2 Best Restaurants in Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria, Spain

The modest, old-fashioned exterior of this local favorite is a bit deceiving: inside you'll be greeted not with stodgy decor but with spacious dining rooms with soccer memorabilia, photos of famous patrons, and tanks of fish. Seafood choices include fried or grilled squid, spider crab, lobster, sole, red snapper, and sea bass. If you're not a fish eater, though, you'll have to make do with little more than a roll and dessert. The latter includes homemade rice pudding and chocolate mousse. This is a popular venue with locals and tourists, so go early to be sure of a table—especially if you want to dine outside on the lovely terrace on the plaza.

Thanks to the malagueño families who flock here on weekends for the legendary fresh seafood, this restaurant seats 170 inside and 150 outside in an attractive square, one block back from the seafront. Try for a table overlooking the mermaid fountain. This is a good place to indulge in fritura malagueña or arroz marinera, one of 12 different rice dishes prepared here; others include lobster rice, vegetable rice, and black rice flavored with squid ink. The generous set menus feature different types of seafood, fish, or rice dishes. Service can be brisk and impersonal.