One of Malaga’s most historic seaside institutions has been crowned the best chiringuito in Spain.
The Balneario de los Baños del Carmen, which sits directly on the Mediterranean between the traditional neighbourhoods of Pedregalejo and El Palo, took the top spot in the Tapas Best Chiringuito awards.
The ranking, organised by Tapas Magazine, part of the Forbes España group, singled out the restaurant for its combination of food, setting and more than a century of history.
Founded in 1918, the Balneario has become one of the most recognisable places to eat and drink on Malaga’s coastline.
‘With a privileged location facing the Mediterranean, the Balneario de los Baños del Carmen stands out for its cuisine combining tradition and innovation,’ the publication said, highlighting dishes including sardine espetos and fried fish.
Judges praised not only the food, but the restaurant’s history, views, service and distinctive atmosphere.
According to the publication, it captures a feeling found on the Spanish coast of ‘slowing down time, extending the sobremesa and creating summer memories.’
More than just a chiringuito
The Baños del Carmen’s story stretches back more than a century and is intertwined with the development of Malaga itself.
When it opened in 1918, the seaside complex helped revolutionise leisure in the city.
According to Tapas Magazine, it was the first place in Malaga where men and women were permitted to share the same space while bathing in the sea.
It quickly became a fashionable meeting place for Malaga’s bourgeoisie and offered facilities that would have been remarkably innovative at the time.
These included a dance floor and even a fountain dispensing sherry.
At different points in its long history, the complex also boasted a jetty, tennis court, aquarium and football pitch. It even had a cinema screen which could be watched from the shoreline.
A protected piece of Malaga history
The historic complex has been declared a Bien de Interes Cultural (BIC), one of Spain’s highest forms of heritage protection, in recognition of its ethnological value.
The restaurant is currently managed by businessman Gerardo Lumbreras alongside other partners.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
