Food and Drink Guide

What to Eat:

The food and drink you will find in Nerja is typically the Andalucian cuisine and follows the general principles of Spanish cuisine which is the use of fresh seasonal ingredients, local herbs and spices and of course the best Spanish olive oil.

There are a number of dishes I would recommend you try during your stay in Nerja:

Pescaito frito (fried fish): This is a dish typical of this area and consists of fish that has been dipped in egg and flour and deep fried. The fish used is usually bite-sized small fish such as anchovy or similar.

Frituda de Pescado: This is similar to Pescaito Frito, but contains a variety of fish including squid or calamari.

Sardinas al Espeto (Skewered Sardines): This dish is a must have. The sardines are placed on one end of a type of skewer or kebab and the other end of the skewer is then dug into a barbeque of hot coals until the sardines are cooked through. Great in summer with a fresh salad!

Churros con Chocolate: These are typically eaten at breakfast and basically consist of deep fried dough sprinkled with sugar and served with thick drinking chocolate that is used to dip the churros in. If you've got a sweet tooth, you'll love these!

Paella: You'll find Paella in all Spanish Food and Drink Guides and you cannot visit Spain and not try Paella (pronounced "pa-e-ya"). This rice based dish is a national favourite and although it originally comes from Valencia it is eaten nationally in different ways. My favourite is the seafood paella, but you can get meat paella or a combination of both seafood and meat. Watch out for restaurants that have a Paellador sign .... these paellas are pre-made and are not made fresh, so I would not recommend them. Paellas generally have to be ordered for 2 or more people but in some of the beach restaurants they will make huge paellas generally at lunch time which you can purchase by the serving.

Tapas: Tapas have really become a Spanish food and drink institution. The word "tapa" literally means a cover or lid and the term "tapas" is derived from the old habit of placing a slice of bread or a piece of ham or cheese on top of a wine glass to keep the flies out.

Nowadays, some bars will serve you a tapa free of charge if you sit at the bar and order an alcoholic drink, for example a glass of wine or beer. In some bars you are allowed to choose the tapa that you prefer from a selection (if you don't know the name of the tapa, just point). In other bars you will not get a choice. A tapa is generally small in size and is only considered a nibble or small snack to accompany your drink. Check out our favourite Nerja tapas bars to find bars that serve tapas.

Raciones: If you want to have larger portions of tapas that you can share amongst 2 or more people, go for "raciones". These are generally not consumed at the bar and you will need to pay for these separately as they don't come included with your drink. Ordering raciones is a great way to sample a number of different dishes.

Gazpacho: This is an Andalucian favourite and is a simple but very tasty soup that is served cold and generally consumed in summer. It is made from tomatoe, cucumber, green peppers, bread, olive oil and vinegar, all blended together to make a creamy soup. It is typically served with croutons, diced cucumber and diced green peppers.

Jamon: This is ham that has been rolled fresh in sea salt and hung from rafters for about a year to 18 months to cure. Jamon is more than a delicacy in Spain, it's a normal part of every family's life.

There are different types of Jamon, the most common type is Jamon Serrano which comes from normal white pigs. Jamon Iberico comes from black Iberico pigs native only to Spain. The best jamon is Jamon Jabugo or sometimes called Jamon de Bellota or Pata Negra. This comes from black Iberico pigs that are fed only acorns. This is the most expensive Jamon and can sometimes be hard to get. I would recommend the Jamon Iberico as a treat, but Jamon Serrano is just as good. You'll find Jamon Serrano in almost every bar and restaurant.

Surtido Iberico: This makes a great dish with a salad, some bread and a nice glass of wine. It consists of an assortment of cured meats from the Iberico pig, including Jamon, Chorizo and Salsichon (cured sausages) and normally includes some great Spanish cheese such as Manchego cheese or similar.

Gambas PilPil: This dish is one of my favourites and is always a winner when I make it at dinner parties. It consists of peeled prawns or shrimp fried in very hot olive oil with lots of garlic, parsley, chilies and paprika. It's cooked in a terracotta pan and served sizzling straight to the table. Get the bread ready to dip in the olive oil when all the prawns have been eaten!

Patatas a lo Pobre: This is a popular local way of serving potatoes usually to accompany a meat or fish dish. Potatoes and green peppers are shallow fried in olive oil until cooked through.

Pinchitos: Also called Pincho Moruno, these are skewers or kebabs of pork meat that have been marinaded in a spicy marinade. The dish is influenced by the Moors who first bought kebabs to Spain.

Pan: This is the spanish word for bread and is always served with food at a Spanish table.

One very popular and simple dish is "pan con aceite" which is quite simply bread with olive oil. Locals eat it as a simple snack to satisfy hunger attacks. This is a particular favourite of my 6 year old nephew!

What to Drink:

Vino de la Casa (house wine): Every bar and restaurant will have a vino de la casa. The house wine will generally be of good quality and will be cheaper than the other wines on the wine list. White wine is referred to as vino blanco and red wine as vino tinto (not vino rojo!)

Vinto de Frigiliana (wine of Frigiliana): This is a sweet wine that is produced locally in the neighbouring town of Frigiliana. Locals drink it at any time of the day, but as it's sweet I would tend to drink it as an aperitif or as a dessert wine.

Cerveza (Beer): There are many good brands of Spanish beer. Brands that you will find in local bars and restaurants are San Miguel, Cruz Camp, Mahou, Aguilla and Alhambra to name just a few.

Beer is usually served from the barrel and is served in different size glasses which have different names. For example, a "tubo" is served in a tall slim glass, a "cana" is served in a smaller glass than a "tubo". "Jarra" is a pint. Check out the food and drink glossary for a full list of terms.

Tinto de Verano: This is a popular Spanish drink and is the name given to a mixture of red wine and lemonade. This is a great drink to be consumed at lunch time on a hot summers day.

Sangria: Another popular spanish drink made from red wine, fruit juices, spirits and sugar, served with ice and real fruit pieces such as apple or orange.

Horchata: This is a non-alcoholic drink made from tiger nuts which were introduced into Spain by the Moors. Horchata is a very popular summer drink and spanish kids in particular love it ... personally I think it's an acquired taste.

Cafe: Spaniards love coffee and they drink it in every possible combination. For a full list of names and styles check out the food and drink glossary. My personal favourite is the "carajillo de Baileys" which is basically a short black expresso coffee mixed with a shot of Bailey's. Great as an after dinner coffee!

Licor 43: This is a popular Spanish liquor made from 43 ingredients, generally fruit and herbs, hence its name. It has a wonderful sweet flavour and is well worth a try.

Note, the legal drinking age in Spain is 16.