10 trendiest restaurants in Malaga to visit this Christmas 2018

Have you ever tried the delicious hamburgers from “La Calle Burguer”? Or the exquisite tapas in the Meson de Cervantes? Choose your favourite cuisine from our list and enjoy a true gastronomic pleasure during this Christmas season in Malaga.

If someone asked us for recommendations about typical dishes and restaurants in Malaga, we would be likely to mention fried fish, sardines or gazpachuelo. The funny thing is, locals are increasingly adopting international and exotic food sorts, to feed their curiosity.

As a result, Japanese, Italian and American cuisines have emerged as the new gastronomic trends of the year, among many other food sorts. Kitchen showrooms and original vintage or retro design make the perfect package for excitingly different dishes.

The people from Malaga are also raising their culinary standards, thereby becoming more ambitious when it comes to visiting a restaurant. For those who fancy something different, we have compiled the 10 most popular restaurants in Malaga in 2018. It is worthwhile mentioning that some of them have Michelin Stars!

Source: Unsplash

The most popular restaurants in Malaga

Currently, some of the most successful gastronomic spots in Malaga are:

La Calle Burguer

“La Calle Burguer” is arguably one of the best gourmet burger restaurants in Malaga, (if not the best). Since the first restaurant opening in 2015, the chain has grown to have 9 branches across Malaga, Fuengirola and Marbella. They company is rapidly expanding and currently planning to open restaurants outside Malaga next year.

This restaurant chain is also known for its own meat cut (beef entrails burger, flank steak burger, “picaña” or ribeye burger), as well as the quality of the food. In La Calle Burguer there is no pre-cooked food: the meat comes from Spain, the bread and desserts are prepared in Velez Málaga, whereas the fries are freshly cut in the restaurant kitchen.

Although the prices are generally quite affordable, there is a special €5-offer from Monday to Wednesday that includes a burger with fries. Every day you can taste a €5-burger: on Mondays it’s a cheeseburger, on Tuesdays a rib-stewak burger and on Wednesdays the empty cheeseburger. Which prefer?

Source: lacalleburguer.com

Meson de Cervantes

Located in the historic center of Málaga, a few steps away from the Cervantes Theater, the Mesón de Cervantes offers a great variety of tapas allowing all guests to try a mixture of different tastes. Elaborate tapas, different sorts of wines and delicious homemade desserts deliver a genuine 5-star food experience.

As one of the restaurants that offers real Mediterranean haute-cuisine, you will always find people queueing up at the door of Meson de Cervantes. We therefore recommend booking in advance to make sure you get a place to enjoy the extensive menu.

Some interesting dishes offered by this restaurant are: iberico ham with artichokes, grilled asparagus accompanied with “porra antequerana”, fresh red tuna grilled with cauliflower or black pudding, sweet potatoes accompanied with quail egg and chimichurri sauce. Not hungry yet?

Source: losmejoresrestaurantes.net

Asador Iñaki

Did you know that the best grilled octopus in Malaga can be found in Asador Iñaki (Iñaki’s Grill)? This traditional restaurant offers top quality products and ingredients, like fresh fish from the El Carmen Market in the city centre, first class meat and fresh vegetables from the Malaga region. Although it can often be overseen, it is a very popular restaurant. It is usually difficult to find a table, but if you book in advance or arrive at a good time you may be lucky!

Among its specialties, we recommend beef or ox steak, clams à la Basque and the tasty grilled octopus. Once you visit it, you will want to go back to it.

Source: tripadvisor.es

El Pimpi

“El Pimpi” is clearly the most legendary restaurant in Malaga, known for its fried fish and the typical sweet wine, a really appetising combination. If you want to enjoy the best local gastronomy, do not hesitate to visit it.

It lies in the historic center of Malaga, in front of the Roman Theater, in an old mansion from the 18th century, decorated with barrels signed by Spanish celebrities such as the Duchess of Alba, Picasso, Antonio Banderas, among many others.

El Pimpi is the biggest restaurant in the center of Malaga. This allows it to offer a variety of  different ambiances, from the terrace with the best views of the Alcazaba, to glamorous photographs of the celebrities whohave  visited the restaurant in the inside.

Source: visitacostadelsol.com

KGB

A restaurant from the Michelin Guide in Malaga? Yes! KGB is a tapas bar or rather a “gastrobar” located in the center of Malaga. The interesting thing about this restaurant is the original way in which Andalusian tapas are presented.

Japanese shark tataki, breaded shrimps with salted coconut, Vietnamese rolles stuffed with the traditional Andalusian “pringá” or the Campero de los Montes sandwich are some of the dishes that can be enjoyed in this incredible restaurant.

This year, KGB’s restaurant concept has been a finalist in the Hostelco Awards, which promote the best touristic actors around the world. The Marketing Club Málaga has also acknowledged the restaurant for doing the “Best Commercial Action” of the year.

Source: buscorestaurantes.com

Las Merchanas

Las Merchanas is a great choice to enjoy the authentic taste of Andalusian traditional cuisine, It was founded by a catholic brotherhood from Málaga. This is the reason for its rustic decoration, full of instruments, religious habits and pictures of the Holy Week in Malaga.

It is difficult to choose between all the dishes on the menu, but the flamenquines, croquettes, the montadito de pringá or the sirloin steak with mojo picón sauce are essential.

There are currently 4 Merchana restaurants in the Málaga city centre: calle Mosquera, Andrés Pérez, Noblejas and Juan de Padilla, all following the traditional cuisine, the affordable prices and good atmosphere.

Fuente: TripAdvisor.com

Alvaroteca

“La Alvaroteca” is one of the most demanded haute cuisine restaurants in Malaga. It offers tasting menus accompanied with interesting wine combinations and signature cocktails. Chef Alvaro Vila manages to create dishes full of madness and delicious flavours.

This restaurant combines traditional cuisine with innovation, building a gastronomic concept which is full with surprises. Colour plays a central role in this restaurant, especially in the dining room, that imitates an old lunatic asylum. The second dining room of the restaurant is only suitable for Star Wars lovers (we’ll let you guess the rest).

If you are a fish lover, you are sure to like the dorada tataki with spirulina, kimchi and wasabi ice cream. If you fancy meat, the piglet on “ras el hanout” mayonnaise, candied pumpkin,, mango ice cream, sweet potato purée and salted potatoes will stimulate your appetite.

Source: laopiniondemalaga.es

Tiki

Sushi lovers are sure to recognise this name. However, Tiki is in fact an author restaurant of in Torremolinos that combines Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines. Tiki offers a wide range of sushi, wok, meat and fish with an exclusive wine selection, premium drinks and cocktails. And to complete the perfect package, the restaurant decoration is from Polynesian Islands.

All dishes are prepared with top quality ingredients and fresh products. A place designed to stimulate your five senses, offering an excellent value for your money. Tiki is one of the best sushi restaurants in Malaga, with top service and the biggest menu. We recommend trying the oxtail cannelloni, the tuna tartare with mango, the spicy tuna nigiri or the salmon sashimi, among others.

Source: TripAdvisor.com

Lo Spuntino

Fancy the real Italian thing in Malaga? Lo Spuntino is a small restaurant a few steps away from the Parque del Oeste in Malaga, offering the best fresh pasta and the pizzas in the city.

Remember to check the dishes outside the regular menu, since you will be able to find delicious surprises. Each drink is served with a tapa of dried tomatoes, spicy salami or eggplants, which can be spread on homemade bread. It is a bit spicier than expected, but still delicious.

Within the regular menu of Lo Spuntino we recommend Pizza Di Bufalla, Margherita pasta stuffed with pear, Garlic bread, Pizza Provolone and to top it off, the Chocolate Calzone. Buon appettito!

Source: losmejoresrestaurantes.net

Eboka

A restaurant where you can stimulate your senses to the fullest, through the mixture of traditional Spanish flavours with more modern techniques. Located right in the center of Malaga, Eboka provides a really exciting gastronomic experience.

The traditional ajoblanco, porra, salchichón tartare or young goat steak from Malaga are some of its star dishes, always. The Eboka team calls it “heritage kitchen”. The restaurant enjoys an extensive menu of wines (mostly from Malaga) and craft beers.

Eboka has been acknowledged this year with the “Sabor a Málaga” stamp, a brand created by the regional government to promote top-quality regional products from Malaga.

Source: minube.com

Whether you fancy the traditional Spanish food or exotic cuisine from all over the world, Marbesol wishes you a delicious Christmas in the Costa del Sol!

If you want to read more about the tipping customs in Spain and other countries around the world (to avoid making a fool of yourself), read our entry about tipping ettiquette. Do you like gastronomic tourism? Rent your car in Malaga now and start your route.