Welcome to the paradise of espeto... but also meat, Russian salad and paella.
In recent years, the Malaga region of La Axarquia has become a true gastronomic mecca . Espetos, fried fish with unimaginable names and grilled meats are its hallmarks. If you do not want to go blindly to the table of the easternmost Costa del Sol , we accompany you.
TORRE DEL MAR: TAPAS PARADISE
Without a doubt, it is one of the favorite destinations on the Eastern Costa del Sol, and even more so in the month of July when the Torre del Mar International Air Show Festival is held. As in 2020, this year the festival has been cancelled, but that has not prevented Torre del Mar restaurants from they are full to the brim so booking is sometimes an odyssey.
In Torre del Mar tapas is very top but you have to know how to choose the place. To have a feast you have to go to El Yate (Old Salting House, 34) a seafood restaurant-grill that works very well with fish from the Caleta de Vélez fish market and avocado from Axarquia , both at the table and at the bar.
Torre del Mar hides very peculiar restaurants. Get off the beach and look Land and sea (Garita, 10) in the center of Torre del Mar in front of the market, a modest restaurant where the tuna loin is from another planet . Pepe, the customer who is at the helm, cooks and serves you some crispy fried squid that are no longer found . Of course, there is no fixed menu here, you have to ask Pepe what he has on that day. And for dessert, he literally sinks strawberries in a sea of cream. . It is a really authentic place.
RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA: BEACH BARS EVERYWHERE
In addition to being a monumental city and standing out for its dark sand beaches, Rincón de la Victoria has a bunch of beach bars where you can eat some of the best espetos in Malaga.
In The Deo (Avda. de la Axarquia, 39) are real experts cooking sardines and making marinades. They also make shrimp tortillas and their summer fry it is one of the great triumphs for those who have just arrived. Any local will recommend this beach bar regardless of what the guidebooks say. And we believe.
First stop: The Yacht.
A couple of blocks from the beach, on Calle Frigiliana, is El Rincón de Emilio, one of the usual inns with the best oxtail croquettes in the world . here you come to eat T-bone steak, Iberian pork and payoyo cheese directly brought from the Sierra de Cádiz. Dishes worked with care, like their homemade desserts, which are all the rage. Also, the portions are more than generous.
CALETA DE VÉLEZ: SALAD, ESPETOS AND GRILLED MEAT
The fishing port of Caleta de Vélez is one of the most important in Andalusia . In addition, its beaches, together with those of Algarrobo, are clearer than the crowded Torre del Mar, which is why they are becoming more and more in the spotlight.
At the gastronomic level it has two bombshells. On the one hand, the ChinChin, located in the port, famous for having Russian salad sidereal what do they do with homemade mayonnaise based on coloraillos . Hence that intense seafood flavor that is not found in any other salad in the world.
ChinChin Puerto is one of those places where you want to stay.
On the other hand, we find El Bodegón (Real, 21), temple of sardine skewers and little squid . They skewer the squid and the result is a real scandal. Perfect for those looking for a snack with fish from La Caleta and a bucket of cold bottles (yes, they have buckets). They also have the genuine savoir faire to give you the exact point to grilled meats which, on the other hand, come in super generous portions. Eating grilled entrecôte is only suitable for the intrepid.
And one of the things that you cannot forget on your trip is buy a bag of Algarrobo cakes , the same ones that Chiquito de la Calzada always joked about. You will find the best in La Caleteña , the same Avenida de Andalucía in Algarrobo Costa.
FRIGILIANA: CREATIVE CUISINE WITH THE BEST VIEWS
It is one of the most beautiful towns in Spain and almost certainly the most beautiful in Malaga . In addition to its beauty, Frigiliana is positioned on the gastronomic map for its cane honey and its incipient craft beer culture . That is why honey is the protagonist of many of its dishes such as fried aubergines with cane honey , a must from Frigiliana that you can enjoy almost anywhere and pair it with an Axarca artisan (one of the local crafts).
Your best bet could well be on the terrace of The Garden (Calle del Santo Cristo, s/n), where you can enjoy fusion dishes such as Iberian pork feather with spinach, mushrooms and pistachio yogurt sauce or beetroot curry which is always on the menu year after year. Creative and intelligent cuisine with the best views of the most beautiful town in Malaga.
TORROX: PERFECT FOR THOSE WHO LIKE FRIED FISH
Torrox is indicated on the map as the municipality with the best climate in Europe , with mild temperatures in winter and without suffocating in summer. Torrox beach is usually very crowded, as is the Pepe Oro Beach Bar (Disseminated Pago Carlaja, 1867), the essential of the Peñoncillo beach. Perfect for accompany the cold beer with some espetillos, some prawns or its fried fish if you are several The place is very authentic, from before. And they are also dog-friendly, so you can go with your best furry friend without problems.
Sitting at a table in Torrox is cool because there are very good restaurants. We already talked to you on your day of The Figon , but it is vital that you drop by The Riding School (Paseo Marítimo de Ferrara, 8), a family restaurant where grilled fish works very well . Without frills or fuss, with some piquillo peppers stuffed with seafood that can wake up a dead person.
NERJA: PAELLAS FOR NOSTALGIC AND FOODIES
Nerja is, without a doubt, one of the favorite destinations on the Eastern Costa del Sol , not only for its beaches and for those nostalgic for Verano Azul but also for its restaurants. In the Chiringuito Ayo (Paseo de Burriana, s/n) many scenes of Verano Azul were recorded. Nowadays what is recorded are Instagram stories every time it goes out some of their paellas, many of them XXL size and always cooked over a wood fire. And it can be repeated without any shame. Of course, there is always a queue at the door since the first to arrive is the first to sit down. No reservations. As in the old days.
The main dish of Nerja is served near the beach of La Caletilla and the Balcón de Europa, at Olive Restaurant (Plaza de España, 2), which is considered one of the best restaurants on the Costa del Sol. Mediterranean and avant-garde cuisine, very focused on detail and honesty . Its tasting menu is always marked by seasonality and great products such as Almadraba tuna, wild sea bass and Iberian meats . Also, alert for cheeselovers, there is the possibility of losing your mind with your tasting of national cheeses . You have to live the Oliva experience at least once in your life.