Cafe-Bar Mercado Atarazanas

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Shawn

Updated July 2016

atarazanas cafe bar Market bars are some of my favourite places to eat and the Atarazanas Market in central Málaga is one of my favourite markets. So if you’re walking around town midday and looking for a snack – or even a full lunch – then this is a great place to go. Café-Bar Mercado Atarazanas was the original market bar here and, what started as one small stall years ago, has been expanded with the addition of a couple of extra stalls in front, as well as a few tables outside. But the quality of the food remains the same, which is Very Very Good and also excellent value for money.

It’s all very no-frills as you’d expect, but there’s just something so charming about it, along with the super fast and friendly service, that makes me not very interested in going back to the other newcomer market bars (though I have been to them just to compare). Honestly, if I lived in Málaga I’d be tempted to have lunch here every day. Brochettes of prawns and octopus, perfectly grilled and sprinkled with smoked paprika, crispy-fried lemon-marinated boquerones, breaded or battered prawns, grilled hake, marinated dogfish… and the list goes on, and on. All super-fresh, all made to order, all of it wonderful. And if you are concerned about getting your 5-a-day they also do a tasty plate of tempura mixed veggies. Good ice cold beer and decent wines too.

Mercado de Atarazanas
Atarazanas, 10
Málaga
Open: 9.00 – 15.00 Monday – Saturday
€ €

Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 9

atarazanas bar pulpo grilled octopus
atarazanas prawn grilled prawns with paprika

atarazanas salmon prawn grilled prawns with salmon

atarazanas bar breaded prawns fried breaded prawns

atarazanas bar calamari calamari

atarazanas artichokes fried artichokes

some of the Atarazanas team

atarazanas bar cazon cazón en adobo (dogfish, known as pintaroja in Málaga)

atarazanas veggies crispy fried veggies

boquerones al limón

atarazanas bar pulpo tuna grilled red tuna and octopus with alioli toasts

atarazanas bar (10) buzzy market bar atmosphere

atarazanas victor owner Victor
atarazanas bar stained glass

Updated July 2016

Pez Tomillo

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Shawn

Updated January 2014

pez tomillo terraza

Imagine my surprise when I discovered last summer that Pez Tomillo is part of the Equipo Mpuntor group from Sevilla! I went back again on a recent visit to Málaga and remain impressed with the quality of the food and wine and also the service. And of course the restaurant space is fabulous, with the same fun retro-stylish décor that Mpuntor has become known for. There’s a charming covered terrace out front and an ample bar and dining area as you enter, with lots of comfortable seating. The rooftop is open in the evenings and is both restaurant and cocktail bar, offering a lovely seaview. I also like the spacious open kitchen where you can see your food being prepared.

The menu is pretty much the same as at chef Ernesto Malasaña’s cool and eclectic Bar Antojo in Sevilla. I actually think this is a good idea for this barrio as Pedregalejo already has a lot typical seafood restaurants and, especially for those who live out there, I can imagine Pez Tomillo being a welcome change. Both tapas and racións are available for most dishes. The bacalao “al carbón” is tasty plump salt cod in squid ink tempura, the stewed bulltail with creamy potatoes is super-tender, and the eggs with foie and fried potatoes is seriously decadent. There’s a very nice wine list and the very professional service provided by the young and enthusiastic staff is delightful and unstuffy.

From the centre of Málaga you can get to Pedregalejo by catching the Nº 11 city bus, taking a taxi or, as I did, enjoy a 40-minute walk along the seaside promenade (but watch out for speeding cyclists!).

Bread/Service Charge: 1€ PER PERSON

Paseo de Pedregal 1
Málaga
Tel 951 253 627
Open: 12.30 – 2.00
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 9 | Service 9 | Ambiance 9

pez tomillo terraza 1 the terrace

pez tomillo bar the bar

pez tomillo open kitchen open kitchen

pez tomillo gambas pilpil gambas pil-pil

pez tomillo bacalao carbon bacalao “al carbón” (salt cod in squid ink tempura)

pez tomillo cola del toro stewed bulltail with creamy potato purée

pez tomillo huevos rotos foie fried free-range eggs with potatoes and grilled foie

pez tomillo dumplings dumplings with sweet chili sauce

pez tomillo pollo lagramitas de pollo with barbeque sauce

pez tomillo coulante chocolate coulante with white chocolate ice cream

pez tomillo terraza 2

pez tomillo rooftop bar rooftop bar and restaurant

pez tomillo rooftop view
Updated January 2014

Alumbre

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Shawn

alumbre
Another great recommendation from a friend. I may not have gone into Alumbre otherwise, fearing it might be your typical “gastrobar”, but in fact it’s a charming spot with very friendly professional service and some lovely tapas ranging from 1.50 – 2.50€. Tapas are served in the front section; there’s a separate “raciones” menu for the terrace and dining area, which are also very reasonably priced. Looking forward to going back with friends next visit to Málaga to share some larger plates.

Strachan 11
Málaga
Tel 952 640 108 / 951 500 02
Open 12.00 – midnight (closed Sunday)
Alumbre Website
€ € €

alumbre (3)

alumbre jamon

alumbre (4)

alumbre olives

alumbre spring rolls prawn and seta springroll with kikoman soy reduction

alumbre tortillita salchichon salchicha de Málaga fritter

alumbre albondiga almond sauce pork meatball with almond sauce

alumbre (2) dining area with open kitchen

José Carlos García

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Shawn

In a word – disappointing. I have to say I was really excited when Madrid pals Lauren and Ale came down to join me in Málaga for what would be my first ever Michelin star experience (it was their second). We’d spent the early afternoon out and and about on a light market & tapas tour with Victor @WeLoveMalaga and by late evening we were more than ready for another fabulous food experience.

Things started off promising when we arrived and were asked if we would like to have our starter course outside on the terrace overlooking the beautifully renovated Muello Uno, which we enjoyed with a nice glass of cava. Then we were led into the very spartan looking dining area, relieved somewhat by a pretty “hanging garden” wall of green plants on one side. And then the show began…

We chose the 54€ tasting menu which – surprise! – ended up being 65€ because the IVA wasn’t included in the price, then went up to 80€ each with wine. After our starters out on the terrace (which were frankly more cute & clever than tasty) we were ready to be impressed. But making a show of decanting our mineral water (huh?) and donning one white glove before serving anything seemed, well, a bit silly.

Don’t get me wrong. Nobody loves a good performance better than me, but it also has to fit and make sense. And when you are serving people who are paying very good money for quality food it also makes sense to get a feel of who your customers are. But no. We received coldly efficient service throughout our meal… actually TOO efficient as dishes barely finished were whisked away and immediately replaced with the next course, before we’d had time to finish the wines we’d ordered to go with them. Which made for some “interesting” DYI pairings…

And speaking of feeling rushed. At one point while enjoying the small quisquillas (prawns), and after a waiter had already tried to take away our unfinished plates, a women who seemed to be a manager actually came out and said “are you finished now??”. We were dumbfounded as it was so intrusive and rude. But there was more to come.

There was one spectacular dish – the hake with beets – which made us all heave a sigh of relief. But this was followed by a completely tasteless beef cheek which left us wondering how you could suck all the life and flavour out of what is usually a crazy-tasty dish. Then after a “party trick” dessert and some frankly unpleasant sweet after-thoughts in a box we were done.

I don’t know about you, but if I pay 80 euros for a meal with wine I really want to enjoy more than one spectacular dish. I realise I’m new to this whole Michelin star thang, but I do know good food and so I’m not going to be blinded by superficial attempts at appearing to be something special. I don’t need my mineral water decanted, I don’t need to be led to the ladies room by the waiter (seriously, he did this), but I do expect to feel welcome and that the wait staff are capable of engaging in some semblance of personal interaction. We all felt the staff seemed not only very young (other than the manager) but also very inexperienced. No donning of a white glove is going to change that.

So that’s it. My first ever Michelin star experience was not so great. And my dinner companions felt the same (actually Ale was even more disappointed than I was). But I have another one coming up soon so let’s hope that turns out better.

Plaza de la Capilla, Muelle Uno
Málaga
Tel 952 003 588
José Carlos García Website
€ € € € €

Lauren and Ale

hot gin foam with cold grapefruit granita

fried almonds “calle nueva”, chicharrones,
savoury macarron, sunflower seed polvorón

mackerel with strawberries in various forms and black beer sorbet

quisquillas on sliced turnip with gamba fumé

hake with beets and “falsa gazpachuela”

beef cheeks with carrots and potato purée

Dr Seuss looking crunchy “nest”-banana purée-citrus sorbet

chocolate mint coins, marshmallows, macarrones, cheesecake

El Mesón de Cervantes

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Shawn

Updated February 2015

meson cervantes
El Mesón de Cervantes is just around the corner from its hugely successful sister bar El Tapeo de Cervantes. This new location is bigger and more stylish than the original location, with a bar area in the front for tapas and two dining areas for larger plates (raciones), though the menu and wine list are pretty much the same. Nice open kitchen and attractive space, though service can be a bit slapdash. Be sure to check out the daily specials.

Alamos 11
Málaga
Tel. 952 216 274
El Tapeo de Cervantes Website
€ € €

Food 7 | Wine 7 | Service 6 | Ambiance 7

meson cervantes bar the bar

meson cervantes dining area dining area

meson cervantes wine olives wine and olives at the bar

meson cervantes spinach salad spinach salad with shaved manchego cheese and walnuts

meson cervantes pulpo grilled octopus with fideos and romescu sauce

meson cervantes pumpkin risotto pumpkin & duck risotto

meson cervantes flamenquin flamenquín

meson cervantes meatballs meatballs in tomato sauce

meson cervantes secreto grilled secreto with pumpkin and pineapple jam

meson cervantes bacalao with orange confit and spicy tomato bacalao with orange confit and spicy tomato

meson cervantes gambas battered prawns

meson cervantes salmon grilled salmon with herb butter, garbanzo puree and black rice

meson cervantes dining area 2 dining area

meson cervantes nook cosy nook

El Refectorium Catedral

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Shawn

Updated July 2016

refectorium catedral

This sister bar of the El Refectorium Malagueta couldn’t be more different in style, but happily it has many of the same dishes from the original menu. El Refectorium Catedral is all chic minimalist elegance – designed by Jean-Claude Schmidt and Rafael Raez Ariza – with a lovely curved wall of windows that lets in lots of natual light. Service is professional and refreshingly unstuffy.

For me a visit to Málaga isn’t complete without at least one stop-in here. You can get the tapas menu at the bar, raciones at the tables. A couple of the many must-try dishes: the super tender slow-chargrilled octopus and the langoustine and jamón brochette. Also make sure to ask about the daily specials. Excellent wines by the glass and I think on par good value for money.

Calle Postigo de los Abades, 4
Málaga
Tel. 952 602 389
€ € € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

refectorium cathedral entrance

refectorium catedral boquerones boquerones al vinagre – lots of them!

cheese!

caña de lomo

refectorium catedral bolos bolos (a type of clam served live with a squeeze of lemon)

salmorejo with jamón and egg

refectorium catedral conchas finas conchas finas

refectorium catedral ensaladilla ensaladilla with tuna

refectorium habas broad beans and jamón with fried egg

white asparagus

refectorium cathedral lamb lamb pinchito with chips

refectorium catedral ligeritas ligeritas: pringá, secreto serranito, solomillo & seta (and cheese)

refectorium cathedral langoustin jamon langoustine and jamón brochette

refectorium flamenquin flamenquín

refectorium cathedral padron pimientos de padrón

refectorium catedral chistorras grilled chistorras with chips

refectorium catedral artichokes grilled artichokes with jamón

refectorium catedral coquinas coquinas (small wedge clams in olive oil, white wine and garlic)

refectorium catedral mussels mussels al ajillo

refectorium catedral pulpo slow-chargrilled octopus with smoked paprika

refectorium cathedral albondigon beef albondigones (BIG meatballs)

refectorium catedral green beans jamon green beans with jamón

refectorium catedral presa iberica grilled presa Ibérica

refectorium berenjenas fried aubergine with salmorejo

grilled squid and veg

refectorium catedral calamaritos calamaritos fritos (tiny squid in batter)

refectorium catedral boletus boletus mushrooms with jamón

refectorium catedral equipo Horacio, Victor, María, Abelardo, Paco & Julio (Tío Pollas)

refectorium catedral dining

Updated July 2016

Besana Tapas

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Shawn

besana
Original and stylish tapas in the heart of the picturesque Judería barrio in Utrera, about a half hour’s drive from Sevilla. I’ve been wanting to come here for ages and finally got a chance the other day when friends invited me to join them for lunch. We got there early as Besana is a cosy place and doesn’t take bookings, and we found a nice spot in the small dining room off the bar area.

Co-owners Mario Ríos Aguilera and Curro Noriego are constantly recreating Besana with new menus every few months, and there are also a few daily specials. Most of you know by now that I am not a huge fan of “gastrobars”, but Besana has a reputation for both quality and innovation, so I was up for trying anything. In the end I preferred the dishes that most resembled, well, food (surely foamed anything has had its day?) and that weren’t overly clever. Great care is taken with presentation here and dishes such as the perfectly grilled sea bass with asparagus and citrus emulsion and the squid ink croquettes with roasted garlic mayo were as tasty as they were attractive. The glazed sweetbreads with goat cheese and stir-fried setas were also a favourite, but I really should’ve known better than to order the mini-burger. Overall it was a very pleasant lunch with attentive service and some lovely wines by the glass.

Bread Charge: 0.80€

Niño Perdido, 1
Utrera
Tel 955 863 804
Open 13.00 – midnight Tuesday – Saturday
13.00 – 19.00 Sunday
Besana Tapas Website
€ € € €

besana (4)

besana (6)

besana ajoblanco ajoblanco with almonds and tuna chicharrones

besana setas grilled setas ‘au jus’ with Inés Rosales tortas

besana chicken curry chicken curry with rice, baked banana and coconut

besana corvina grilled lubina (sea bass) with asparagus and citrus emulsion

besana huevos rotos huevos rotos with potato and chistorra foam

besana lamb kebab lamb kebab with tabouleh and cucumber yoghurt

besana gorgonzola mini burger gorgonzola-filled mini-burger

besana squid ink croquetas squid ink croquettes with roasted garlic mayo

besana sweetbreads glazed sweetbreads with goat cheese and stir-fried setas

besana milhojas de cochinito “millefeuille” of cochinillo y sliced pears

besana sacher sacher bizcocho with candied cherries and dark chocolate ice cream

besana curro mario co-owners Mario and Curro

besana (3)

besana (7)

La Bouganvilla

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Shawn

La Bouganvilla is the newest offering from Borja Galán, who runs the fabulous La Cosmopolita. It’s a very different style, serving typical Andalusian fare, and doing it very well. There’s a great terraza in the square and two floors of bar and restaurant space inside. And 1.75€ will get you a cold beer and a tapa while you check out the rest of the menu.

Granada 21
Málaga
tel. 951 006 103
Open 12.00 – midnight
(kitchen closed 16.30 – 20.00)
€ € €

bouganvilla (1)
bouganvilla bar
bouganvilla cerveza beer & a tapa = 1.75€

bouganvilla tapas selection of complementary tapas

bouganvilla arroz arroz del día

bouganvilla huevos rotos huevos rotos with chorizo and chips

bouganvilla (2)
bouganvilla (3)

bouganvilla terraza

Wendy Gamba

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Shawn

Updated May 2015

wendy gamba

Since my first visit here with my friend Victor @welovemalaga, Wendy Gamba has made a few changes to the menu, including some “friends of Wendy” (non-gamba) items. Owned and operated by the same group who run KGB (previously Manzanilla) across the street, you can still get the famous Dani García bulltail burger here. Heaven. Happily Botani is still available by the glass, but the usual beverages of choice seem to be Victoria beer, vermouth on tap and a small selection of wines. And of course there are gambas galore. Plus a few of Wendy’s friends.

Nice friendly atmosphere and cheerful staff, in spite of there being no heating or airconditioning. Most comfortable times to go: spring and autumn.

Fresca 10
Málaga
Tel. 952 22 30 24
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8| Ambiance 7

wendy gamba tiles

wendy gamba salmorejo salmorejo with jamón

wendy gamba tartare prawn tartare with olive oil and madras curry “roe”

wendy gamba gabardina crispy battered prawns

wendy gamba escondida Wendy escondida!
hidden inside grilled mushrooms with red pesto sauce

kgb gambas grilled king prawns with salsa verde

wendy gamba croquetas croquetas de – what else? – gambas!

wendy gamba al ajillo spicy gambas al ajillo

wendy gamba mollete chorizo mollete de Antequera with chorizo, caramalised onion, chipotle sauce

wendy gamba morcilla ronda morcilla from Ronda

wendy gamba bb “bulltail burger” with au jus mayo and havarti cheese

wendy papas patatas bravas

wendy gamba corner

wendy gamba bar seats

Los Gatos

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Shawn

Updated May 2015

Already well-established in Madrid for over 30 years, owner Miguel returned to his native Málaga and opened this second Los Gatos location in Plaza Uncibay. It’s a bright and buzzy spot that serves tapas all day long, many of them are displayed in a long case on the bar pintxo-style so you can just point and choose, or you can get hot dishes made to order. Genuinely friendly service and a fun kitschy atmosphere makes this is a great meeting point for the beginning of a tapeo, or even a full meal.

Make sure you try the morcilla with pine nuts and gambas with alioli, served on slices of crusty bread. Also very nice solomillo al whisky served with great chips. The bar doesn’t have a coffee machine but if you fancy one it’ll be brought over from the café across the square. It also has the best poured beer on tap I’ve had anywhere in Spain (watch them do it in the video below!) and with each drink you get a complimentary tapita. Plus you may find yourself with on-the-house cava and chocolates after paying your bill. This is the ultimate “cheap & cheerful” bar.

[note: the nickname for Madrileños is gato, for Malagueños it’s boquerón]