Kaleja

The name of this restaurant is particularly apt (Kaleja is the Sephardic word for “alley”) given its location in Málaga’s Jewish quarter, just a few steps from the city’s Picasso Museum. The first thing that will strike you as you walk through the door is the subtle aroma of smoke, a key feature that sets this restaurant apart. Here, chef Dani Carnero has gone for a modern take on dishes of old, working with the heat of his wood-fired grill to create what he calls “candle cooking” – a style of cuisine that revives tastes and flavours from his childhood, in many cases connected to traditional Andalucian recipes that have been brought back to life and are served on two tasting menus (Memoria and Gran Menú Memoria). One dish that particularly stood out was Kaleja’s take on gazpacho (in Málaga, where it is often made with onion, it is called “gazpacho de floja”), with trout roe and almonds.

What makes it distinctive

• A small room tucked into Malaga’s old Jewish quarter, built around a wood-fired grill and the aroma of smoke
• A modern take on childhood Andalucian flavours, with dishes rebuilt over embers rather than plated for effect
• Menus structured as Degustacion and an a la carte option at lunch, the format keeps regulars coming back

Signature Ingredients

• Wood fire, smoke and embers as a seasoning
• Andalusian pantry staples, handled with modern technique
• Trout roe
• Almonds