La Alvaroteca, Malaga
June 2023La Alvaroteca: The Coolest Restaurant Outside Malaga's City Center?
Location: Cruz del Humilladero, Malaga
Budget: €70-€120 / person (for the tasting menu without/with wine pairing)
Date of Visit: June 2023
When it comes to dining out in Malaga, ‘downtown’ restaurants are the obvious choice. But what if I told you that one of the best places to eat in town is just a short walk or taxi ride away from the hustle and bustle of Malaga’s touristic old town? Welcome to La Alvaroteca, located in the La Cruz del Humilladero district. We believe it’s the ultimate non-historic centre gem in Malaga.
Chef Álvaro Ávila, a local lad from this very district – located near the mainline train station, aims to bring you the finest local cuisine with his own imaginative twists. La Alvaroteca is all about the food. Chef Álvaro may not have had formal culinary training, but he has worked with big names in Spanish gastronomy, including Aznak. And more importantly, he grew up surrounded by food. His mother, hailing from Jaén in northern Andalusia, is an incredible cook—one he attributes a great deal of his passion and skill to.
Mix the influence of his family roots in Jaén, and his upbringing in this very district of Malaga, and you have the recipe for Álvaro’s unique cooking style. Over the past decade, he has evolved from traditional tapas to create exquisite fine dining experiences.
La Alvaroteca takes pride in using fresh, seasonal ingredients that take center stage on their ever-changing menu. Álvaro keeps things interesting by changing the tasting menu on a weekly basis, often themed around a specific type of food or style of eating, such as tapas. This unique approach ensures that each visit to La Alvaroteca is a fresh experience, and you’ll likely never encounter the same dish twice.
You can opt for à la carte dining or go all-in with their tasting menu. Both options offer a delightful culinary adventure where the dishes are never quite what you expect – even if they sound familiar.
On our recent visit, we tried the Menú Origen, a magnificent 18-course journey showcasing Álvaro’s signature dishes. The experience starts with a ‘trompe l’oeil’ of olives that are not quite what they seem. Following this, Álvaro presents one culinary masterpiece after another. While all the dishes were extraordinary, we must highlight a few favorites:
1. Ajoblanco
A cold almond soup with Motril shrimps, macadamia nuts, coconut, and seaweed. It’s a unique twist on the traditional Andalusian summer soup, bursting with flavour. This was possibly our favourite dish of the day (it’s a hard call to pick between 18 of them!).
2. Gyoza de Callos con su Gazpachuelo
The ‘callos’ gyoza with it’s rich creamy sauce was a modern take on this very classic andalusian stew dish.
3. Cochinillo Confitado
Last but not least, the glazed suckling pig with mango and ginger ticked all our boxes! The combination of fresh ginger sorbet with the warm, fatty pork was just perfection.
GYOZA DE CALLOS, SU GAZPACHUELO Y HABITAS DEL TORCAL
COCHINILLO CONFITADO, MANGO Y JENGIBRE
If you prefer to explore the à la carte menu, it offers a wide array of options. From lighter options such as tantalizing tacos, through various seafood, fish and meat options, to hearty stews, as well as Álvaro’s irresistible rice dishes (paellas!) that are a must-try.
Of course, no extraordinary meal is complete without a selection of excellent wines. La Alvaroteca boasts an impressive wine cellar with over 200 labels, showcasing wines from Malaga and beyond.
If you opt for the tasting menu at €67 per person, you can choose from pairing options for an additional cost. For €35, you’ll enjoy five carefully selected wines, or you can upgrade to the premium selection for €50. Alternatively, trust the knowledgeable, friendly and helpful staff to recommend the perfect wine to accompany each dish—they truly know their stuff.
As I mentioned, La Alvaroteca is away from the hustle and bustle of the historic centre. It’s accessible on foot from the old town in around 30 minutes, but I recommend taking a taxi at around 5€, which will get you there in air-conditioned fashion, in around 7 minutes!
If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in Malaga that goes beyond the tourist hotspots in the city center, La Alvaroteca should be at the top of your list. With its imaginative cuisine, constantly evolving menu, and reasonable prices, it’s a hidden gem that’s sure to delight your taste buds. ¡Buen provecho!
La Alvaroteca Gallery
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