There are many places to try paella in Malaga, but not all of them live up to the expectations such an important dish in Spanish cuisine. There are different concepts of authentic paella throughout Spain, we are going to focus on those we can try in Malaga capital.
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What is considered paella in Malaga?
There are many types of rice dishes that seem similar, but paella is traditionally only considered to be a dry rice dish cooked in a paella pan. It is completely different to brothy rice dishes, creamy rice dishes or baked rice dishes.
In terms of the ingredients used, traditional Valencian paella is made using rabbit, snails, chicken, flat green beans and butter beans. However, it is usually socially acceptable to add other ingredients, provided they respect the cooking point of the main ingredient, the rice.
Now we have explained the concept of ‘paella’, we show you some of the best restaurants in Malaga for paella, where you can try paellas as well as ‘brothy’ and ‘creamy’ rice dishes. Below, we include a map so you can find them all easily.
Best paella in Malaga
We have prepared a list with some of the restaurants with the best paella in Malaga, exclusively referring to dry rice dishes, although many also include brothy rice dishes on their menus. In Malaga, thanks to its fishing tradition, it is more common to find rice dishes including fish and seafood.
Los Mellizos Malaga
With a hospitality tradition spanning 40 years, Los Mellizos Malaga is one of the most famous paella restaurants, almost exclusively using produce from the sea, which they obtain from their own fishmonger.
It has restaurants across the province, with two located in Malaga capital: one between Calle Larios and Malaga Cathedral (Catedral de Málaga), and another newer restaurant in the alternative Soho district of Malaga. Its Los Mellizos Paella and signature paella are very inviting.
La Proa de Teatinos
La Proa de Teatinos is located in the northern part of Malaga, a restaurant specialising in using produce from the sea in its dishes. Its rice dishes include a wide variety of meat, vegetables or more unusual products like foie gras.
Located in the university area of Teatinos, it has a large menu of rice dishes where you can choose according to ingredients and style of cooking: brothy rice or paella (dry), also offering the option of making them with ‘fideuá’, a traditional Valencian noodle.
Arrozeando, in Pedregalejo and Malaga (La Térmica area)
Arrozeando Pedregalejo is a restaurant which fully specialises in all types of paellas in Malaga and in Pedregalejo, since it has two restaurants. Its menu contains almost 30 different types of rice dishes, including paella, brothy rice dishes and creamy rice dishes.
It offers the widest variety of rice dishes that you will find in this selection, and probably in the whole of Malaga. In addition, it occasionally offers rice dishes aside from the menu or only available depending on the time of year, since they require seasonal products.
All rice!
Recently opened, this small restaurant is located in Avenida de las Americas, near to the centre of Malaga. It defines itself as a contemporary paella restaurant with tradition, exclusively making dry Valencian-style paellas, but with an immense variety of ingredients to choose from.
It also offers takeaway paellas in Malaga, another option if you want to enjoy it at home, since you can pay a deposit for the paella pan and it provides a takeaway service.
Buenavista Gastrobar
Buenavista Gastrobar & Tapas is a restaurant specialising in paellas in Malaga centre, although a large part of its menu focuses on tapas.
Within its section of rice dishes, they differentiate between brothy rice, paella and fideuás (Valencian noodles) that they also include on the menu. Most of the varieties of paella are traditional like “a banda”, or the most typical paellas with chicken, fish and seafood. It is located in Calle Gaona, a small street in the heart of Malaga near to the Cervantes Theatre.
Other rice dishes in Malaga
This section includes a selection of paella and rice dish restaurants in Malaga, where we believe their brothy rice dishes, creamy rice dishes or baked rice dishes stand out.
Vicen Playa
Vicen Playa is an old beach bar with a seafaring tradition which specialises in fish, seafood and rice dishes. Noteworthy dishes include the brothy rice with lobster and seafood paella, in addition to the amount of fresh fish and seafood which is sourced locally, both from the Bay of Malaga and Galicia.
It is situated at the end of the paseo marítimo de Antonio Banderas promenade, on Sacaba beach, one of the many beaches in Malaga, and with a venue on the sand itself, with windows that offer relaxing views of the sea on the horizon.
Amador Restaurant
It’s difficult to find a restaurant in Malaga with views to rival those of Amador Restaurant, an exclusive and hidden establishment located in the northern part of Malaga. It offers exceptional views both day and night, and is also perfect for organising events in its large premises.
The menu is not as extensive as other places specialising in rice dishes. Customers recommend the rice with monkfish and squid, originally presented on a tray, since the rice dishes are finished off in a charcoal oven.
El Caleño Malaga
El Caleño Malaga, with its fishing tradition, is an old establishment which specialises in fried fish dishes. It also offers a small section of paella and brothy rice dishes, which are well admired by the public.
It is a bit more affordable than the other places mentioned above, and is located on Pedregalejo beach, the brothy rice with carabinero prawns stands out. We hope that this selection helps you to choose and find some of the best options to try a delicious paella in Malaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, and where you can hire a car at the airport and create your own tour of rices of Malaga. Here are some other leisure options for the area: What to do and see in the Costa del Sol.
Map of the best paellas in Malaga
Below is a map with the location of all these popular places to make tasty paellas in Malaga. In this way, you have the possibility of visiting those that best fit your planned route, or those that are most inviting to make a pilgrimage to them:
