Devour Malaga Food Tour is a perfect introduction to the gastronomy, the culture and the customs of Málaga, designed for visitors from a local’s point of view.
When we were first invited us to go on the Devour Málaga Food Tour, I have to admit we were curious. Not only was this a food tour in Pedro’s home town, it was also the tour I had helped to get started when I worked for Devour Spain. The only thing was, I had no idea which spots made it into the final tour. Needless to say, we met our guide, Susanne, in the Plaza de la Constitución hungry, curious and ready to Devour Málaga.
Since the tour begins around mid-morning, it was the perfect time to have a “second breakfast.” As you probably know, in Spain we eat a little bite before leaving the house, or maybe just have a coffee and then have something more substantial around 11am to hold us over until the late lunchtime of 2 or 3pm. Our Devour Malaga tour began with the most malagueño of breakfasts: a “smurf” or a little sandwich, in this case with tomato and EVOO. We also had the opportunity to try some little churros at Café Central, where Susanne explained how to order coffee in Málaga (which is an art in and of itself!).
After our first stop we headed off to the Mercado de Atarazanas, which is a must see if you are visiting Málaga. The building itself used to be a military building in the time of Muslim rule of Málaga. Since the Mediterranean sea came right up to the edge of the market at that time, they used the structure to repair ships. Nowadays, it’s one of the busiest markets for tourists and locals alike, and lucky for us, lots of vendors are willing to give a taste test of their best products!
Inside the market my favorite stop was a taste of sweet wine and different cured meats and cheeses. We also got to try some local olives and fried almonds at the market. Susanne was quick to point out all the products that came from Málaga. I think that one of the most surprising things for tourists that come to our city is learning about all the foods that come from the region. The campaign to eat locally has really gained steam over the past few years, and people from Málaga are beginning to ask for those local products more and more often in bars and restaurants. You can even find a little blue sticker advertising “Sabor a Málaga” letting you know that it is a local product.
After our walk through the market, we needed a bit of a break from the food, and Suzanne expertly led us through the historic center of Málaga pointing out the different monuments and architecture of the city. My personal favorite? The church Antonio Banderas calls his own (coincidentally the same one where Pedro and I got married!)
As we wound our way to the Plaza de la Merced, Pedro and I couldn’t help but think that Málaga really is a beautiful city. I know we might be biased, but there is a reason that Malgueños are proud of where they live. In that same spirit we made our way to a wine tasting where we learned about Málaga’s wines (of the not so sweet variety). A lot of people don’t realize that there are high quality red and white wines from the hills around Málaga both near Ronda and in the Axarquia. Our favorite? Andresito from Bodega El Niño de la Salina.
The tour ended with “lunch” in a little hidden bar that Pedro and I must have walked past dozens of times without ever thinking twice. The waiters brought out various plates of traditional Málaga tapas and we all dug our forks in to share. It was the perfect way to end our Devour Malaga Food Tour because we could try a bit of everything without having to order all those plates on our own. Besides, what could be better than discovering a new spot for tapas in your own city?
I said at the beginning of this post that we went into the tour feeling curious and with a critical eye. By the end of the tour, we were fully convinced that the Devour Malaga Food Tour is a fantastic primer course on Málaga cuisine and culture. It was a delicious morning where we learned a lot of details about the city we call home. We’d absolutely recommend it for any foodie on the Costa del Sol!
