Espetos de Sardinas

Sardines grilled on wood skewers over beach bonfires — the Costa del Sol tradition at its best

The defining food experience in Torre del Mar is eating espetos — fresh sardines threaded on bamboo canes and grilled over wood fires — at one of the chiringuitos along the Paseo Marítimo. This is the Costa del Sol tradition at its most authentic and unpretentious. The sardines are cooked over an open fire directly on the beach, arrived that morning from the boats at La Caleta.

The espeto season runs from around April to October, when the sardines are at their fattest. Most chiringuitos serve them as a portion of 4–6 sardines for around €5–8, accompanied by local bread and a glass of cold beer or local white wine. The best time to eat is lunch, when the fires are at their peak and the sardines are freshest.

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A story
Espetos were originally the food of fishermen: sardines threaded onto bamboo poles and cooked over driftwood fires on the beach, sold directly to passers-by. The tradition is particularly strong in the Axarquía — the coast east of Málaga — where the local espetera fishing boat and its associated culture are now protected under Andalucían intangible cultural heritage law.

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