Málaga eats well, and cheaply. The local speciality is fritura malagueña — a paper cone of mixed small fish (anchovies, baby squid, red mullet) flash-fried in olive oil — best eaten at a beachside chiringuito in Pedregalejo or El Palo to the east of the centre. Watch for espetos, sardines threaded onto a cane skewer and grilled over driftwood embers in a half-buried rowing boat: a Costa del Sol ritual.
In the city itself the tapas tradition is strong. Calle Granada, Plaza de la Merced and the lanes around the Cathedral are full of small bars where a beer comes with a plate of olives, ham, or boquerones en vinagre (anchovies marinated in vinegar). For a sit-down meal, try El Refectorium behind the bullring (Calle Cervantes, 8) for traditional Spanish dishes including the local ajo blanco — a chilled garlic-and-almond soup served with grapes — and El Tapeo de Cervantes for a more modern take on tapas. Main courses run €10–22.