Must-see restaurants in Málaga Province

  • Arte de Cozina

    Antequera

    It's hard not to notice the surrounding agricultural lands as you approach Antequera, and this fascinating little hotel-restaurant combo is where you get…

  • El Mesón de Cervantes

    Málaga

    Cervantes started as a humble tapas bar run by expat Argentine Gabriel Spatz, but has now expanded into four bar-restaurants (each with a slightly…

  • El Gato Lounge

    Costa del Sol

    Don't expect the default sardines at this trendsetting fusion favourite across from Playamar beach's western end. Asian flavours abound in offerings like…

  • Chiringuito de Ayo

    Nerja

    The menu is listed in nine languages, but the only word you need to understand at beachside Ayo is ‘paella’. They cook the rice dish every day in a huge…

  • Óleo

    Málaga

    Located at the city's Centro de Arte Contemporáneo with white-on-white minimalist decor, Óleo provides diners with the unusual choice of Mediterranean or…

  • Casa Aranda

    Málaga

    Casa Aranda is in a narrow alleyway next to the market and, since 1932, has been the place in town to enjoy chocolate and churros (tubular-shaped…

  • El Pilón

    Málaga Province

    This former carpenter’s workshop is the village’s most popular restaurant – and rightly so. Dishes are created using locally sourced ingredients whenever…

  • The Farm

    Marbella

    It’s not a farm, but instead an exceptionally pretty restaurant in Marbella’s old town, consisting of a patio, a terrace and a dining room furnished with…

  • Almocábar

    Ronda

    Tapas here include montaditos (small pieces of bread) topped with delicacies like duck breast and chorizo. Mains are available in the elegant dining room,…

  • La Escollera

    Estepona

    Locals in the know – from dock workers swigging beers to families celebrating a first communion – flock to this port-side eatery to dine on arguably the…

  • Casa Lola

    Málaga

    Fronted by traditional blue-and-white tiles, this ever-bustling spot serves a luscious range of pinchos (Basque-style tapas), accompanied by vermouth on…

  • Arte y Cocina

    Fuengirola

    The Italian-inflected food at this spot on Fuengirola's restaurant row is fresh as the decor. Expect artfully presented starters – from handmade ricotta…

  • Bar-Restaurante El Acebuchal

    Málaga Province

    This wonderful bar-restaurant is the focal point of Acebuchal village. It's a favoured stop for walkers and lovers of rural tranquility and plies some of…

  • La Tranca

    Málaga

    You’ll have to elbow your way through the melee to get served in La Tranca, a slim, old-fashioned bar with a rock-band-like following where discarded…

  • La Peregrina Centro

    Málaga

    A seafood lover's dream, this white-tiled shoebox of a tapas bar is fantastic place to indulge your 'try-everything-on-the-menu' fantasies, with tapas…

  • Lobito del Mar

    Marbella

    Chiringuito restaurants are usually on the beach, but if you're a well-known chef called Dani Garcia with several Michelin stars to your name you can…

  • Brunchit

    Málaga

    Set on Málaga’s scruffy but increasingly trendy Calle Carretería, Brunchit, despite the name, is open all day ready to serve freshly made sandwiches, melt…

  • Oliva

    Nerja

    Impeccable service, single orchids, a drum-and-bass soundtrack and a charcoal-grey-and-green colour scheme: in short, this place has class. The menu is…

  • Uvedoble Taberna

    Málaga

    A newish tapas bar that draws on old traditions, this boisterous, crowded place evokes the tiled taverns of yore – though you’ll likelier see modern art…

  • Baraka

    Antequera

    Sombreros off to the brave staff at Baraka, who cross a busy road, trays loaded, risking life and limb to serve punters sitting in a little park opposite…

  • Tragatá

    Ronda

    A small outpost for Ronda’s gourmet guru, Benito Gómez, who runs the nearby Bardal, Tragatá allows you to sample some of the same cocina alta (haute…

  • Venta García

    Estepona

    Venta Garcia specialises in superbly conceived dishes using local produce, complemented by sublime countryside views. There's an emphasis on meat like…

  • Restaurante 34

    Nerja

    There's a truly gorgeous setting here, both indoors and outside in the garden, which is gently stepped to its furthest section overlooking the sea…

  • Tapeo de Cervantes

    Málaga

    The original Cervantes bar-restaurant (there are now four) is a little more boisterous and crowded than the Mesón around the corner, although the menu is…

  • Bardal

    Ronda

    You’ll need to reserve ahead in order to enjoy a meal at Bardal, the flagship restaurant of celebrity chef Benito Gómez. The astounding 15- to 19-course…

  • Casa María

    Ronda

    Walk straight through Ronda's old town and out of the Carlos V gate and the crowds mysteriously melt away, leaving just you and a few locals propping up…

  • Garum

    Marbella

    Finnish owned and set in a dreamy location right on the 'Golden Mile' across from the beach, Garum has a menu that will please those seeking a little…

  • Boulangerie TradiPan

    Marbella

    Marbella is replete with restaurants of all shapes and sizes, but if you just want a quick fix of something sweet, head to this newcomer bakery just off…

  • Tropicana

    Ronda

    A little off the trail in Ronda’s new town, the Tropicana has nonetheless garnered a strong reputation for its certified-organic food, served in a small…

  • Julia Bakery

    Málaga

    It’s hard to imagine there’s a better bakery in Málaga than Julia’s. Fresh bread, flaky scones and strong coffee form a holy breakfast trinity. You can…

  • Recyclo Bike Café

    Málaga

    Trendy cafe with affiliated bike shop where you can enjoy a 'Wiggins' salad or exceedingly cheap cakes, coffee and breakfasts. Old bikes adorn the walls…

  • Restaurante La Fructuosa

    Málaga Province

    Hotel La Fructuosa's delightful restaurant serves a creative menu that ranges from fennel velouté with toasted pistachios to asparagus and lemon risotto…

  • La Cosmopolita

    Málaga

    La Cosmopolita dependably draws a crowd with its sophisticated mix of time-tested classics (cured cheeses and Iberian meats, Gillardeau oysters, squid…

  • Colmado 93

    Málaga

    If this jam-packed bar with floor-to-ceiling shelves conjures up visions of a vintage grocery store, well...that's exactly what it once was. Nowadays the…

  • El Balneario de los Baños del Carmen

    Málaga

    Enjoying front-row views of the beach at La Malagueta, El Balneario is a wonderful place to sit outside on a balmy evening and share a plate of prawns or…

  • Restaurante Pedro Romero

    Ronda

    Eating rabo de toro (oxtail) in a restaurant named after a famous bullfighter that sits opposite Spain’s most legendary bullring and has bull’s heads on…

  • Al Yamal

    Málaga

    Moroccan restaurants are less common in Málaga than in Granada, but Al Yamal, family-run for four decades in the heart of the Soho district, serves the…

  • Reina Restaurante

    Antequera

    Located in a pretty restaurant-flanked cul-de-sac off Calle Infante Don Fernando, this restaurant also runs a cooking school, La Espuela, so it knows what…

  • Batik

    Málaga

    With Málaga's Alcazaba posing like the Alhambra in the background, this classy but not-too-posh restaurant (you can opt for stools rather than chairs) is…

  • Tejeringo's Coffee Cafe

    Málaga

    A tejeringo is a malagueño take on Andalucía's popular churros: it's a deep-fried doughnut, curled into a wheel and usually dipped in coffee (or chocolate…