10 things I love about Andalusia

Dani Garcia hails from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. He's earned multiple Michelin stars throughout his career, before creating his own restaurants celebrating his native cuisine. He tells us the traditional local dishes that are not to be missed

Andalusian-born chef Dani Garcia's nurtured his passion for food at the Málaga school of hospitality, La Consula, before he started his career with Martín Berasategui in 1996. He received his first Michelin star for Tragabuches in Málaga at just 25 years old, followed by two Michelin stars for Calima in Marbella. In 2013, he opened BiBo Andalusian Brasserie & Tapas in Marbella, and since then has opened restaurants in Doha, Ibiza and, in August 2021, at the Mondrian Shoreditch. Dani wanted to create a casual tapas and brasserie concept to democratise fine dining.

1 Mangoes from Málaga

Málaga province is the biggest mango -producer in Europe - the sub-tropical climate allows all kinds of fruit to be grown there. I couldn't make a vegan sweet recipe without thinking about this tropical fruit. I like to pair it with oranges.

2 Fried aubergine with sugarcane syrup

This is one of the most popular dishes in Andalusia, and traditionally hails from Córdoba. Our heritage comes largely from Arabian culture, which is evident all over the provinces. We fry the aubergine before breading and serve it with sugarcane syrup, which proves to be the perfect sauce. In the evenings, we eat late, around 10pm, so this is the perfect tapas dish to soak up the cava.

3 Pescadito frito

This dish transports you to the beloved beaches of Málaga, which is globally renowned for its famous frying technique. We love to fry. We soak the fish in ice water, then flour it and deep-fry it until crispy. Andalusians like to enjoy it with lemon and garlic aïoli.

4 Rabo de toro