Before I start describing which are the best restaurants where to eat the dish of the mountains, I would like, for those of you who do not know what it is and its ingredients, since it is one of the most typical dishes of Malaga and there are specialized places where to eat it.
The “plato de los montes” (dish from the mountains) originated in the 1930s in Malaga, and was served to muleteers who rode their donkeys through the mountains and stopped at one of the many restaurants along the way to eat and replenish their strength, since it is quite an energetic and caloric dish.
El plato de los montes is a combined dish made up of a fried egg, loin in red butter (sometimes white is also used although they are not common), chorizo, green peppers and potatoes, the last three of which are fried. Depending on the place, some variations arise, where they also include black pudding. For the hungriest, you can try the “plato a lo bestia”, which is the same as the one in the mountains but the potatoes are replaced by crumbs topping.
As I said before, it is a typical dish from Malaga. In winter it is very typical to see thousands of people meeting in family or with friends and go to one of the many restaurants and enjoy a Sunday stroll through the countryside and then taste this delicious dish.
In these restaurants, in addition to the dish of the mountains, you will find more variety of dishes such as scrambled eggs, rice in broth and different meats, many of them in stew such as goat, rabbit or hunting (you will not find it everywhere). If you are a lover of good meat, I would also like to recommend some of the steakhouses in Malaga that are specialists and you will find a great variety of goods and from different parts of the world.
Having said all this, I’m going to introduce you to the 5 best places to eat a good dish from the mountains:
VENTORILLO SANTA CLARA
It is undoubtedly one of the best known sales in Malaga. Located at the beginning of the Natural Park Montes de Málaga, both for its proximity, quality of the dishes and treatment to customers in their place where I recommend 100% go, that if under reservation because if not, it is complicated if you want to go on weekends.
One of the secrets of this sale, which has been one of the last to open in the area, is that it has managed to perfectly unite the classic concept of a “venta” (country restaurant) with a more modern atmosphere and with more restaurant decoration.
As usual if you are going to eat in this kind of places, the meals are usually quite generous, especially if you ask for the dish of the mountains or “migas” (crumbs topping). In this places the quantities are quite abundant in any of its dishes, so I recommend that you share.
You have an extensive menu where you can choose from different starters such as “jamón serrano“, cheese or black pudding; house specialties such as aubergines with cane honey and tripe; and as a main course you can choose from some type of meat (beef, pork, lamb or rabbit) or the dish of the mountains.
Colmenar Way km 557, 29013 Malaga
LA POSADA
It is undoubtedly one of my favourites, and I take advantage of it every year to go, either with family or friends. This restaurant, located in the town of Casabermeja in Malaga, has the charm of being an old house, where they have converted each of its small rooms into cozy rooms, where you can eat by the fireplace.
It has a fairly varied menu, and that is one of its successes, as people come from all over the province to eat not only its delicious dish from the mountains of Malaga, you can also enjoy its migas, meats, homemade croquettes, starters such as its variety of goat cheeses from Malaga.
Among its specialties are migas (made with wood), migas completes (with loin, chirozo, pepper and egg) and the dish of the mountains. Also, as I mentioned before, you have a variety for those who want to try different things, like their tripe or cabbage with “pringá”, and to top it all off, you can’t miss their homemade desserts.
It’s a traditional restaurant, very homemade, as if it were made by your grandmother. Despite having many rooms, you have to book in advance, especially on holidays or Christmas.
Real Street 5, 29160, Casabermeja, Malaga
VENTA GALWEY
It’s a restaurant with a lot of history behind it, being one of the first to be built. Located on the road to the mountains, before reaching the village of Colmenar, it has always been very busy because until not long ago, it was the only road to Granada.
The story goes that this house rebuilt as a restaurant has its origins in the 19th century, and was built by an Irishman who named it after a county in his homeland, at a time when Spain took in many Irish people because of the war they were suffering at the time.
Although it is clear that if it continues to be so famous it is not for its history, but for its good work in the kitchen, which has made it indispensable year after year to eat a good dish of the land in the mountains.
The good service, the great variety on the menu and the incredible views of the Montes de Málaga natural park and the city in the background, with views even of the sea, make this restaurant a must, and that is why it is among the five restaurants to visit.
Colmenar Way, kilómetro 543, 29013, Malaga
VENTA LOS MONTES
This restaurant, located in the Natural Park Montes de Málaga also has a great tradition within this type of food, with more than 25 years behind it. Although you can eat the dish of the mountains in many places throughout the province, this area of Malaga, located in the middle of the natural park is the best known and where thousands of people go every weekend to enjoy their dishes.
You will find a menu with a great variety of dishes, although without a doubt the dish of the mountains, the migas, the loin in lard and the pork fillet with garlic, which is a dish to be shared between two people, are its specialities.
It is a very familiar place, where the treatment is exquisite, in addition to being in the countryside allows you to park easily and take a walk before going to eat, as you have different routes to enjoy a morning in the middle of nature and breathe fresh air.
It is a “venta” with great capacity, it has 3 halls, two of them of great capacity to organize any type of event, and in addition it has also a terrace where to be able to eat outdoors and to enjoy the landscape.
A-7000, Km. 555, 29190 Malaga
VENTA EL TUNEL
It is undoubtedly one of the best known in Malaga, if not the most. It is located at the entrance to Malaga, at the height of the hole’s reservoir, which is the other part where you can find a great variety of “ventas”, but unlike those in the Natural Park Montes de Málaga, where meat is their main dish, in these their star dish is brothy rice.
You will be able to enjoy a great variety of dishes, highlighting as I have commented the rice with chicken broth, but it is sure that the dish of the mountains or the crumbs are also a claim, in fact you can ask for the rice first to share and then another dish. I also recommend as starters the dish of loin with butter, fried aubergines or fried peppers.
This 60 year old restaurant is prearranged for big events, as it has a capacity for about 600 people, and every weekend it is fully booked by people not only from Malaga but from other parts of the province or even from other places in Andalusia. who do not want to miss its specialities.
To put a pin in it I would say that it is more complicated to park than in other restaurants, as it is an old road and there are no spaces for parking.
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