Hi sunwish, there is a very good one in Arroyo on the main road very near to the tabac, is called Paco's. Don't speak English but tapas are superb.Also Cafe bar Gamonal in Gamonals is good. Basically, wherever you see spanish eating tapas, they'll be good.

Paula

paula..
paco conned you!! he speaks perfect english!!!! any way,, your right about the tapas.. also if you go from pacos towards the train station,,past the roundabout, keep going for about 100yds, there are about 5 spanish bars on the left ,all of then are fantastic..one of them is called 'la permenta' it has the best reputation for fish, but the tapas are great as well.....
macc

ha ha, don't know which is Paco, but the guy serving us was no english speaker!

Go past Paco's , heading for station and turn left. Great wee place called "Er Tapeo". Pepe and his wife don't speak english but their boys have a little. This is the real McCoy. Flaming chorizo, clams, octopus, oxtail...Yummmm. I'll be there next week.

If Brian means the one just in the alley to the covered plaza with the BBQ restaurants, he is a man who truly knows his tapas. Hang on his every word.

Paco is a great guy, he his behind his bar most of the time, he is slim, small, about 5ft 6" and speaks very good English, there are plenty of Tapas bars around, but use the one's that are being used and not the empty one's

Thanks Bert, Yes that's the one on the corner of the alley to BBQs. The first one you come to from Er Tapeo is called Nuevo Nacimiento and I,ve eaten there many times over the years. Miguel and his English wife do very reasonable dishes but waiting times can be a bit frustrating. But worth a try. The bigger one beyond Miguels (Casa Emilio) is a more professionally run outfit but seems to me to lack a wee bit of the character of Nacimiento.

On my first visit to Benalmadena, some years ago there was an English run tapas bar on the road up to Bonanza Square. The chef was Spanish and did two ranges of tapas. One was the typical Spanish, albondigas, boquerones etc. and one was English style i.e. chicken and mushroom pie. It was excellent. The idea behind this was that if a couple walked in and one liked the Spanish food and the other didn't it would A) Allow the one who did to eat the Spanish food and B) Slowly introduce the one who didn't to the delights of Spanish food.
The bar was originally opened by a chap named Bob who had been in Benalmadena for years. He sold it and moved up the hill where he opened a seafood restaurant. After that it was taken over by Richard who moved back to his home town of Mansfield after the birth of his child.

Does anyone know if this bar is still there.

Terry

I think this is the Wine Bar in the Gamonal, they do English & Spanish Tapas. The food is wonderful but beware of the owners (two sisters) and waitresses, they are the rudest people you will ever meet and the food takes an age to come.

It was the end of three frontages. A bar at each end and initially a ceramic shop, which later became a bar, in the middle. The ceramic shop was called Stephanies and she was the daughter of Bob the original owner. It was a one way street, towards the sea front. There were apartments opposite (San Fermin springs to mind but I am probably wrong). Just round the corner was a lovely Spanish restaurant with quite a nice garden and also the Los Cisnes 3 apartments. The bar only opened 11:00 till 16:00 and then 19:30 till 22:30(closed Monday I think) and there was almost always a queue at lunch time.

Terry

Tinker is right about the Wine Bar. Went in once and have never been back since. Try La Espiga on the main Benalmadena - Arroyo road.

I'll be looking for the one described by Brian Murdoch on my next visit.

I have a feeling that the guy who opened the one I am talking about also opened the Wine Bar as it seems to ring a bell. He had two daughters who were not the friendliest people in the world.
The one I am looking for is not in the Gamonal area. It is roughly half way between Bonanza Square and the Benalmadena sea front.
I am going over in October so I will look for it and send a full report.

bainesy

Just back today and I can tell you that Er Tapeo is as good as ever. I noticed tho' that they don't have any English menus at all these days which is a pity as some of the items on their menu are a little unusual. 2 new things we tried were the "pajaritos" at 6 euros for 6 which are tiny roast birds. They look like tiny baldy budgies but the taste is superb. Also, please look in their glass case as some the items appear here and not on the printed menu. We had the "cangrecos" (little crabs) and they were superb. Their asparagus in cheese sauce is great too. You can have 4 or 5 tapas , a beer, a water and a bottle of house rioja for about 20 euros for 2 people. Can't be beaten.

We went to a nice one in the area you are talking about, it was on he road down the back of the Bali hotel, near the San Fermin. It was about 2-3 years ago and it was called CB's and did the whole English/Spanish Tapas you are talking about. I think it has closed down now.

Thanks hatchgreen. It was C,B's. Shame if it has closed because it was very good.

bainesy

If your in Torremolinos for tapas try the Torre Blanco on Plaza Costa del Sol or Cha Chas across road for sea food.

When did CB's close, we were there 5weeks ago and it was open then, and still serving Tapas

My apologies, I think i might be wrong then, we were last in Benalmadena in November and a friend who lives locally said to me it had closed. I am now thinking she may have meant it was closed for the winter, and i have got the wrong end of the stick. I will be glad if it is still open, and if you were there only 5 weeks ago Davanne - this is surely a good sign!

Loool... Reply to Tinker...

Totally agree with your message! Wine bar is great and food is nice one of the best Tapas bars! But the staff :O, do they ever smile??? There walk round with there faces like =|....