Costa del Sol cuisine has a rich variety of dishes and flavours. Málaga overlooks the Mediterranean, which means seafood is a major part of the city’s cuisine. Pescaíto frito (fried fish) and espeto de sardinas (sardines chargrilled on a cane skewer) are amongst some of the typical dishes you simply have to try, though there are so many more.

Eating out in Málaga’s old town

Just next to Picasso's Birthplace Museum is the Merced Market, which is a food market with several stands for you to eat and drink at. If you really want to delve into the Costa del Sol's delicacies, then you simply must go to the Atarazanas Market, also located in the city’s old town. This market is situated in a historical 19th century building, and it has food stands in addition to bars where you’ll be able to pop into for some tapas and to try typical Málaga pescaíto frito.

You will find more restaurants and terraces on Calle Granada and in the surrounding areas of Calle Moreno Monroy, Calle Alcazabilla and Plaza de la Merced.

Eating by the beach: Málaga’s “chiringuitos”

The food in Málaga comes with a taste of the sea, and if you want to enjoy it with a view of the sea, then you really must eat at one of its “chiringuitos” – beach bars typical to the Costa del Sol. They serve an array of dishes as well as pescaíto frito, but the stand-out dish is espeto de sardinas. Watch the unique way they prepare it: they skewer the sardines on canes and chargrill them over a rowing boat filled with sand.

Two of the most traditional, best-known districts for “chiringuitos” are the districts of Pedregalejo and El Palo, located in the east of the city. If you don't have much time in the city, however, you’ll also find some near the Port of Málaga on La Malagueta beach.