Cortijo de Pepe ★ 4.0
Cortijo de Pepe has fed locals on Málaga's Plaza de la Merced since 1971, a no-frills tapas bar of fried aubergine with molasses and cheap house wine.
Order: Berenjenas con miel and a plate of jamón at the bar
Casa Lola is a tapas restaurant in Centro Historico, Málaga.
Casa Lola is a bustling tiled taberna on Málaga's Calle Granada, pouring vermouth on tap alongside croquetas, ajoblanco malagueño and shared montaditos.
Editorially verified July 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: Croquetas and gambas a la plancha with a cold vermouth
Address: Calle Granada 46, 29015 Málaga
Cortijo de Pepe has fed locals on Málaga's Plaza de la Merced since 1971, a no-frills tapas bar of fried aubergine with molasses and cheap house wine.
Order: Berenjenas con miel and a plate of jamón at the bar
La Taberna del Pintxo works the Basque way in central Málaga, a bar off Calle Larios where you grab skewered pintxos and pay by the toothpick.
Order: A tray of pintxos grabbed straight off the bar
Las Merchanas is a Semana Santa shrine turned Málaga taberna, its walls thick with religious icons and its bar plating flamenquines and fried aubergine.
Order: Berenjenas con miel and flamenquines with a sweet wine
Mesón Lo Güeno has crammed tapas eaters into a Málaga alley off Calle Larios since the 1960s, a wood-panelled bar of cured meats and hot montaditos.
Order: Solomillo al whisky and a wedge of manchego
La Casa del Piyayo is a snug tapas tavern on Málaga's Calle Granada, plating porra antequerana, boquerones and other malagueño staples at the counter.
Order: Porra antequerana and a plate of boquerones
Cortijo de Pepe has fed locals on Málaga's Plaza de la Merced since 1971, a no-frills tapas bar of fried aubergine with molasses and cheap house wine.
Order: Berenjenas con miel and a plate of jamón at the bar
La Taberna del Pintxo works the Basque way in central Málaga, a bar off Calle Larios where you grab skewered pintxos and pay by the toothpick.
Order: A tray of pintxos grabbed straight off the bar
Las Merchanas is a Semana Santa shrine turned Málaga taberna, its walls thick with religious icons and its bar plating flamenquines and fried aubergine.
Order: Berenjenas con miel and flamenquines with a sweet wine
Mesón Lo Güeno has crammed tapas eaters into a Málaga alley off Calle Larios since the 1960s, a wood-panelled bar of cured meats and hot montaditos.
Order: Solomillo al whisky and a wedge of manchego
El Tintero is Málaga's singing-waiter chiringuito in El Palo, where fried fish and espetos are auctioned aloud and you grab plates as they fly past.
Order: Whatever the waiters are shouting: grab the fried fish as it passes
La Casa del Piyayo is a snug tapas tavern on Málaga's Calle Granada, plating porra antequerana, boquerones and other malagueño staples at the counter.
Order: Porra antequerana and a plate of boquerones