Nerja in Andalucia is one of the most popular and unspoiled holiday resorts on the Costa del Sol, but still maintains much of its traditional character as a farming and fishing village. There are far fewer fishermen these days, but the traditional gaily coloured fishing boats still beach at dawn on the beaches of the chain of pretty rock girt bays below the town, and the fishermen rush their catches to the thriving local fresh fish shops and restaurants, or sell them directly to passersby from street corner stands.
Nerja's Varied Seafood Locations
Not surprisingly, fish and seafood restaurants are among the most popular eating places with townspeople and visitors alike; from cheap and cheerful beach “chiringuitos” with their seafood paellas and grilled sardines to bustling tapas bars and sophisticated “marisquerias” or seafood restaurants, they offer a wonderful cross section of Mediterranean fish and seafood dishes.
Here are four top fish restaurants taken from across the whole spectrum. Each has its own distinctive character, but all offer a wonderful selection of Spanish seafood dishes, served in a truly Spanish ambience. All their fish is freshly prepared and cooked; in none will you find tired, pre-prepared tapas reheated in the microwave, an all too common practice in many Spanish restaurants. Visitors and tourists will find a warm and courteous welcome, but all four have a strong regular clientele of Spaniards - the best possible indication of their quality.
La Taberna del Pescador, on Calle Almirante Ferrandiz
This is a small family-run fish bar in the modern Spanish style with plastic tables, and walls hung with fishing nets and pictures. From outside it appears unimpressive, but inside there’s a real buzz. The jolly patron bustles around behind the bar, while his smiling unharassed wife cooks up delicious dishes and snacks while you watch.
The simple menu includes most of the traditional Spanish fish dishes and a few of the more common meat dishes, all inexpensively priced and beautifully cooked. However La Taberna’s real strength is its tapas; a long line of dishes behind the bar display a wonderful variety of shining fresh fish and shellfish ready to be whisked away and cooked while you watch Tapas comes free with a modestly priced beer, wine or other drink (around €1.70).
El Pulguilla, on Calle Cristo
This is a huge restaurant and tapas bar, all gleaming chrome and plastic in the modern Spanish style. At first sight the ambience may seem a little daunting, with a noise level which confirms how much its largely Spanish afficionados are enjoying themselves, but the food is good and cheap and the tapas excellent.
El Pulguilla is divided into three areas: the main restaurant in a huge marquee at the back, a smaller indoor restaurant for the rare days of cold weather, and a large indoor tapas bar.
The restaurant offers a full range of traditional Spanish dishes, with seafood predominating, inexpensive and freshly cooked in a modern kitchen opening onto the marquee while you wait . Portions are generous, and unless you are particularly hungry a media or half portion, rather than a portion or racion, is plenty for most appetites.
Again the tapas bar is the establishment’s outstanding feature and comes free with any drink (around €1.70). Choose from the delicious array of fish and shellfish and other snacks displayed behind the bar ready to be cooked as you watch.
Chiringuito de Ayo, on Burriana Beach
“Ayo’s”, like its eponymous owner, is a Nerja institution, open for lunch seven days a week around the year. Located at the extreme eastern end of the Burriana beach, this sand-floored beach restaurant is renowned above all for its paella, widely considered the best in town.
Around a hundred and fifty tables, shaded by huge grapevines, are laid out on the sand around a well equipped modern kitchen. On Sundays in particular every table is full, so arrive before 1 o’clock or expect to queue. Above the passionate bedlam of Spanish conversation, Ayo bellows instructions to waiters as they rush to clear tables and sprint back with the next order.
The menu includes many Spanish dishes, with an emphasis on fish and seafood, and also some local house specialities. Prices are cheap, and the best indication of quality is the number of large Spanish parties who gather for an uproarious family lunch.
Most popular of all is paella, cooked, often by Ayo himself, in massive paella dishes over a roaring fire in an outdoor cooking area. It‘s a great spectacle and there‘s normally a small crowd gathered around just to watch the fun. It’s not strictly a seafood paella as it also contains generous portions of chicken to add depth of flavour, and the rice is cooked and flavoured to perfection. Portions (around €5) are generous but it tastes so good that there’s always a steady stream of people queuing for free second helpings.
Marisqueria Puerta del Mar, Off the Balcon de Europa
This is an elegant and sophisticated modern restaurant, but includes a smart tapas bar to add a touch of informality and offer the chance to sample the food before committing yourself to a full meal.
The Puerta del Mar's situation is superb, in a small arcade in the Edificio Calabella just east of the Balcon de Europa, and a huge window stretching the whole width of the room looks out across the pretty Calahonda beach .
The menu offers virtually any type of fish dish you can imagine, from simple squid or sardines, to more exotic fish and sumptuous platters of mixed shellfish, all perfectly cooked and presented.
Service is quick, welcoming and courteous but never intrusive. Prices aren't cheap but entirely reasonable for the environment and quality of the food.
Other Nerja Restaurants and Attractions
Great though these fish restaurants are, Spanish food is rich and varied, and there are many more top quality restaurants offering other traditional dishes to visitors exploring Nerja.
Tony Allen - In 2004 I began my "fourth career" as a freelance writer. In my first career, after training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, I ...
