Taberna Cofrade Las Merchanas
You won’t find a more authentically Malaga restaurant than Las Merchanas, this beloved city centre taberna cofrade.
Inside, the walls showcase an impressive collection of Semana Santa photographs, statues, posters and sculptures. This Holy Week memorabilia surrounds diners at every turn, creating an unmistakably Spanish atmosphere that celebrates Andalusian religious traditions.
The restaurant stays packed with locals throughout the evening. Finding a seat can prove challenging unless you arrive at what locals call guiri time (that’s before 8pm), when tourists typically eat but Spaniards haven’t yet started their evening meal.
What is a taberna cofrade?
A taberna cofrade is a traditional Andalusian tavern dedicated to celebrating Holy Week brotherhoods.
These establishments display religious imagery and memorabilia from Semana Santa, Malaga’s most important festival, when ornate floats carrying religious statues parade through the streets.
The cofradías (brotherhoods) organise these processions, and their taverns serve as gathering places for members and supporters throughout the year.
Generous raciones perfect for sharing with friends
Las Merchanas excels at serving raciones, large sharing plates that form the heart of Spanish social dining.
The portions arrive at your table generously sized and ideal for group dining. The lively atmosphere makes this restaurant perfect for an evening with friends, where you can sample multiple dishes while soaking up the authentic local ambience.
The attentive waiters understand that ordering too many plates is easily done. They’ll tactfully suggest when you’ve ordered enough, preventing your table from overflowing with more food than your group can possibly finish.
Two locations in Malaga city centre
Las Merchanas operates two restaurants within a two-minute walk of each other in central Malaga.
If you arrive to find the first location full, simply head to the sister restaurant nearby. This convenient arrangement means you’ll rarely miss out on dining at this popular Malaga institution, even during the busiest evening hours when locals flood the city centre to eat and socialise.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.