Due to the many different cultures that have passed through
Malaga, the region has a long and varied history when it comes
to cuisine. From Phoenicians, Romans and Greeks to Moors,
all have contributed to Malaga’s recipe book not only
with ingredients, but with cooking styles too.
Typical food in Malaga
As a costal town, one of Malaga’s specialties is fish
in all varieties: red mullet, whiting, fresh anchovies are
just some of the kinds you’ll find in abundance at the
markets. Other seafood such as lobster and baby squid is also
popular. Fish here tastes so good because it’s always
freshly caught. A great dish to try is sardines grilled on
bamboo spits over charcoal.
Your visit to Malaga will not be complete if you do not try
the all-famous gazpacho, a traditional dish of the
Andalusian region. This typical cold vegetable soup is prepared
in countless different ways. A very popular type of gazpacho
from Malaga is the “ajo blanco” variety,
made with garlic, almonds and grapes, belying a certain Arab
influence.
There are many other goodies to try here, delicious sweetmeats,
ham sausages, game dishes and vegetable stews.
Wine in Malaga
With over 12,000 hectares of vineyards, only 1000 are used
for wine grapes, as the costal area isn't really ideally suited
for these grapes. But even so, Malaga also has some of the
best vineyards on the Coast and every year produces some fine
bottles of wine.
A typical wine to try is the sweet wine (Falstaff's "sack"),
made from muscatel grapes and dispensed from huge wooden barrels
– it goes well with a host of regional dishes.
The two main producers in the Malaga region are Larios,
who produce gin and Lopez Hermanos.
Eating out in Malaga
Malaga has plenty of interesting and traditional places to
go out and try some of the many local dishes. When on the
beach, remember that a chirirnguitos is a place specializing
in seafood. The Malagan Hotel Industry Association (AEHMA)
organized the restaurants and chiringuitos into
3 routes or tapas trails:
