Eating Out in Nerja,Southern Spain
Top Tips for Spanish Holiday Meals in Nerja on the Costa de Sol
An overview of where to go and what to eat ranging from modern cuisine to traditional chocolate and churros. Good information to take with you on holiday in Nerja.
Holidaymakers have a wide choice of restaurants in Nerja. Although traditionally the Spanish eat their main meal at around 2pm, most restaurants in southern Spain are open all day from about 10am and will serve all types of food.
Fast food is available everywhere and is inexpensive. For a better quality quick dish go to
- Anahi’s next to the tourist office, off the Balcon de Europa. This friendly, family run restaurant with a wide selection has a terrace overlooking the sea. Try their spinach quiche with salad for a healthy lunch.
Fishing boats still go out each day and the fresh catch is enjoyed in the beachfront restaurants.
- For something unusual, Ayo’s on Burriana Beach make a giant authentic paella which is a sea food and rice mixture. They make it in a huge pan on an open fire.
More than a third of the bars and restaurants in Nerja are now run by foreigners. This is a definite advantage as it creates variety and offers good quality.
- For modern European cuisine try The White Truffle on Calle Manuel Marin, 12. They also do Edwardian teas on Tuesdays between 11.30 and 5pm., serving delectable homemade cakes and scones, as well as fresh soup and sandwiches.
Vegetarianism is still a fairly foreign concept in Spain. At the best Spanish restaurant ordering a salad runs the risk of a tuna garnish or fried bacon bits in with the tomatoes. However, a well-made Spanish omelette is utterly delicious.
- Joannys on Calle Frigiliana, east of the Balcon de Europa, is another family run Spanish business which serves inexpensive, tasty meals. Enjoy their Spanish omelette (tortilla) or ask for an avocado salad without tuna or bacon!
A holiday in Spain would not be complete without trying the tapas (small portion of snacks) bars.
- Los Cuñaos on Calle Herrera Oría and will give you traditional Spanish tapas and drinks at local prices. Look for Serrano ham and Manchego cheese, olives stuffed with anchovies, and tiny fried fish as long as your thumb.
For those holidaymakers with a sweet tooth
- Try churros (a bit like long doughnuts) and chocolate (in a cup but you should dip the churros) at Las Quatro Esqinas, 55 on Calle Pintada, the main shopping street.
Café culture and people watching are much enjoyed in Nerja and a variety of coffee is sold in all the pavement cafes. Whilst most people opt for café con leche ( coffee with milk) black coffee and espresso of different strengths are freely available and in the summer, café hielo (black coffee with ice).
- The Balcon de Europa is lined with tables in the sunshine.
Nestled in a bay surrounded by mountains, Nerja is a pretty town on the Costa del Sol. Until the 1960’s it was a simple Spanish fishing village with dirt roads and few amenities. “Discovered” by people from northern Europe as a perfect place to live cheaply, the town slowly grew and developed. 50 years later it attracts tourists from all over the world and offers many activities and a variety of holiday accommodation
