Chiringuito Estrella

If you have never eaten an espeto, this is where I would send you first. The Chiringuito Estrella sits right on the sand of the Poniente promenade, and the sardines are threaded onto a cane and grilled beside an old boat filled with burning olive wood. That fire is the whole point of the place. It is lit before lunch, and from the terrace you can watch the man turning the canes while you order.

The house was named in the first espeto contest held in the town, back in 2015, which in Torre del Mar carries more weight than any rating. Beyond the sardines the kitchen does fried fish and rice dishes, and the terrace is wide enough for a table of ten, which is rarer on this beach than it sounds.

My advice for a first visit: come at midday rather than in the evening. The espetos are grilled around the lunch service, the light on the water is better, and you can walk here from the centre in ten minutes along the seafront. Ask for sardines by the half dozen and eat them with your fingers, no cutlery, straight off the cane.