In Spanish tapas cuisine, the small fried fish dish often associated with Málaga is called boquerones fritos.
Boquerones fritos are fresh anchovies coated lightly in flour and fried, usually in olive oil. They are commonly served with lemon and are a familiar feature of Andalusian seafood bars, especially along the Costa del Sol.
The Spanish word boquerón means anchovy. The fish may be prepared in several ways, including frying, marinating in vinegar, or grilling, so the word alone does not identify a cooking method. Adding fritos specifies the fried version.
Málaga’s coastal food culture helped make fried anchovies a recognizable local specialty. They are usually eaten whole after the head and innards have been removed, with the small bones becoming tender through frying. They differ from boquerones en vinagre, which are cured in vinegar rather than cooked in hot oil.