A shrimp, mussel, and squid croquette represents Málaga in the Official Championship of Tapas and Pinchos 2026 in Spain.

Carmen Esteban, from Taberna Pez Lola, and her dish Croque Gamba Style were the winners of the Grand Final of the Sentir Málaga Tapa a Tapa Route, thus becoming the representative of Málaga in the highly prestigious Official Championship of Tapas and Pinchos held annually at Madrid Fusión. This 2026 edition of the contest, the grand final, will take place on Tuesday, January 27, starting at 12:00 PM, when more than thirty participants from different parts of Spain will compete for the title of the best tapa and pincho in the country.

The Málaga Tapa Route, organized by Mahos with the collaboration of Cervezas San Miguel, was won by Carmen Esteban, from the central tavern Pez Lola of the Grupo Casa Lola. The chef reinterpreted one of the most traditional dishes of Málaga's cuisine, the croquette, giving it a strong Málaga twist but especially with high doses of avant-garde and success, blending multiple concepts without losing the tradition and the maritime flavor.

Her Croque Gamba Style is a croquette that incorporates three key elements from the Málaga fish market, namely shrimp, mussel, and squid, all bathed in a bechamel sauce enriched with a shrimp and scarlet shrimp fumet, creamy and powerful. The croquette is finished with a Malaga white shrimp tartar on top, along with pickled onion and a very fine vinaigrette that rounds off a tapa that conquered the most demanding palates at the Grand Final, including Michelin stars like Diego Gallegos and José Carlos García, from Sollo and JCG respectively.

The Official Championship of Tapas and Pinchos, organized by Hostelería de España and incorporated into the Madrid Fusión program, is the most prominent national gastronomic contest in Spain for tapas and pinchos, bringing together the best establishments that have won provincial and regional contests from across the country. During the competition, each participant prepares their proposal live in front of the Madrid Fusión audience. The aim of the championship is to highlight the tapa as an essential element of Spanish cuisine and to promote the talent and professionalism of the hospitality sector.

Participants of the Official Championship of Tapas and Pinchos

In bold, the participant from Málaga.