Last updated on April 9, 2018
Abigail Roule from Devour Málaga Food Tours shares her top tips on where to eat in Málaga, Spain.
From the best beachfront seafood restaurants to rustic little tapas joints, this is your essential guide!
For many years Málaga City has been referred to more or less as an airport hub. Only recently has the capital city become more of a tourist destination. But whether you came for the beaches, the plentiful art museums, or the history (did you know that people have lived in Málaga for over 2,800 years?), one thing is clear: you’re going to have to eat!
There are lots of choices in Malaga, but here’s our top ten list of where to eat in Málaga:
Best Places to Eat Breakfast/Brunch in Málaga
Cafeteria Los Valle ~ Sweet Beginnings
This little bar is found on your walk between the train station and SoHo. It looks like a hole in the wall, and you would definitely walk past it if you didn’t know better. (Which is exactly what makes it special.) Pop into Los Valle for “tejeringos” and hot chocolate.
Notice we didn’t say churros? The typical Spanish treat of fried dough dunked in rich thick hot chocolate has a special twist in Málaga. They use a syringe-like instrument to pipe the dough into the hot oil. (In Spanish syringe is “jeringa.” The result is crispy, crunchy and delicious!
Address: Calle Cuarteles, 56
Neighborhood: El Perchel
Café con Libros ~ Sun Terrace Breakfasts
We’ve loved Café con Libros since before Málaga was cool. (How very hipster of us, don’t you think?) They offer up both breakfast and brunch specials along with great coffees, teas and smoothies. We suggest you sit outside on their terrace and watch the people in the Plaza de la Merced.
Although if you visit in the winter, the cozy back room is just as inviting! Order the breakfast special that comes with juice, coffee or tea and your choice of a “pitufo.” We should probably explain that a “pitufo” is a little sandwich on a roll.
You can get it with tomato and EVOO, ham and cheese, or pretty much anything you can think of! A great vibe and a great place to eat in Málaga.
Address: Plaza de la Merced, 19
Neighborhood: Historic Center
Best Restaurants and Tapas Bars for Lunch in Málaga
Restaurante Chiringuito Vicen-Playa ~ Seafood on the Beach
We’re not about to deny that one of the best features of Málaga (similar to Barcelona) is that it is a city on the beach! That means we have some delicious seafood, and where better to enjoy it than right on the beach?
Our favorite chiringuito (meaning the one we go to with our own Spanish family) is Vicen-Playa. Make sure to order a sardine espeto, and some baby clams!
The best place to eat in Málaga on the beach!
Address: Paseo Maritimo de Poniente, 13
Neighborhood: Playa de la Misericordia
Las Merchanas ~ Rustic Tapas
Taberna Las Merchanas is one of the more quirky places to eat in Málaga! It is a Semana Santa (Holy Week) themed tapas bar. As soon as you walk inside, you’ll see that they really took the idea of a theme and ran with it.
Every inch of the wall and ceiling is covered with photographs, holy week memorabilia and there is usually a soundtrack of the traditional holy week music playing in the background.
We love this bar because it’s turning out delicious tapas at a good price. We suggest you try the montadito de pringá (a little sandwich made with the slow cooked, flavorful left over meats from a home made stew) or the house made croquettes.
Address: Calle Mosquera 5
Neighborhood: Historic Center
Best Cheap Eats and Cafes for Afternoon Coffee and Snacks in Málaga
Julia Bakery ~ Coffee and Sweet Sensations
This little unpretentious bakery is one of the most delicious places to stop for an afternoon coffee and sweet treat! The owners started out making cupcakes, and later expanded to make all kinds of artisan breads!
With their farm grown coffee and house made sweet tea, it is impossible to resist one of their sweet goodies! We suggest you get a simple cup of coffee and then choose the most delicious pastry of the day!
We can personally vouch for the scones and the dulce de leche cupcakes!
Address: Calle Carretería, 44
Neighborhood: Historic Center
Dulces Dreams ~ Coffee, Ice-cream, Cakes and FREE Wi-fi in Malaga!
Located in the lobby of the stunning Dulces Dreams boutique hostel, we didn’t expect that Dulces Dreams would be a relaxing place to enjoy a cup of coffee. We were never so glad to be wrong! Dulces Dreams makes a delicious cup of coffee, along with sweet and savory snack choices. We suggest the chocolate brownie, served with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream, or the toast with ricotta cheese and honey.
Did we mention they have free Wi-Fi?
Address: Plaza de los Mártires, 6
Neighborhood: Historic Center
Best Restaurants and Tapas Bars for Dinner in Málaga
La Odisea de los Vinos ~ Locals Wines, Gourmet Tapas and Live Music
This little wine bar is a fantastic place to begin your evening in Málaga. They serve up sweet wine from the area (in fact, they only serve wines from Málaga), and the tapas are delicious! We’ve heard that if you call ahead, the grandma upstairs will make you a tortilla de patatas.
Order some cheese and whatever tapas are on the menu along with your sweet wine. This is a great place to eat in Málaga if you are looking for an authentic wine bar crossed with tapas joint.
Address: Subida Coracha, 1
Neighborhood: La Coracha
El Mercado del Carmen ~ Market Stall Sensations
It might sound strange to go to this neighborhood market (we do quite a bit of our own grocery shopping here) for dinner! Don’t be fooled, however!
Another of our favorite places to eat in Málaga is tucked into the back of the market is a bar with a long terrace where you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh catch (literally brought straight from the market!). The seafood is fantastic and you can choose if you want your order fried or grilled.
We suggest you try the grilled shrimp skewers dusted with paprika! Some of the best shrimp we’ve ever had! (By the way, the same people own the bar in Atarazanas Market in the center…so if you can’t make it out to the Mercado del Carmen, check for them there!)
Address: Plaza de Toros Vieja, 29
Neighborhood: El Perchel
Where to Go out for Drinks at Night in El Mercado del Carmen Málaga
La Botica de la Cerveza ~ Craft Beers Utopia
If you are a fan of craft beers, this place has everything you could possibly be looking for, along with a relaxed atmosphere and an expert barman. (Make sure to ask for Pepe). We suggest you head to La Botica around 8:30pm for a beer before dinner.
Try one of the local craft brews. Our favorite is Back to School from Malaga, but let Pepe guide you! Tell him what you like and he’ll suggest the perfect beer!
Address: Calle Victoria, 13
Neighborhood: La Victoria
Rooftop of the Alcazaba Premium Hostel ~ Cocktails and City Views
It’s true that Málaga has its fair share of rooftop terraces! After all there are some beautiful views of the port and our skyline. Our favorite, however, is the rooftop at the Alcazaba Premium Hostel. They make a mean G&T (the trendy drink of choice in Spain and our own personal favorite classic cocktail), and the views can’t be beat! Imagine yourself sipping on your drink and looking out over the thousands of years old Roman theater and the best preserved Moorish fort on the peninsula. History with a view meets cocktails and a decent DJ.
Address: Calle Alcazabilla, 12
Neighborhood: Historic Center
More Málaga Magic
There’s plenty to keep you busy in Málaga, but for restless/adventurous travellers there’s loads more to see nearby.
Glamorous Marbella (oh yes!) is less than an hour away by car, historic Granada is a scenic 1.5 hour drive and you can drive to the British haven of Gibraltar in about 2 hours! Even Seville is only a 2.5 hour drive away! Just rent some wheels from one of the local car rental companies and hit the road!
Where to Stay in Málaga
Do you know any other fantastic places to eat in Málaga? Let us know in the comment section below and we’ll check them out!
Author Bio: Abby Roule fell in love with Spain when she was studying abroad in college. She moved back to Spain after graduating and is the social media manager for the food tour company, Devour Spain. She also writes a bilingual-bicultural travel blog with her husband called El Boqueron Viajero. It’s fair to say she loves sharing anything related to Spanish food, culture and traditions!
Hi!!
Very good post to know the most important plans in Malaga!
Thanks for sharing with us all this information!
Congrats!