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Canarian cuisine is based on the delicious rockfish that abound near the coast, and its specialties are worth searching out. A typical meal begins with a hearty stew, such as potaje canario (a stew of vegetables, potatoes, and garbanzo beans), rancho canario (vegetables and meat), and potaje de berros (watercress soup). Canarian
Canarian cuisine is based on the delicious rockfish that abound near the coast, and its specialties are worth searching out. A typical meal begins with a hearty stew, such as potaje canario (a stew of vegetables, potatoes, and garbanzo beans), rancho canario (vegetables
Canarian cuisine is based on the delicious rockfish that abound near the coast, and its specialties are worth searching
Canarian cuisine is based on the delicious rockfish that abound near the coast, and its specialties are worth searching out. A typical meal begins with a hearty stew, such as potaje canario (a stew of vegetables, potatoes, and garbanzo beans), rancho canario (vegetables and meat), and potaje de berros (watercress soup). Canarians eat the porridge-like gofio (made with corn or another grain and milk or broth), though it's hard to find in restaurants. The next course is fresh native fish, the best of which are vieja, cherne, and sama, all firm-flesh white rockfish. Accompanying the fish are papas arrugadas (literally, "wrinkled potatoes"), tiny potatoes native to the Canaries boiled in salty water so that salt crystals form on them as they dry.
Other specialties include cabrito (roast baby goat) and conejo (rabbit), both served in salmorejo, a slightly spicy paprika sauce. Finally, no Canarian meal is complete without a dab of mojo picón, a spicy sauce made with pimientos (red chili peppers), garlic, and tomatoes. Most restaurants serve mojo with each main course, and Canarians heap it liberally on dishes as varied as fish and papas arrugadas. The tamer version is mojo verde,made with cilantro and parsley. Another island specialty is goat cheese, made best in La Palma.
Canarian wines are surprisingly good and varied. Try the young reds and whites on Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, where wine production is centuries old—the Malmsey wines from Lanzarote were a favorite with Shakespeare's Falstaff. On the stronger side, the Canaries are famous for their dark rum, and several new liqueurs (flavored with coffee, cocoa, or hazelnut) have grown in popularity over the last few years.
A five-minute drive from the Casa del Vino, in the township of El Sauzal, you'll find this award-winning winery and restaurant perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean. After a lunch of crackly pulled (local heritage-breed cochino negro) pork and roasted potatoes, waddle over to the bodega for a tour and tasting, and if you're looking for a gluggable souvenir, snap up a bottle of the tintilla, a smoky, complex red aged in French oak barrels that's nearly impossible to find in shops.
Calle Cruz de Leandro 36, Sauzal, Canary Islands, 38360, Spain
To fully grasp the potential of Canarian cuisine, book a table at this white-tablecloth standby that coaxes market ingredients—such as patudo (bigeye) tuna, black potatoes, and local heirloom tomatoes—into flawless, modern preparations like tataki (lightly seared), ensaladilla rusa (salade Olivier), and vinaigrette, respectively. The prix-fixe lunch and more elaborate menú de degustación (tasting menu) are fantastic values, as are the bottles of Tenerife wine.
Av. de San Sebastián 57, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38005, Spain
Figurines of the Virgin Mary and other religious paraphernalia line the walls of this eclectic tavern with low ceilings and a cozy, countrified feel. Hand-cut jamón (ham) and runny-in-the-center tortillas make wonderful appetizers; save room for the conejo en salmorejo (roast rabbit in a paprika-garlic sauce) and homemade desserts.
Calle Herradores 88, La Laguna, Canary Islands, 38204, Spain
Try wrapping your head around the fact that in Tenerife, of all places, there's an Azerbaijani restaurant where you can try Georgian specialties served by Russian waiters. Improbably, the food here—lamb kebabs, lemony stuffed grape leaves, plump pelmeni, juicy khinkali (Georgian soup dumplings), and other Russian and Caucasian delicacies—is fresh, well spiced, and wildly affordable.
Av. de España 25, Costa Adeje, Canary Islands, 38660, Spain
662-028096
Known For
Caucasian cuisine like it's made in the Old Country
Some of the best sandwiches in town are made here, and the tortilla (potato omelet) may be the tastiest on the island. Eat in or take your purchases to the quiet gardens in the Plaza de Príncipe, just down the road, for an impromptu picnic.
Calle Pérez Galdós 24, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38002, Spain
Down a plant-lined alley off the Plaza del Charco, this family-run restaurant is in a typical local house, with a labyrinth of small rooms leading off the main hall; you might find yourself sitting next to a collection of old photos, a pile of hats, or some rustic artifacts. Standouts on the traditional Canarian menu include puchero canario (chickpea stew with vegetables, pork, and chicken), piñas con costillas y papas (corn on the cob with spareribs and potatoes), and rabbit with salmorejo sauce. Save room for homemade desserts such as tarta de gofio (maize flour tart).
Calle La Verdad 6, Puerto de la Cruz, Canary Islands, 38400, Spain
The buzz around this down-home Santa Cruz standby is well deserved, as you'll see when you sample chef Carlos's steak tartare, the best in town, or his rustic snail stew enriched with trotters (don't knock it till you try it). The star dessert is huevo mole, egg yolk and sugar whipped into a creamy mousse.
Calle de General Goded 13, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38006, Spain
On the main shopping street, this restaurant is a convenient place to eat after sightseeing, especially since the kitchen is open from 8 am to 11 pm. Try to snag a table on the terrace that overflows onto the leafy pedestrian street (the interior dining room is comparatively drab). The salads, particularly the ensalada de bacalao confitado con pimientos asados (slow-cooked cod with roasted peppers), are appetizing and generous.
Calle Bethencourt Alfonso 27, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38002, Spain
The best of French cuisine fuses with Canarian and Spanish touches at this sophisticated venue in the Jardines de Nivaria Hotel. Dine inside under chandeliers and in classic French style or outside on the pleasant terrace. The chef, Spanish-born Rubén Cabrera, cut his teeth at Arzak and Mugaritz and creates seasonal menus hinging on whatever's at the market; there's also a tasting menu. No shorts or sandals allowed.
Calle Bruselas, Costa Adeje, Canary Islands, 38660, Spain
A few minutes’ drive from Costa Adeje lies this oceanfront restaurant overlooking the quaint harbor of La Caleta. Watch the sun set over La Gomera island while you savor fresh local fish and shellfish and Tenerife wines. Specialties on the menu include cherne negro con ajito (black wreckfish with garlic) and bacalao con almejas (cod with clams).
Edificio Las Terrazas 1, Costa Adeje, Canary Islands, 38670, Spain
Los Pinchitos is one of those dying-breed restaurants where you can eat your fill of pristine seafood without maxing out your credit card. Settle in for a leisurely no-frills feast of octopus, scallops, squid, and whatever other sea creatures were hauled up onto the pier that morning, and wash it all down with a carafe of good house wine.
Calle Guillén 14, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38120, Spain
Opposite the Iberostar Grand Mencey, this tiny no-frills bar serves simple Canarian cuisine—think grilled sardines and tomato-avocado salads—in abundant portions at reasonable prices. The dining room has a beamed ceiling, low wooden stools, and barrels for tables—perfect for a quick bite but perhaps not ideal for lingering.
Calle Dr. José Naveiras 9, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38004, Spain
Those in the know come here for typical Canarian food, especially the local dayboat fish. The best tables are outside on the pedestrian street, a couple of blocks behind the port, but the interior’s cheap and cheerful wooden tables and fishing nets are nearly as charming. There’s a good-value daily menu (€12), and fish comes grilled with a side of papas arrugadas.
Calle El Lomo 7, Puerto de la Cruz, Canary Islands, 38400, Spain
Students and penny-pinching travelers flock to this no-frills juice bar, as famous for its colorful smoothies (made with local fruit) as it is for its club sandwiches and filling platos combinados (lunch and dinner combos), served with fries and salad.
Calle Consistorio 22, La Laguna, Canary Islands, 38201, Spain
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