In the town of the Tajo gorge, it is easy to discover where to take the best photos of this natural treasure. however, one of the most common questions among visitors is about where to eat in Ronda, with the opportunity of trying some of the most traditional dishes from its gastronomy at a reasonable price, without falling into the usual tourist traps.
In order to reach this characteristic town of the south of Spain, the best option is to get a hire car with no excess at Málaga, since it is located in the heart of the mountains and is not particularly well connected to other towns.
Table of Contents
Where to eat cheaply in Ronda
Ronda is an eminently tourist town with an enormous monumental and culinary attraction. Among the wide offer of restaurants in Ronda, there are many options to eat cheaply and well, enjoying some of the area’s specialities, including its cheese, meats and wines.
Los Caracoles | Traditional tapas and exquisite snails
Los Caracoles is the tapas bar par excellence in Ronda. With generous and varied portions, if anything characterises this restaurant, it has to be the excellent service of its waiters and flavour of its dishes.
Los Caracoles is ideal for travellers looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the historic quarter: situated next to the bus station, it has a small terrace and parking right opposite where you can park easily.
Its star dishes include snails (caracoles), something that you simply must try given the restaurant is named after them. Also worth mentioning are the octopus salad, ‘masita’ pastries and lemon anchovies.
Camelot | Food fit for a King at the court’s price
In the area by the bus station, we find Camelot, a gastrobar which boasts a large and bustling terrace. Its reasonable prices and high quality offer have made it one of the most popular options among locals.
As a typical Andalusian bar, customers will be able to see the menu on boards on the wall, although its hand-written menus of specials are also worth a look. The most popular dishes on the menu include the prawn skewer (pinchito de gambas), the mini chicken burger with goat’s cheese and tomato chutney or fried bread with quail’s egg. In most cases, the prices of its tapas are less than 3 euros each.
El Lechuguita | Traditional tavern with tapas from one euro
El Lechuguita is one of the town’s most traditional taverns so there is always a queue to enjoy its tapas. Just a few metres from the Ronda Gorge (el Tajo), the town’s main tourist attraction, El Lechuguita offers a wide variety of tapas in one of the most traditional corners that withstands the passage of time.
It is worth queuing to enjoy its tapas in a diverse atmosphere and with unbeatable service from its waiters. Among its varied tapas, at prices starting from less than one euro, the traditional lettuce with special house dressing stands out, but also the mixed buns, goat’s cheese on toast with chutney or the ‘serranito’ sandwich.
Bodeguita El Coto | The most rustic corner
Bodeguita El Coto is a tiny corner full of charm where you can enjoy the most typical products of Ronda cuisine. Highlights of its menu are the traditional dishes such as the Iberian meats, ‘migas’, shredded meat or meatballs. All of its tapas are reasonably priced at under two euros.
The owner of the bar offers a friendly service, making recommendations according to customers’ tastes to offer them the best service. All of the dishes belong to traditional Andalusian cuisine, so the menu is full of options to try the best the area has to offer.
Where to eat in central Ronda
The narrow streets of the centre are one of the must-sees in Ronda, a place where you can enjoy high quality gastronomic tourism, with a multitude of bars where you can enjoy a wine or beer accompanied by the best and diverse tapas. These are some of the restaurants with the best value for money in the heart of the town
El Quinto Tramo | Gourmet tapas full of art and flavour
Ranking number one on TripAdvisor, El Quinto Tramo restaurant is a small, modern tavern with a terrace featuring high tables where you can enjoy mouthfuls of pure flavour. This tapas bar reinvents Malaga cuisine with a creative touch and a multitude of gluten-free options.
Its star dishes include smoked sardines with torta del casar cheese and tomato confit, cod buns, bao buns with stewed veal cheeks or the spicy sausage tartare (tartar de salchichón). The team offer a friendly service, making the best recommendations from the menu and providing an attentive service. The price of a tapa is around 3 euros, while portions (raciones) are priced at a range of between €8 and 10. High quality at an affordable price.
Doña Pakita | Grandma’s cooking with a modern touch
Doña Pakita offers customers a large terrace and a welcoming venue with creative and high quality tapas and portions (raciones). With a logo showing a loving grandmother, this restaurant opts for a combination of traditional tapas, such as diced vegetable salad (ensaladilla rusa) or anchovies in vinegar, with other more innovative tapas such as tuna tartare, Iberian burger or bao buns.
However, Doña Pakita’s star dish is homemade sushi. Few people would choose to order Asian food in a tapas bar in the heart of the Ronda mountain area, but this is the most highly rated dish on its menu thanks to its high quality and flavour. Additionally, the service is excellent and prices average 4 euros per tapa and 7 euros per portion (racion).
Casa Mateos | Fusion cuisine with a traditional essence
Situated on a corner next to the Alameda del Tajo boulevard, Casa Mateos offers a traditional cuisine from Ronda and adds its own touch to offer customers unique dishes. In addition to reasonably priced tapas, for 2-3 euros, it also has dishes to share such as goat’s cheese in butter with quince or the ‘regañá’ of shredded beef.
Its tapas are small but consistent. Noteworthy dishes are the mortar dish of porra traditional Andalusian soup with basil, raisins, ham and egg, the smoked salmon in puff pastry and the oxtail burgers with honey sauce. Staff are extremely friendly, attentive and quick. To eat inside, booking in advance is recommended since they have very specific meal times.
Las Maravillas | Wonderful tapas suitable for ‘veggies’
Las Maravillas is a welcoming and modern restaurant, with a professional service and signature tapas at an affordable price. It boasts a terrace and interior courtyard with space for a large number of guests, but booking in advance is always recommended since this is a busy spot.
This is one of the best options to eat good and cheap tapas in Ronda, with a varied menu at an average price of €2.50. Among the notable tapas, we can find the chicken satay with rice, egg cooked at low temperature, potatoes and ‘torreznos’ fried bacon purée, the caramelised chorizo, carpaccio of mushrooms and samorejo cold soup with mascarpone ice cream. In addition, there are also several vegetarian options.
Where to eat in Ronda with views
If Ronda stands out for anything, it is for being one of the most beautiful white towns of Malaga and that’s why many people look for the opportunity to eat in a restaurant with views to make the most of their visit. However, many establishments take advantage of their idyllic location to increase the prices of their menus, so these are the cheapest options to eat in Ronda with views.
Albergue Los Molinos | Traditional food at the foot of the Tajo gorge
For those looking to eat while enjoying views of Ronda’s gorge (tajo), visiting Albergue Los Molinos is a must. This former flour mill has been renovated to give it a new life as a hostel and restaurant, boasting privileged views of the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) and the Gorge (Tajo). In addition, its location by the river makes this the perfect option for summer, with a cool and relaxed atmosphere on the terrace and a welcoming dining area to escape the cold.
The restaurant offers traditional Spanish cuisine at reasonable prices, in addition to Moroccan dishes and vegan options. The restaurant boasts a wood-fired oven to offer the tastiest food. Highlights are the cous cous, Iberian pork presa (shoulder cut) and pepper salad.
Restaurante Voltasur | A gem hidden in a roadside bar
Enjoying the best dishes while sat at a viewpoint in the heart of the mountain is priceless. Voltasur restaurant may confuse guests with the appearance of a roadside bar next to a petrol station, but it is the perfect place to enjoy delicious dishes in unique surroundings with mountain views.
With excellent value for money, Voltasur offers a varied menu of products, specialising in barbecued meats, and an attentive and friendly service. The stars of the menu are the king prawn skewers with pork cheek, confit artichokes with ham and brandy, and the octopus. However, any of its matured beef dishes cooked on a barbecue are an unbeatable choice.
Restaurante Azahar | Creative food on a balcony of the mountain range
With a large terrace on which you can enjoy a meal with views of the mountain range and a charming dining area with large windows, Azahar offers typical Andalusian cuisine with an international touch. With creative dishes and presentations deserving of any Michelin star restaurant, this restaurant presents an interesting menu at an average price of around 12-20 euros per portion.
Outstanding dishes include the king prawn croquettes with choricero peppers and saffron aioli, the payoyo goat’s cheese and carpaccio of Iberian pork shoulder filled with foie micuit and payoyo cheese ice cream and young garlic vinaigrette. To finish, the cheesecake is a must, one of Azahar’s star desserts.
Map of where to eat cheaply in Ronda
This post has suggested a plethora of options of where to eat cheaply and well in Ronda, from tapas restaurants in the heart of the town to the hidden corners with views of the mountain range. This map features all of the restaurants so visitors don’t miss any during their visit to the town of the Tajo gorge.
