Eat like a malagueño: what to order, where and when

To eat like a malagueño: sardine espetos on the beach in Pedregalejo or El Palo, pescaíto frito, porra antequerana or ajoblanco in summer, and Málaga sweet wine. Lunch is around 14:00–16:00 and dinner from 21:00; morning coffee is ordered by proportion, like the famous «mitad».

Many of us at Nordik are from here. This is the guide we would give a friend: what to order, when and in which neighbourhood.

What to order in Málaga

Dish	What it is	Where	When
Sardine espeto	Sardines on a skewer, grilled over embers in a boat	Beach bars in Pedregalejo and El Palo	Best May–October, at lunchtime
Pescaíto frito	Anchovies, squid and red mullet fried in olive oil	Pedregalejo, El Palo, Huelin, Perchel	All year
Porra antequerana	Cold tomato and bread cream, thicker than salmorejo	Bars in the Centre and Trinidad	Spring and summer
Ajoblanco	Cold almond, garlic and grape soup	Taverns in the Centre	Summer
Málaga sweet wine	Moscatel and sweet wines of the DO Málaga	Old bodegas in the Centre	With dessert or as an aperitif
«Mitad» coffee	Half coffee, half milk (there is a whole scale)	Any bar	Breakfast, 08:00–11:00

Approximate times; every bar has its own and some close one day a week.

Coffee: order it the local way

In Málaga, coffee with milk is ordered by proportion: solo, largo, semilargo, mitad, entrecorto, corto, sombra and nube (from most coffee to most milk). The usual is «un mitad». With tomato and olive oil toast, it is the classic breakfast.

Meal times: don’t arrive too early

The main meal is between 14:00 and 16:00. For dinner or tapas, kitchens often open at 20:00 but things get going around 21:00 and run until 23:00 or later. Many bars close the kitchen between 16:30 and 20:00.

Neighbourhoods to eat well

Pedregalejo and El Palo: fish and espetos by the sea. Centre and Soho: tapas, sweet-wine bodegas and the Atarazanas market for fresh produce in the morning. Trinidad and Perchel: neighbourhood bars, cheaper and with generous portions.

How to do tapas

Order at the bar, standing, and move from bar to bar. A small beer or a wine with a tapa is normal; raciones and half raciones are for sharing. When you want to pay, ask for the bill: it won’t come unless you do.

With Nordik

Our homes are in neighbourhoods full of bars and markets. If you cook, the Atarazanas market and local markets open in the morning, usually until 14:00–15:00.