The secret dining venue on the Costa del Sol where you need to book a year in advance

Pedregalejo, a popular coastal district to the east of Malaga city is home not just to one of the smallest markets in Europe, but a fish stall within it which offers an intimate, honest and absolutely unforgettable dining experience. La Tasca de Ignacio offers a market menu and is run by a married couple who have turned fish into a philosophy of life.

With only two active stalls, this market looks insignificant from the outside. However, once inside, at the back, between boxes of fresh prawns and shiny horse mackerel, is Ignacio: fishmonger by vocation, cook by passion and host by nature. There is no bar or menu and reservations are not easy; there is just one table, available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, for a maximum of 18 diners. The secret: you have to talk to Inma and reserve it almost a year in advance.

The menu is agreed with Ignacio who explains what he has fresh that day. He makes good recommendations and then the magic happens: from the fish box to the grill, from the ice to the fire. Everything he cooks is fresh, the catch of the day, bought first thing in the morning and then lovingly prepared. Anchovies that crunch without losing their tenderness, tuna that almost melts when you touch it, razor clams, prawns, clams and even some specialities if the customer dares to ask for something else.

But if Ignacio is the heart, Inma is the soul. His life and business partner, with whom he has just celebrated 25 years of marriage, is the keeper of the diary. She manages the bookings, coordinates the groups, responds to messages and keeps track of a diary where every slot is worth gold.

The experience at Ignacio's Tasca is also sensorial: while he serves with classical music, Bach, Wagner or Stravinskiy playing during the morning, when lunchtime arrives at 3pm., the customer chooses the soundtrack. Everything is designed to make the diner feel at home, with the freedom to move around, pour the wine, get the beer or simply watch the fish being cooked on the grill.

Foodies, renowned chefs, politicians, specialised journalists and above all, local residents who know about La Tasca de Ignacio dine there. They know that what Inma and Ignacio do is not just cooking: it is keeping alive a tradition that understands, honours and celebrates the sea.

And when you finally sit at that table, after twelve months of waiting, you realise that some experiences are worth every second of the wait. Because in Pedregalejo no Michelin star is worth more than a plate of freshly cooked red mullet and a smile from Ignacio as he delivers it to you.