Honest review of La Bella Lola in Malaga: diverse menu, fair prices & great vibes in the city center. See what to try (and what to skip).
Since the beginning of this month, I’ve moved to Malaga. As someone new in town, I decided to invite my local friends out for dinner. Since I still don’t know all the great spots in this beautiful city, this place caught my eye: located right in the heart of Malaga, at Pl. del Carbón, 1 in the Centro Histórico.
Restaurante La Bella Lola: food, prices, and atmosphere
Before going in, I didn’t check the Google Maps reviews (currently 4.1 with 473 reviews), as I usually do—but this time it wasn’t necessary. Why? Because of what I saw: a stylish-looking place, completely full of people even at 10 p.m. on a Monday. Sounds promising, right?
The name sounded Italian to me at first, but when we checked the menu, it turned out not to be. Is that a good thing? Let’s see.
The menu:
The menu here is quite varied, so in my opinion, everyone can find something they like, no matter their tastes. You’ll find Spanish and Mediterranean specialties, along with options from Asian and American-inspired cuisines. Vegetarians aren’t left out either and should easily find something suitable.
It’s worth noting that despite the variety, the entire food and drink menu fits neatly onto two pages.
Our order:
Since there were three of us, we picked a few different dishes to share (something the restaurant itself recommends).
We ordered the shredded rib tacos. They were tasty—maybe not the best I’ve ever had, but still really good. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone who loves Mexican food as much as I do.
Sticking with the Mexican theme, we also ordered the quesadilla, which interestingly came sprinkled with a generous handful of Doritos. This was also quite good.
Next, we tried the rice blood sausage. I know it might not sound great at first, but to be honest, it turned out to be the best dish we chose. I’m normally not a big fan of blood sausage (it was actually my friend who picked it), but it tasted amazing: served in four pieces, perfect for sharing, and topped with caramelized goat cheese and orange emulsion. Highly recommended!
The last dish we ordered was the “Kebab of secreto.” The name sounds mysterious, and the dish itself was tasty—although it wasn’t a traditional kebab, but rather something between a kebab and a gyros. It’s definitely worth trying, though we felt the sauce was a bit too heavy and masked some of the flavors of the meat and truffle.
We also had a few drinks, which were fine but nothing worth highlighting.
Atmosphere:
If you’re looking for a quiet place for a quick meal, this probably isn’t it. Given its location in Plaza del Carbón (right in the city center), don’t be surprised if you need to wait in line for a table, especially in the evening.
Once inside, you can choose between sitting indoors—where the decor is cozy and stylish—or (as we did) outside in the garden area.
The service was friendly and helpful, and we had no problem communicating in English. Our food arrived very quickly, which was great since we were quite hungry at that hour. The only downside was that drinks sometimes took a bit longer, especially when we ordered more later.
Prices:
I’m sure you’re wondering about the prices too. Personally, I think they’re pretty reasonable—especially considering the central location. For a full meal for three people, with several dishes and a few drinks, we paid 76 euros. To me, that felt fair.
Lastly, it’s also worth mentioning that they have a second location at the port. So if you’re around either spot, I’d say it’s definitely worth dropping by and trying what they have to offer.