The 10 best Malaga Christmas Dishes

When you visit Malaga during Christmas and New Year, you should not miss the tasty local cuisine that brings together the best of the Mediterranean diet. Discover the tasty local Malaga Christmas dishes & where to dine at this time of year.

We asked colleagues and friends from Malaga to find out what their favourite dishes are for this time of year and what they have been preparing traditionally at home and we have compiled the 10 best Malaga Christmas Dishes.

With the wide variety of restaurants available in Malaga, it will be easy to find all these delicacies during your visit to Malaga at Christmas.

The 10 best Malaga Christmas Dishes

Among the great selection regarding typical Malaga Christmas gastronomy, we have compiled the most popular dishes. Surely it will make your mouth water as you pass through the different sections!

Appetizers

In many places, they start with a snack to whet the appetite. In Malaga, probably the star dish would be a board combined with typical Malaga cheeses and Iberian ham.

Soups

A typical dish of Malaga is the Picadillo Soup, a soup with minced poultry, hard-boiled egg, noodles and cubes of Serrano ham and decorated with a touch of mint.

Another option is the Christmas classic, Monkfish Soup, with fish, seafood, almonds and white wine, served decorated with chopped hard-boiled egg and sliced or diced fried bread.

Another option is the delicious AB Vineyard Soup, named after the white wine that is added to it; a classic gazpachuelo enriched with prawns, shrimp, rice and peas. It is perhaps the most typical Malaga soup of all.

Main dishes

Many people in Malaga do not usually eat fish as a main dish at this time of year, as they have this delicacy all year round and many associate it with a more summery meal taken in the chiringuitos (Beach Bars).

A popular seafood dish however is the Stuffed Squid with minced meat and seafood in almond sauce.

Many homes prepare roasts, larded meat, turkey rounds or pork rounds, grilled and served with their sauce or roast lamb.

Larded meat (Carne mechada) is a traditional and popular meat in southern Spain that is usually prepared with pork, although it can also be made with beef.

Loin in Butter (Lomo en manteca) is another typical recipe from the mountains of Malaga. Its ingredients are loin of pork, lard, sweet paprika, oregano and laurel.

Roasted lamb (cordero asado) is another favourite Christmas dish of many locals, accompanied by “patatas a lo pobre“, which are potatoes fried in abundant oil with green peppers, onions and eggs, in the purest Malaga style.

And last but not least, we would also like to mention the pork fillet (Solomillo de cerdo) with Malaga muscatel wine, raisins and pine nuts.

Desserts & Drinks

The usual drinks (usually alcoholic) that accompany dinner are cava and white wines for seafood and fish and red wines for meat.

Lemon sorbets are also very popular as a light digestive, to make room for desserts! Typical Malaga sweets are borrachuelos and bienmesabe, accompanied by a glass of Anisette.

Restaurants in Malaga province open Christmas 2024

Here we have prepared for you a small selection of restaurants in the province of Malaga that open at Christmas, some of them with vegetarian and vegan options. Reservations are essential!

Hotel Kempinski – Estepona

Enjoy culinary delights at Baltazár Bar & Grill on Christmas Eve with a six-course menu and live music.

Festive toast by the Christmas Tree before sitting down to dinner around a festive table.

• For more information and bookings, call +34 95 280 9500 or send an email to reservations.estepona@kempinski.com.

Hotel Meliá Don Pepé – Marbella

During the Christmas holidays, the Erre & Urrechu restaurant offers a special gastronomic proposal for those looking for a different culinary experience on Christmas Eve (24 December) and New Year’s Eve (31 December) with exclusive menus designed for these dates.

• Phone number for reservations: (+34) 952-85-82-38
• Web site

Hotel El Higueron – Fuengirola

In the hotel’s restaurant you can enjoy both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinners. Enjoy an exclusive dinner prepared by Michelin-starred chef Diego Gallegos.

• Phone number for reservations: (+34) 951-505-101
• Website

 Gran Hotel Miramar – Malaga

Enjoy a Christmas Eve Gala Dinner or a New Year´s Brunch at the Gran Hotel Miramar. A combination of the best of haute cuisine, sophistication and Christmas spirit  in an incomparable environment.

Vegetarian options available.

• More information on the website or by contacting hotel.miramar@hsantos.es

Only YOU Hotel – Malaga

At Only YOU Hotel Malaga, located next to Larios Street, it is also possible to enjoy creative menus in a unique atmosphere. Its restaurants Lola and Carmen organise Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners with proposals adapted to all tastes.

• Website

We are happy to hear your suggestions and recommendations to expand the list!