A tour of popular beach clubs along the Costa del Sol

The beach becomes an ideal refuge to cope with the high summer temperatures thanks to the sea breeze that lowers the mercury. It is also a perfect oasis to disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle and a special moment to relax listening to the gentle murmur of the waves breaking on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

The beach bars (chiringuitos) and beach clubs add a touch of sophistication and exclusivity to this experience. In these rather special places it is possible to enjoy refreshing cocktails, a selection of dishes chosen with great care, often a signature dish by renowned chefs, and live music, all while looking out across the blue waters of the sea.

SUR has taken a trip around the beach clubs along the coast of Malaga province to enjoy the exquisite Mediterranean cuisine where, of course, there is no shortage of seasonal salads, rice dishes, grilled fish and seafood and, of course, those little sweet treats to end the evening. After the feast, it's time to cool off in the large swimming pools for those places that have one. Of course, no night would be complete in such a place without a cocktail in your hand and relaxing, maybe even dancing, to the rhythm of chill-out music. Will you join us?

The Higuerón Resort Hotel has a beach club located on Carvajal beach in Benalmadena. This multipurpose space integrates three concepts: The Japo, which offers a Japanese fusion menu using local products and with a few nods to Malaga's cuisine; The Club, put simply, this is the pool area; and The Beach, which has sun loungers on the beach and a classic cocktail bar, both with a "casual cuisine" designed by chef Diego Gallegos. "We offer more casual versions of the dishes and cuisine we put on at Sollo (their Michelin-starred restaurant (1 star)) and Arara - it's the chef's more informal menu - adapted to the beach, where you can enjoy good views and a good cocktail. It's a fusion of Latin American food with Asian touches," says Gallegos. Highlights include classics such as kimchee lime with red tuna, spicy potatoes with an Asian foam topping, charcoal-baked turbot, grilled squid in black ink sauce and Iberian pork loin end. "We wanted to do something different beyond the usual fried fish for both national and international palates while they enjoy the excellent sea views" says the chef.

This is one of the businesses run by the Mosh Group, which also manages La Cabane, located just below Los Monteros hotel and done in collaboration with the team belonging to renowned Marbella chef Dani García. Nido stands out for its design "inspired by the movement of the waves it constantly looks at", they say. The kitchen, headed up by executive chef Franco Franceschini, focuses on Mediterranean cuisine and zero-kilometre products from the region. Among the options on the menu are red tuna tartare with truffle and basil oil, lobster with vermicelli or black rice with cuttlefish and baby squid. They also offer a selection of signature cocktails to pair with the food or just enjoy them alone either by the pool or, if the breeze causes the thermometer to drop sharply, in one of their cosy booths shaped like a nest (hence the name 'nido' in Spanish).

On the shores of Padrón beach, Beso Beach, which has been open for two summers, joins the beach clubs opened by this company in Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Sitges. Recognised by the emblematic 'B' on the sand and the slogan 'NoSummerWithoutBeso', this coastal destination fuses Basque and Mediterranean cuisine with recommendations such as prawns cooked 'Bloody-Mary-style' with Peruvian pisco (firewater), lobster tails with poached egg and black truffle or the famous Formentera-style lobster with sliced and fried potatoes and fried eggs with lamb's lettuce.

At the far end of the beach and open since 2018, La Palapa Beach joins our listing. This beach club allows you to immerse yourself in a more Caribbean feel to Malaga thanks to its tropical vegetation. According to Lolita Faura, customer service manager for this restaurant in Torremolinos, "our menu is a fusion of Mediterranean cuisine with oriental nuances. This year, as a new feature, we have opted for cooking on charcoal embers, grilling all the vegetables and meats on the barbecue." They offer brunch, hammocks, a DJ and live music. Faura also points out their signature cocktail bar: "Our cocktail shaker goes to the best cocktail bars in the country to develop her creativity. We have 12 classic cocktails done our own way along with signature cocktails, citrus, sweet, and in summer, we go for a cooler cocktail bar." La Palapa Beach also has two food 'corners' (their name for these special food counters), one dedicated to acorn-fed Iberian ham and the other to different types of cheese. "We see ourselves as vendors of experiences. Our idea is to turn La Palapa into a little paradise where people can enjoy themselves from the morning onwards, staying all day." The group also owns Bahía Beach on the Paseo Marítimo de Poniente in Torre del Mar.

Located on Real de Zaragoza beach, La Plage Casanis delights diners with Mediterranean cuisine with European and Latin influences, reflecting the origins of its executive chef, Fabián Cangas. "Our grill is the heart of the kitchen, where we prepare meats, fish and seafood, combining Mediterranean flavours with French and Argentinean touches," he says. In addition, the menu includes a variety of rice dishes, as "people come to the beach to eat paellas, fish and seafood. That's why we offer different types of rice dishes and fresh fish that we buy daily from Marbella market." Among the must-tries is the Vietnamese-style ho-cho-min sea bass, marinated in different Asian sauces, fried and served unfilleted, accompanied by a zesty yuzu mayonnaise (a type of Japanese citrus fruit). For dessert, don't miss the carrot cake.

With a "bohemian and organic" design, as they put it, Nosso presents a cuisine featuring elements of Asian, Mediterranean and Japanese food. Led by chef Gema González, the menu features a lot of raw fish and shellfish prepared as a ceviche (cubed with a citric marinade), a tartare or as tiraditos, (thinly sliced, often with a sauce). There is also a well-thought-out selection of makis, nigiris and sashimis prepared by the itamae (head sushi chef, but literally means 'the one at the front of the chopping-board'), Carlos Navarro. Special mention should be made of the section dedicated to Japanese wagyu beef, one of the most coveted meats in the world. Still, the culinary menu also includes Spanish classics like gazpacho, Russian salad or toasted canapés with different toppings.

Just below El Fuerte hotel, in the heart of Marbella, Soleo offers "a Mediterranean cuisine based on getting the right product and where the diner can find the difference with us in that we don't just work with fish and seafood, we also give a lot of importance to meats", says Ladislao Comis, executive chef of the Fuerte Group. The design of the space, by interior designer Isabel López Vilalta, who also designed El Celler de Can Roca, complements the seafaring atmosphere of the beach bar. A must-try is its turbot and sea urchin rice. "It's a dish that's been around since we started up, a gastronomic rice dish made with the classic carnaroli rice (but from Molino Roca in Spain), which stays on the menu year after year because it builds customer loyalty." The cocktail bar is designed by mixologist Cristian Pineda, while the wine selection has been put together by sommelier Meritxell Falgueras. A few metres away is Amàre Beach, from the same group, which offers a "more lifestyle proposal with ambient music, cold-cut meats, a selection of sushi and sparkling wines", says Comis. In addition, chef Mauricio Giovanini (from one-star Michelin restaurant, Messina, also in Marbella) puts his signature to the night-time menu under the Hayaca name - a fusion of different Latin American culinary cultures.

This beach bar has now been on the Malaga coast for three summers. Zorrocallao, the name of this chiringuito, comes from the belief that gastronomic concepts must be thought out quietly to be truly innovative (the name means 'the silent fox'). Located in the Axarquia region of Malaga, below the FAY Hotel, this place has become a benchmark for foodies in Rincón de la Victoria. "We wanted to do something different, a beach bar with amenities and beach service all day long, and so we went for it", says Germán Bautista, corporate director of the Guajes Group. Malaga salami tartare, nachos with burrata cheese and Russian salad are some of the dishes to start the meal. That said, their speciality is rice dishes, made to order, with Valencian rice from Molino Roca. Zorrocallao is "a space that is out of the ordinary, twenty umbrellas, four beds, a secluded setting, an oasis in Rincón de la Victoria with fun starters and quality rice dishes."

Berebere Oasis de Mar is located right on the seafront promenade in Torre del Mar. Its gastronomic offering is based on a "casual and fresh cuisine in which quality and good service are paramount." Its extensive menu, focusing on products from the sea and the mountains, includes dishes made with red tuna, such as the mollete bread bun from the Obrador Máximo bakery in Benaoján, filled with tuna and tender pork, a variety of rice dishes and matured meats. Taking the concept of abacería (deli-style), they also provide a varied selection of appetizers including tuna mojama (salt-cured), cheeses, salted anchovies, gildas (Basque name for a mini skewer of anchovy, chilli pepper and olive) and even oysters and caviar. The cocktails are served on tableware designed by José Piñero to match these house specialities in a very Mediterranean atmosphere.