Yes, free tapas in Nerja still exist, and they are one of our favourite small pleasures of living here. In a couple of bars in the centre, order a beer or a glass of wine and a little plate arrives with it, no extra charge. Below are the two places we go to most, how the custom works, and where we head when we want to sit down and order properly.
The idea is simple: you order a drink and the bar sends out a small bite to go with it. You don't choose it from a menu and you don't pay for it. It might be a little sandwich, a slice of something cured or a small hot dish, and it often changes as you order the next round. It is less a meal than a reason to stay for one more.
A few things we have learned along the way:
La Rienda is our go-to afternoon stop and a proper place to have a drink with locals. The rule here is easy to remember: at the high tables you get a free tapa with every drink, while at the low tables you order from the menu. So if you are after the free tapas experience, head for the high tables, order a caña or a glass of wine and let the plates come to you.
Los Barriles is often full of locals, which is always a good sign. Every drink comes with a small tapa, and it is the kind of bar where one drink easily turns into three. Our favourite is the chorizo sandwich, prepared live at your table, which is as much a little show as a snack. We also recommend the Manchego cheese. It is a beer, wine and chorizo sort of place, simple and very Spanish, and that is exactly why we love it.
Free tapas are wonderful for an afternoon, but sometimes you want a table, a proper menu and a few dishes to share. That is when we go to D'vinos.
D'vinos is a cosy tapas and wine bar that we think is a bit underrated. It is owned by the same family as La Braseria de Pacomari. Here you order and pay per tapa, around €3 to €6 each when we last checked (prices change, so check on the day). Dishes we have enjoyed include Iberian ham and cheese, goat cheese croquettes, a tartare mini burger, pork tacos and patatas bravas. Order a handful, add a bottle of wine and you have an easy, relaxed dinner.
If ham and cheese are your thing, our post on wine, ham and cheese in Nerja has more ideas, including our favourite mixed platter in town.
Our ideal free tapas afternoon in Nerja looks something like this: a first drink at La Rienda at the high tables, a wander through the old town streets, then Los Barriles for the chorizo sandwich and a glass of red. If you are still hungry afterwards, D'vinos is a good place to finish with a few proper plates.
Not sure what to order at the bar? We wrote a short guide to Spanish drinks to try in Nerja, from tinto de verano to a simple caña. And if you want to turn the afternoon into a full night out, have a look at our perfect evening in Nerja, which strings a drink, dinner and a walk together.
Casa Joya sits in Ladera del Mar, just outside the centre of Nerja, so the tapas bars are an easy trip into town. Many of our guests walk in along the beach and take a taxi back up the hill after a few rounds. If you like the idea of tapas in the afternoon and a quiet sea-view terrace to come home to, check availability at Casa Joya.
Yes, in some bars. At La Rienda you get a free tapa with every drink at the high tables, and at Los Barriles every drink comes with a small tapa.
Usually not. The bar sends out whatever it is serving at that moment, and it often changes with each round. If you want to choose, sit down somewhere like D'vinos and order from the menu.
At D'vinos, tapas were around €3 to €6 each when we last went. Prices change, so check on the day.