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Nerja has three areas where you can eat: the old town next to the Balcón de Europa, the beach bars in Burriana and the side streets, where you’ll find the daily special.
Five venues with confirmed opening times, because there are surprises here.
If you arrive at midday on a Monday, the two most highly recommended ones are closed. Go to Sal & Pimienta or Ayo.
4.3 out of over 10,500 reviews, which is a huge amount. Fried fish and seafood, served as tapas with a drink or as a portion.
Something worth bearing in mind: has two entrances. The tapas bar is at 26 Almirante Ferrándiz Street, and for the garden terrace do you walk through the bar or go in via 31 Hernando de Carabeo Street. The bar is for eating standing up; the terrace is for sitting down.
Please note: if they serve you bread without asking, you’ll be charged for it. This is common in Andalusia, but several reviews mention it here.
On the Burriana promenade, and the paella is cooked in plain sight, on a wood fire. 4.0 out of over 6,600 reviews.
And here’s the important correction: For years, Ayo’s complaint had been that You could have as many helpings of paella as you liked. Not anymore. You’re served one dish and there are no second helpings – something that many guidebooks still advertise, much to the disappointment of those who arrive expecting otherwise.
What the reviews do recommend: the fried anchovies, the sardines and the house salad. And it’s right on the beach, so it’s perfect for a morning at the beach.
The venue is linked to the history of «Verano Azul», the TV series filmed in Nerja in the late 1970s, and that is partly why it is so well known.
4.7 out of 1,420 reviews: the highest-rated on the list. It’s in the Plaza Balcón de Europa, 9, in the best spot in the village.
He is Italian, not Andalusian: pizza, pasta and grilled dishes. And it has a wide range of vegan and gluten-free options, including tiramisu, which isn’t easy to find in Nerja.
The decisive warning: It is closed on Mondays and is only open from 5.30 pm to 11.00 pm. It’s a dinner restaurant, even though it features on all the lists of places to eat.
Tel. +34 952 52 31 56. It works well for groups: several reviews point out that they can cater for large tables at the same time.
The only one that’s open all day: every day from 11.30 am to midnight. If your timetable doesn’t fit in with everyone else’s, this one’s the answer. 4.4 out of 714 reviews.
Mediterranean cuisine with an extensive à la carte menu: homemade lasagne, pizza, burgers made with our own beef, fish and breakfasts. It’s at Avenida Mediterráneo, 2, a little way from the Balcón de Europa.
And a good sign: Several reviews mention that it’s full of local families.
Tel. +34 951 83 33 63.
Daily set menu for around €12, and with views of Calahonda beach and the Balcón de Europa. It offers the best value for money and the best views of the village.
8 Puerta del Mar Street, right next to the viewpoint. 4.1 out of 160 reviews. Tel. +34 952 52 80 24.
It’s also great for breakfast and for coffee and cake in the middle of the afternoon. Her opening hours aren’t published, so it’s best not to rely on her as your only option.
Sardine skewers It’s the most typical way: threaded onto a skewer and grilled over the embers, stuck in the sand. You eat it with one’s hands and at the beach bars.
And the rest of the local news:
The rule is simple: stay away from the Balcón de Europa. Two or three streets further in, the prices go down and set menus start to appear.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Nerja and Frigiliana go hand in hand, which is ten minutes away:
Includes a glass of wine and tapas in Frigiliana, as well as some free time in both villages.
For the rest of the plan: what to see in Nerja, the Nerja Caves, the best beaches y Frigiliana. With children, Things to do in Nerja with children.
El Pulguilla and La Fuente, which are two of the most highly recommended. They’re open every day: Ayo, from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm, and Sal & Pimienta, from 11.30 am to midnight, non-stop. Anyone arriving at midday on a Monday should head to these last two.
Not anymore. For years, that was its main selling point, and many guidebooks still advertise it as such, but nowadays only a single dish is served, with no second helping. It’s worth bearing this in mind so you don’t turn up with that expectation.
No. Although it’s the highest-rated restaurant in Nerja — 4.7 out of over 1,400 reviews — it’s only open from 5.30 pm to 11.00 pm and is closed on Mondays, so it’s a dinner-only restaurant. It’s an Italian restaurant, serving pizza, pasta and grilled dishes, and it has an extensive vegan and gluten-free menu.
In the bars and restaurants on the side streets, two or three blocks inland from the Balcón de Europa, where prices are noticeably lower. The Cafetería Calabella offers a set menu for around 12 euros with views of Calahonda beach. It is usually served from Monday to Friday at lunchtime.
Sardine skewers, threaded onto a stick and grilled over embers stuck in the sand; they are eaten with your hands and are a staple of beach bars. Also fried fish and produce from the Axarquía region, such as avocados and mangoes, as well as sweet Muscat wine.
La Fuente, in Plaza Balcón de Europa, is the highest-rated restaurant and serves dinner only. El Pulguilla is open from 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm and Sal & Pimienta until midnight. Ayo, on the other hand, closes at 7.00 pm and does not serve dinner. During the high season, it’s advisable to book, particularly at the terraces overlooking the sea.
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