Where to Eat in Nerja

Nerja feeds you well, as long as you know where to look – and where not to. The promenade round the Balcón de Europa is handy and priced for it; the good stuff is a couple of streets back in the old town, or down on Burriana where the paella and the sardine skewers hit an open fire. Here are seven places worth your appetite and what to order, part of the wider things to do in Nerja.

What to Eat

Nerja's food is coastal Andalusian, which means fish first. The signature dish is espetos – fresh sardines threaded onto a cane skewer and grilled over an olive-wood fire on the sand, served charred outside with coarse salt and lemon. You will see the fires going on Burriana and the town beaches through the season.

Beyond that: fresh seafood and pescaíto frito (lightly fried fish), paella made to order in big pans, and tapas across the old-town bars – grilled squid, clams, prawns pil pil. Wash it down with local sweet Moscatel wine from the hills inland. Prices are reasonable away from the seafront, less so on the Balcón.

1. Ayo – Burriana Beach

The Nerja institution. Ayo has cooked paella over an open fire on Burriana beach for over 50 years, in giant pans, with free refills if you are still hungry. It is busy, informal and beachfront – go for the paella and the setting rather than fine dining. The best-known meal in town.

2. El Pulguilla

A classic old-town tapas bar in the historic centre, strong on fish and seafood – grilled squid, clams, sardines, prawns pil pil. Lively and popular with both locals and visitors. The kind of place to graze across several plates rather than sit down to one big dish.

3. Dolores El Chispa

A traditional tapas spot known for authentic Spanish seafood. It fills fast – arrive early in the evening or late to get a table, and do not expect a quiet, polished room. The food and the prices are the draw.

4. La Taberna del Sacristán

On one of the old town's historic squares, the Sacristán leans into grilled meats and traditional tapas, with terrace tables for people-watching. A solid all-rounder for a sit-down dinner in the centre.

5. Restaurante La Puntilla

Fresh fish is the headline here, with made-to-order paella if you ring ahead, plus a spread of tapas. The fish steals the show – order whatever came in that day.

6. El Refugio

One of the higher-rated restaurants in town, with a terrace and a reputation for friendly service. A good choice when you want a proper sit-down meal rather than tapas on the hoof.

7. D'Vinos

For something different, D'Vinos gives Spanish tapas a twist with Japanese and Indian touches. A change of pace from the traditional fish-and-tapas circuit, and a decent wine list to go with it.

Tapas in the Old Town

The heart of Nerja's eating is the grid of streets behind Plaza Cavana and around the El Salvador church. This is where the tapas bars cluster, and where you will eat better and cheaper than on the seafront. The pleasure is in moving between a few of them – a plate and a drink in each – rather than committing to one table for the night.

Evenings are when it comes alive, from around 21:00. For where to base yourself within walking distance of all of it, see our where to stay in Nerja guide.

Eating on the Beach

Burriana is the place for a long lunch by the sea – Ayo's paella at one end and a line of chiringuitos grilling espetos along the sand. It is the most relaxed way to eat in Nerja, straight off the beach. The Nerja beaches guide covers the rest of what is there, and the Balcón de Europa is the spot for a drink with a view once you have eaten well elsewhere.