Malaga is such a great city. Blessed with a sun worn old town full of cute alleys and grand buildings, long sandy beaches with chiringuitos grilling espetos, it’s one of the sunniest cities in europe with a average of 300 sunny days a year and a strong coffee scene. There is an abundance of speciality coffee spots, cafes and unique dessert spots all across the city, with a large concentration in the old town. One of my favourite things to do when I travel to a new place is find some of the best cafes. As Picasso once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” So allow me to give you my gift of taste in coffee, by sharing the best cafes in Malaga.
These are my favourites cafes, not just a list of every cafe I went to. That’s an important distinction.
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The 9 Best Cafes in Malaga
Kima | best speciality coffee
location: C. Carretería, 67
cost: €2 – €3.50
I walked by Kima coffee shop an embarrassing amount of times before I realised this was somewhere I should be paying attention to, the constant coming and goings of customers should have been a strong indication. Voted one of the top 100 cafes in the world, Kima is a heavy-weight in Malaga’s speciality coffee scene.
They use single origin, house roasted beans from Columbia, Panama and Costa Rica. The filter coffees come with an info card on the bean used including the exact producer, the altitude grown at and the flavour profile. Which is a nice touch for us coffee geeks. Beans are also available to purchase at the store and online, they come in a nice package so it makes a good souvenir.
The quality of the coffee is exceptional, I ordered a smooth and velvety flat white. Although a highly specialised cafe with knowledgable and patient baristas, there is no air of pretentiousness that you sometimes find in these kind of accoladed establishments. There is also a food menu with lots of different toast and sandwich combinations, all using sourdough bread.
Syra | best for seasonal lattes
location: C. Mártires, 13
cost: €1.80 – €3.70 coffee; €3 – €6 pastries
If you’ve travelled around Spain you might have noticed Syra before as they seem to be popping up all around cities in Spain. No surprise really as they have nailed the speciality coffee space.
The cafe in old town Malaga has an ultra modern minimalistic feel, it’s pretty simple but the stainless steel counter and cream curtain backdrop create the right vibe for this kind of small coffee shop. However it is a tiny cafe with no seats or any area to stand.
Syra’s menu includes the classics along with matcha and seasonal lattes. I ordered an oat milk cappuccino which was rich and bold.
Staying near the old town makes cafe-hopping easy, most of the spots on this list are walkable from each other. Cristine Bedford is a boutique luxury hotel right in the heart of Old Town, putting you within a short stroll of all the cafes on this list.
1989 Cheesecake Room | best cheesecake
location: Calle Compañía, 9
cost: €7.20 cheesecake, €1.80 – €3.50 coffee
If you like cheesecake you gotta put Cheesecake 1989 on your list. We came here almost once per week during our time in Malaga. This is not hyperbole, this is just a fact. My non-sweet tooth boyfriend Bobby would even hide €10 in my bag to persuade get me to bring one home for him. You know the episode of friends when Chandler and Rachel are obsessed with cheesecake? Well this was pretty much us.
Slightly misleading, Cheesecake 1989 does not refer to the shop’s inception, rather the invention of the basque cheesecake that they specialise in. This is a thick crustless pie with a velvet texture that is baked at a high temperature which caramelises the top. The result is a decadent, gooey pie with hints of tang.
You can try the classic or their more modern flavours. We tried lots of them and although they are all good, the Kinder Bueno won on flavour. The white chocolate sauce compliments the tanginess so well.
One circular 200g cheesecake cost €7.20 but it’s more than enough for two. They also do a decent coffee and matcha.
Mi Cafecito | best brunch
location: C. Juan de Padilla, 4
cost: €1.80 – €3.90, €12 – 15 brunch
Mi Cafecito has 3 locations around Malaga, one by the beach, and two others tucked down old town. I visited the one in old town which was cozy and inviting, with plenty of outdoor seating.
They have one of the best brunches in Malaga, with many Mexican inspired dishes like the Huevos Rancheros, molletes and quesadillas.
I didn’t get anything exciting, just avocado on gluten-free bread. Although simple it was full of flavour with the avocado well seasoned with a good kick of chilli and lime. The chef even came over and asked how I found it, which I find is increasingly rare. The cappuccino was also very good, thick foam with a robust espresso punching through.
Overall, delicious and excellent value for money.
Cookie York | best cookies
location: C. Carretería, 68
cost: €4.50 per cookie, €1.70 – €4.90 coffee
Across the road from Kima is Cookie York. I am so happy that cookies are having their moment, move over doughnuts. Cookie York has been around since 2022, and they are showing no signs of the cookie craze dying out.
These guys are serving New York style cookies. Huge, chocolate chip soft cookies stuffed with delicious fillings. The dough and Belgian chocolate used contain no artificial colours or flavours, they just use butter. Flavours are ever changing but you can expect red velvet, salted caramel, pistachio, and biscoff.
I got the caramelo salado, the caramel was not sickly, it was well balanced by the pieces of sea salt. For something so indulgent it’s not overly sweet. I got very lucky as a fresh batch were just after being laid put which meant mine was slightly warm, which all cookie connoisseurs know is the best way to eat them.
Cookie York is also an espresso bar with all the classics and a hot chocolate. If you’re only in Malaga for a short amount of time, I recommend grabbing a cookie here and then getting your coffee from across the road at Kima.
Brownie & Olive | best dessert
location: C. Carretería, 97
cost: €5 per brownie, €1.50 – €4 coffee
When I heard there’s a place in Malaga churning out freshly baked brownies made with extra virgin olive oil, rather than butter, I knew I had to try them. Olive oil is a massive feature of the Mediterranean diet which is often touted as a blue zone diet, so technically these brownies are a health food. At least that’s what I told myself.
I’ll be the first to admit that based on appearance alone, these brownies don’t look that special. I was worried they would be on the dry side, but that was far from the result. These are some of the most moist brownies I have ever tasted. The fact they are made with olive oil means you don’t get the typical heavy feeling that ordinary brownies leave you with.
You can choose from one of the premade ones on display like lotus, pistachio and dulce de leche, or choose a plain base and make up your own concoction with the sauces and toppings. I got the lotus flavour, which had a generous dollop of biscoff sauce on top, but the brownie itself was delicious, smooth, rich and not cakey (how many times have you been disappointed by a dry chocolate cake disguised as a brownie?).
They also have a simple coffee menu, nothing fussy just espresso, americano, cappuccino and the Spanish cafe bombon (sweet condensed milk and 2 shots of espresso). I just got an americano, no complaints. There isn’t much room to sit, just a counter, so I recommend grabbing your stuff to go.
Bolo | best take-away coffee
location: C. Madre de Dios, 41
cost: €2 – €3.50 coffee; €4 BOLO bread
BOLO has only been around since December 2023, but in that short time it’s gained a cult following. This blue tiled hole in the wall on the edge of old town has it’s own thing going on. “Sexy bread sexy life” is more than just their slogan.
They serve a homemade, authentic Portuguese bread from island of Madeira – Bolo do Caco. This is a light flat bread where the dough has been mixed with sweet potato,. Served the classic way with garlic butter of a Bolo special with peanut butter and jam. I can confirm, this was indeed a sexy piece of bread, and my life felt a little sexier while devouring it.
Bolo do Caco may be their USP but the coffee is absolutely delicious. Made with local beans, they have different blends every few weeks. I got a smooth flat white with oat milk. They also have matcha and hot chocolate.
There is no seating, but it’s ran by an extremely friendly and chatty man who makes you feel like you’re an old friend in the short time it takes him to complete the perfect brew. As most travellers know, some of the smallest, most humble places make the biggest impact.
Bolo is sadly TEMPORARILY closed. They are hoping to open again soon in a new location. You can read their frustrating story here about how a huge foreign investment firm pushed them out.
Bueno | best for working/reading
location: C. Comedias, 20
cost: €2 – €4 coffee, €3 – €5 pastries,
Another one of Malaga’s speciality coffeeshops, this is probably the most laptop friendly cafe I visited in Malaga. It’s a cosy yet spacious spot with earthy decor, large wooden tables, quiet music and most people are either on a laptop, reading or writing. So for those looking for a co-working style cafe in Malaga, I suggest you come here as there is no pressure to leave.
Choose from two different roasts when you order your coffee, I went with the El Salvador for an oat milk cappuccino. It was really well made, the espresso had a deep chocolate taste. They also have a large selection of delicious looking cakes, I got a salted caramel cookie, dipped into the cappuccino it was mouthwatering.
Concept 30 | best matcha & healthy menu
location: C. Hoyo de Esparteros, 7
cost: €10 – €15 brunch, €2.50 – €5 coffee & matcha
Concept 30 calls itself a wellness cafe, they promote a healthy lifestyle through their nourishing food, drinks and calming cafe space. As soon as you walk in you can feel the calming ambiance, with white chairs, cream walls and warm soft lighting. If you need some time to slow down then concept 30 is where you should take yourself.
Their menu is built around seasonal, organic ingredients like buckwheat and spelt sourdough, free range eggs and house made sauces. Dishes include a wagyu pastrami tonnato, truffle mushroom toast, and shakshuka. I got the Tzatziki Avocado which was buckwheat and spelt sourdough, a healthy portion of tzatziki, avocado cream and juicy, lightly cooked tomatoes. They also have a large selection of gluten free cakes, although I didn’t try any of them myself, the carrot cake is highly rated.
If you’re a matcha person then you will love their matcha selection. Using high grade ceremonial matcha powder (not matcha flavoured syrup like a lot of cafes seems to do) they have flavours like coconut cold foam, strawberry and yuzu matcha lemonade. The coffee menu is also impressive with creative latte flavours like peanut butter latte and dates. I ordered a regular matcha which tasted authentic, if you like your matcha to taste sweeter then I recommend ordering a flavoured latte.
A small section of the cafe is available for laptop use only during the weekdays, on weekends laptops are banned – the main space is clearly marked as laptop free, and they are known to enforce it. For those with a laptop you are also required to make a minimum purchase of €7 every 2 hours for the WiFi. Although this might leave a bad taste in some peoples mouth I think it’s just keeping in line with their philosophy of calm and wellness.
Santander WorkCafe is a cosy co-working cafe inside non other than a Santander cafe. Random as it may be, it’s free, you just sign up here, and then buy a coffee when you are there.
FAQs Best Cafes Malaga
Are there many laptop friendly cafes in Malaga?
Yes, but many come with time or area restrictions. Solid choices are Bueno, where laptops are genuinely welcome all day, and Santander WorkCafe, which is free if you sign up online and buy a coffee while you’re there. Starbucks is also a safe bet if you’re stuck. Just be aware some speciality spots, like Concept 30, restrict laptops to certain areas or days, or expect a minimum spend.
Does Malaga have good coffee?
Yes, Malaga has very good coffee, not just good-for-a-beach-town coffee. Malaga has a real speciality scene, with places like Kima roasting single-origin beans in-house and getting recognised on world-100 lists, alongside a wave of small, independent shops doing thoughtful oat milk flat whites and seasonal lattes rather than just churros and coffee tourist traps.
Can tourists go into local cafes?
Absolutely! Once you get over the initial intimidation of walking into a local spot, you’ll realise you had nothing to fear. The staff and locals will be friendly to you. Of course, if you go in loudly vlogging or trying to turn their local spot into a photo backdrop, you may not be treated too favourably.
Is coffee expensive in Malaga?
No, it’s good value. Across the cafes in this list, a coffee typically runs €1.80–€3.90, with the fancier speciality lattes and matchas at the top of that range. Pastries and cakes sit around €3–€7, and even a full brunch is usually only €12–15. You’re paying a bit more at speciality spots than at a basic local bar, but nowhere near what you’d pay for equivalent quality in a bigger European city.