CASA LOLA We were with Mark Walsh of @walshjewellery , looking for a few tapas in Malaga, so we stopped by the buzzy Casa Lola for lunch. Located in the centre of Málaga, Casa Lola is a popular bar favoured by locals. It offers a wide selection of tapas at very reasonable prices, along with a daily special that provides excellent value for those on a tight budget. You can choose a few pinchos and tapas to enjoy at the bar with a drink or take a seat at a table. We had a pin

BODEGA BAR EL PIMPI We were with Mark Walsh of @walshjewellery in Malaga and popped into this lively bar, located in the historical city centre next to the Alcazaba, which is among Málaga’s most renowned establishments. El Pimpi is featured in virtually every tourist guide imaginable. Even with its popularity as a tourist destination, El Pimpi has preserved the high-quality food that made it renowned. It is reasonably priced. Bodegas Bar El Pimpi is an interesting maze-like

ALFREDO BAR RESTAURANTE Mark Walsh returned to one of his favourite spots in San Pedro de Alcántara, just outside Marbella. We keep going back to Alfredo Bar Restaurante, and for good reason. It’s a family-run spot (open since 1981) that doesn’t shout from the street but welcomes you like an old friend once you step inside, transporting you back to ’80s Spain. The decor reminds me of when I went to Spain as a kid. You will find a large dining room with old Spanish pictures an

RESTAURANTE EL CALEÑO We returned to the still-very-traditional village of Pedregalejo, just outside of Malaga. This village has kept its local character and charm and has not been ruined by tourism. The beaches here are divided into small U-shaped coves, perfect for families with young children. This old fishing village is now known for its excellent fish restaurants, which line the promenade next to the beach. In the warm summer months, sometimes during pleasant days in win

MARISQUERÍA FREIDURÍA SALVADOR Y LUCAS We are still in the charming fishing village of Pedregalejo, and this time, we headed to Marisquería Freiduría Salvador y Lucas. This delightful restaurant sits on the road that runs parallel to the paseo and the beach, surrounded by many other eateries. The food is spectacular, a real spectacle. Nothing, absolutely nothing, of what you order will be tasteless or past its best. They always use the correct frying oil (not always the case

It is not easy to have a tapas bar crawl in Marbella, at least, not in the strict sense of the term, as the bars are not very close together. So we were pleasantly surprised with our evening stroll in mid-January. The town’s geography is quite peculiar, without a clearly defined old town or centre, which means there can be a bit of walking between bars. There are various styles here, including tapas and pintxos, markets and seafood cuisine, from traditional small wineries to

PRIMITIVO RESTAURANTE To get to this restaurant, head east, along the coastal road from Málaga for about 6 km, and you will arrive in Pedregalejo. It's a pleasant 30- to 40-minute walk or a short taxi ride from Málaga centre. The still, very traditional village of Pedregalejo has retained its local character and charm, avoiding the ruin caused by tourism. This old fishing village is now known for its excellent restaurants, which line the promenade next to the beach. In the

RESTAURANTE LA ESCOLLERA La Escollera has been in Puerto de Estepona since 1940. The long-standing harbour-side restaurant, with a large terrace, is one of the best places to enjoy stunning, fresh seafood in Estepona. The restaurant is old school and not fancy. There is an extensive menu featuring freshly caught, local fish, right from the fish market. Fresh fish arrives from the sea in the morning, and you can enjoy it at your table for lunch or dinner within hours. You will

LA COSMO Michelin Bib Gourmand La Cosma is the younger sibling of Dani Carnero ’ s La Cosmopolita. It has a more modern vibe and setting, but still serves big-flavoured Andalucian cooking without any gimmicks. We enjoyed an excellent early dinner, sitting at the long bar looking into the open kitchen. We started with some excellent bread. Ostras (oysters) La Gilda atún, tomate, piparra y anchoa (a new take on the Gilda, the iconic pintxo inspired by actress Rita Hayworth,

ANTIGUA CASA DE GUARDIA After a visit to the Mercado Central de Atarazanas (Málaga’s local food market, which also has excellent tapas bars), a short walk will take you to the oldest bar in Málaga, founded in 1840. Here, they mainly sell Málaga sweet wine directly from the barrel. It is a typical spit-and-sawdust, old-fashioned drinking bar, and it is great fun. It’s like stepping back in time to one of the few places in Málaga that still maintains its atmosphere. Try the p