Traditional cuisine: the taste of the sea
The towns along the Costa del Sol have a rich fishing tradition. Hence seafood plays such an important role in the region's cuisine. If you fancy a bite to eat at the beach, you could give the small “chiringuitos” (beach bars) a try. These establishments serve all sorts of fish for you to enjoy, and you can also watch them chargrill sardine skewers by the beach. This is a traditional method of cooking fish on a cane skewer.
Starters, desserts and sweet wine
Cold and hot soups are also Costa del Sol specialities. The region's year long mild climate is perfect for light dishes as well as cod and orange salad and gazpachuelo (fish soup). The region’s traditional desserts show a strong Arab influence, and this makes for very interesting desserts indeed.
We just can't go without trying a bienmesabe (a type of cake) and a few borrachuelos (similar to doughnuts) in Benalmádena. In Fuengirola the must-try desserts include bizcocho de pasas (raisin sponge cake) and fig bread, and in Mijas, you have to try the hornazos (Easter cakes). Everything is prepared with pure olive oil from the Serranía de Ronda, and a good sweet Málaga wine is a perfect accompaniment. The Costa del Sol is home to a variety of traditional sweet wines in addition to a number of bars that specialise in serving them, and recommending the very best in the region for us to try.
Products from the Serranía de Ronda
There's no beating the quality of the ham that we can enjoy in the Costa del Sol. This is because the animals it comes from are fed on acorns in the Serranía de Ronda. The same goes for the purity of the indigenous goat’s milk that we find. The olive trees in the area benefit from the fresh air, and this is where sierra olives are harvested, which produce the finest olive oil. It's this touch of purity and authenticity that can be found in every single dish.
Global cuisine
The Costa del Sol is a place where you can try flavours from all over the world with ease. One of the places to offer the widest range of culinary styles and fusions to visitors is Marbella. That being said, you’ll have no trouble finding global cuisine anywhere on the Costa del Sol
