Attention all food lovers!
Tenerife is a must for any self-proclaimed gourmet; a holiday destination that will delight your taste buds, brimming with fresh, local ingredients prepared by skilled hands. From traditional Canarian cuisine to contemporary fusion meals, this Spanish island is a melting pot of culinary delights.
Whether you’re a seafood lover or a meat connoisseur, from hole-in-the-wall cafés to Michelin-starred restaurants, Tenerife has something for every palate. Think succulent seafood, fresh from the ocean combined with ripe tropical fruits and locally grown herbs and spices – the explosion of flavours in your mouth will take you on a sensory journey like no other.
Advice on dining out in Tenerife
Searching for good restaurants is like reading the reviews of a good book before diving in. You want to make sure that your time and your taste buds are properly employed. Like all tourist destinations, Tenerife is full of tourist traps. Places that claim to be typical and cook while cheating on recipes, ingredients and their quality – and far less fun – on prices.
Understanding the art of culinary navigation doesn’t always mean settling for the cheapest option, or allowing yourself to be seduced by the friendly greetings of the waiters outside the restaurant, who are capable of promising you the world. Leaving a restaurant feeling dissatisfied and cheated out of your money is a feeling worth avoiding.
So take your time, let yourself be led. Get out there and ask the locals for their best-kept secrets – their favourite places to indulge. Think about the people who have nothing to gain by recommending a restaurant – a supermarket cashier, for one, or a hairdresser. When it comes to eating well in a restaurant, it’s almost all about experience – and with research you can have an unforgettable evening!
Being a foodie in Tenerife
Tenerife Sur’s gastronomic scene has evolved considerably over the last decade, with innovative chefs blending traditional Canarian cuisine with contemporary cooking techniques to create unique dishes that are both visually stunning and delicious. With an abundance of fresh seafood and locally grown produce, it’s no wonder that the south of the island has become a foodie’s paradise.
Eating out
In Adeje Pueblo
Adeje Pueblo is a town where the cuisine reflects the local way of life, with traditional restaurants of good quality and great understated simplicity. The typical Canarian dishes served in these restaurants are an absolute hit. All you have to do is smell the delicious scent of the famous “Carne Fiesta” as it subtly fills the restaurant room, or hear about the Canarian fried chicken of a particular restaurant, to know that you are in the right place.
For anyone looking for a casual, authentic experience:
For those who love a classic:
For foodies who want to dine with a magnificent view :
In Callao Salvaje and Playa Paraiso
We all know what the setting of the tourist trap looks like : an endless row of seaside restaurant options , surrounded by massive, bulky hotels. It doesn’t take long until each restaurant goes from charming to disappointing. Indeed, Playa Paraiso and Callao Salvaje fall neatly into this category, with – quite unfortunately – a large number of restaurants whose harmony of flavours fail to get our taste buds up and dancing. However, there are always hidden gems that give us hope that we can find the best if we look hard enough. And, of course, in places where you’d never expect to find them.
For seafood aficionados:
For those looking for Canarian flavours with a modern twist:
For a tapas dinner in a laid-back atmosphere:
For those in search of typical Canarian tapas:
At La Caleta and Bahía Del Duque
A paradise of luxury restaurants, both La Caleta and Bahia del Duque are a delight for those who want to spoil themselves by the sea, enhanced by innovative creations and surprising chefs. Home to Michelin-starred restaurants and atypical venues, these two corners of Costa Adeje are the place to be when it comes to gastronomy in the south of the island.
For anyone looking for the luxury of Michelin-starred restaurants:
For a genuine taste of the sea:
For anyone craving fusion cuisine:
For all those who prefer to go vegan:
In Guia de Isora
The Guía de Isora area has no shortage of variety in restaurantes. The size of the town and the need to keep up with the growing number of inhabitants and tourists has given rise to some exceptional spots, some outstanding in a more traditional approach and others in culinary excellence and the embodiment of gastronomy.
For those longing for French gastronomy:
For meat lovers
For all those looking for glamour and sophistication:
For anybody looking for a family-style restaurant:
In Arona
The bustle of Arona is well known to both locals and tourists visiting the south of the island. Sometimes seen as an outrage against Canarian traditions and as having lost its authenticity, the Arona region is a good place for those looking for different flavours; restaurants with something to suit all tastes and influenced (quite legitimately!) by world cuisine.
For those who just can't help themselves out of Italian food:
For those looking for hidden gems:
For Middle Eastern food lovers:
For those with a taste for creativity:
At El Médano
A place for surfing and chillin’, it would be easy to consider El Médano as a paradise for chiringuitos and little else. The truth is, the chiringuito spirit is present in both classic and non-traditional approaches. From familiar restaurants to new concepts, El Médano has some pleasant surprises in store for those looking for a bit of the surfing spirit in their gastronomic adventures.
For enthusiasts of genuine cuisine :
For people who don't shy away from innovation:
For those who just want to enjoy life without trying too hard:
Setting off on your gastronomic adventure
Now that you know the basics – or rather, what to expect – you can put in your own little research. You will certainly find different recommendations – and of course it is possible to find more in-depth guides to interesting restaurants. Nevertheless, the idea of letting yourself be guided by the spontaneity of the journey and the advice of the locals is invariably the best of surprises.
