEN is just for tapas). Try the delicious ’capuccino’…. coffee, it is not!
Restaurants in Malaga
As with our tapas in Malaga suggestions, we have classified our preferred restaurants into traditional and gastro/trendy restaurants.
For amazing views over the harbour and the old town, we definitely recommend TORO in the port (Muelle UNO). The food is fabulous and nice service too. Try the ’carrillada’- pigs cheeks.
While discovering the culinary delights of the city, why not do some celebrity-watching, too? Did you know that world-famous Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas is from Malaga? In fact, he opened up his own theatre in SOHO not far from our shop just a few years ago. Antonio performs regularly in his own productions there. Besides the theatre, he also co-owns five restaurants in the city- four of which are in SOHO. They are: Doña Inés; La Barra de Doña Inés; Tercer Acto and Atrezzo Gastro. Antonio is also part owner of one of the most emblematic bodega bars in Málaga El Pimpi.
For a special night out – especially for wine lovers, you should definitely try Los Patios de Beatas. All the waiters are wine experts and can help you pair each dish with the perfect wine. (Wine pairing in Spanish is ’maridaje’).
Wine Bars in Malaga
A visit to Malaga is incomplete without a visit to the oldest bodega in town: Antigua Casa de Guardia. Dating from 1840, the interior probably hasn’t changed much since then. The back wall is lined with barrels from which they pour the famous Malaga wine directly into the glass. At just over 1€ per glass, you can create your own wine-tasting event! For more information on wine bars in Malaga, see our blog.
Fish & Paella restaurants
Obviously, the best place to eat fish is at one of the local beaches. The beaches here are lined with ’chiringuitos’ (beach bars), most of which have a boat barbecue. Here they cook fresh fish over an open fire. Obligatory while in Malaga is to try ’un espeto de sardinas’. This local delicacy is typical to Malaga. The fresh sardines are skewered onto sticks and then smoked over the burning olive wood. Insider’s tip: eat them with your fingers!
Other places to try fresh fish are the local food markets. As well as fresh produce to take away, they have bars that sell the local fish and seafood specialities. Check out Mercado Atarazanas in the historical centre, Mercado del Carmen in the neighbourhood of El Perchal on the other side of the river. Another market- architecturally stunning but with less food stalls- is Mercado Salamanca. All reachable by bike, of course!
For a unique chiringuito experience, you can cycle to El Tintero. It is the very last restaurant on the promenade in El Palo.
If you want to try the most famous Spanish dish- paella- then make sure you order it at lunch time. (The Spanish only eat paella at the midday meal). It is possible to find it as a tapa in many of the tapas bars in Malaga, but it is already prepared and then heated up when ordered. In the city centre, an excellent fish & paella restaurant is Los Mellizos, with several locations. Most beach bars will make paella on the weekends.
Here you have all of our favourite tapas bars and restaurants. So start planning your very own Tapas in MALAGA BIKE tour! We hope you enjoy our recommendations. Indeed, if you make any delicious discoveries of your own we could add to our map, we would love to hear from you.
And remember- the more cycling you do, the more you can eat!
