The Arroz Caldoso con Mariscos is a seafood-filled take on the traditional arroz dish.
There are towns you visit, and there are towns you live in. Mijas, resting somewhere between the folds of the Sierra and the edge of the Mediterranean, belongs firmly in the second category. People come here intending to stay for a season; they find themselves still here years later, a vague plan of return tucked into the back of a drawer. Food plays a part in this inertia. You eat a meal, a proper one, with time and wine and the lazy sun overhead, and you start wondering if you’ve ever really eaten before.
For those contemplating a move to Spain, a property in Mijas is more than a financial investment, it’s a long-term relationship with taste itself. Here’s what’s on the plate.
Espetos de Sardinas
Where to try it: Restaurante Los Marinos José
Location: Paseo Marítimo Rey de España 161, Fuengirola, Spain
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM (Closed Sundays and Mondays)
Contact: +34 952 66 10 12, www.losmarinosjose.com
Fish should taste like the sea, not the fryer. Here, sardines skewered like charms on a bracelet are cooked over an open flame, the smoke curling up into the salty air. A wedge of lemon, a glass of something cold, the scrape of a plate—Mijas, on a skewer.
Gazpachuelo Malagueño
Where to try it: Restaurante El Mirlo Blanco
Location: Calle Cuesta de la Villa, 2, Mijas Pueblo, Spain
Hours: Kitchen operates from 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM and 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM; The restaurant closes at 5:30 PM
Contact: +34 952 48 57 00, www.mirlo-blanco.com
A soup, a contradiction. Born from fishermen’s leftovers, this dish—cream-white and thick as memory—is a quiet, sturdy thing. Potatoes, fish stock, a whisper of aioli. No fanfare, no excess. It stays with you, long after the bowl is scraped clean.
A stew is a great meaty and hearty dish, good for a day filled with activities.
Chivo a la Pastoril
Where to try it: Restaurante El Higuerón
Location: Autovía del Mediterráneo, KM 217, Fuengirola
Hours: 1:00 PM–11:30 PM
Contact: +34 952 11 38 68, www.restauranteelhigueron.com
Goat stew. Not the prettiest of meals, but then, some of the best things in life come wrapped in odd packages. Slow-cooked to surrender, the meat falls apart under the weight of a spoon. Garlic, bay leaves, wine—a meal for those who know patience.
Arroz Caldoso con Mariscos
Where to try it: Restaurante Valparaiso
Location: Carretera de Mijas, KM 14, Mijas
Hours: 7:00 PM–11:00 PM (Closed Sundays)
Contact: +34 952 48 59 75, www.restaurantevalparaiso.com
You think you know rice until you’ve had this. A dish that isn’t content to sit still, that demands your attention. The broth—sea-stung, rich—clings to each grain. Prawns, clams, monkfish, and the slow realisation that you may never eat a better spoonful of rice again.
Tarta Malagueña
Where to try it: Mayan Monkey Mijas
Location: Plaza Virgen de la Peña, Mijas Pueblo
Hours: 10:30 AM–7:00 PM
Contact: +34 951 05 27 72, www.mayanmonkey.es
Almonds and raisins, the quiet architecture of a good dessert. Málaga’s answer to the question of how to end a meal, best taken with a glass of Moscatel. Sweet, but not cloying. Subtle, but not forgettable. The kind of cake that reminds you why cake exists.
This recently refurbished modern ground floor apartment is located in the Ramada Resort (by Wyndham) in Mijas Costa, Malaga (Costa del Sol) and is designed for maximum enjoyment, tastefully furnished and decorated, close to all amenities and the beautiful white sandy beaches. Interested in this property for sale? Discover more in our website listing here.
Live in Mijas, Eat Like a Local
Food isn’t just sustenance here—it’s an introduction. Buying a property in Mijas means mornings with market-fresh produce, afternoons watching the hills turn gold, and evenings at the kind of restaurants where the owner still remembers your name. Golf at La Cala, an afternoon ride through the mountains, a swim in the blue that never dulls.
From modern penthouses with sea views to whitewashed villas tucked into the hillside, ultimate-lifestyles.com has homes for those who understand that a good life starts at the table.
If you’re ready to make Spain your home, email [email protected] or call +34 951 12 07 12.
See our listings at ultimate-lifestyles.com. You bring the appetite—we’ll find you the home.