The search for the tastiest sardines on the Costa del Sol

'La Ruta del Espeto' is organised by SUR's Málaga en la Mesa restaurant team, with the sponsorship of the Diputación provincial authority's Sabor a Málaga food promotion campaign. It also has the support of Cruzcampo and the association of beach businesses of the Costa del Sol.

Entries are now being accepted until 27 June from chiringuitos, beach bars and restaurants in the province that have the sardine espeto on their menus. A maximum number of 50 establishments can take part. Sign up here.

The competition proper will run from 9 to 25 July when members of the public will be able to visit the restaurants to try the sardines at prices fixed between 4 and 7 euros, creating their own 'sardine crawl' on a single night or sampling over several days. Once tasted, participants give the different restaurants scores from 1 to 10 on the competition's website https://rutadelespeto.diariosur.es/. Visitors will need to register and will be automatically entered in a prize draw for restaurant vouchers.

Five restaurants will be chosen for a shortlist; three from the public vote and two by an expert panel. These five will then go through to a head-to-head in front of the judging panel.

Details of the 50 restaurants and beach bars taking part in the province will be published on the competition's website shortly before the start on 9 July.