Best Burgers in Málaga: Centro, Soho, El Palo

The best burgers in Málaga are easiest to find in the Centro Histórico and the Soho arts district beside it, with a second cluster around the Teatinos university campus and a seafront strip from Pedregalejo to El Palo. In the centre, look for smash burgers and aged-beef patties. On the beaches, burgers share the menu with fried fish.

Málaga’s food identity is coastal. The espeto, sardines skewered on a cane and grilled over embers in an old boat filled with sand, defines El Palo and Pedregalejo, and pescaíto frito is the default order at a chiringuito. Burgers arrived on top of that tradition, not in place of it. Dinner starts late, and in summer the terraces of the old town stay full well after midnight.

Burgers in Málaga: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Centro Histórico, Soho, La Merced, Teatinos, Pedregalejo and El Palo.
• Local specialty: the espeto de sardinas, grilled on the beach and best in the warm months.
• Market stop: the Mercado Central de Atarazanas, a 19th-century market hall in the old town that keeps a Nasrid-era gate.
• When locals eat: lunch from about 14:00, dinner rarely before 21:00.
• Getting around: Metro Line 1 links the university district to the centre. The eastern beaches are a city bus ride away.
• Currency: euro (EUR).

Every burger guide we publish on Málaga is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. To compare with other cities, browse our burger restaurant guides.