The 5 must-try dishes of Canarian food in southern Tenerife
1. Papas arrugadas with mojo
These are small potatoes boiled in their skins in very salty water. As they dry, they wrinkle and are left with a thin coating of salt.
They’re served with two sauces:
- Mojo rojo (or picón): palmero pepper, garlic, cumin, oil and vinegar. How spicy it is depends on the kitchen, so ask first.
- Mojo verde: coriander or parsley, garlic and oil. It’s milder and goes very well with fish.
How to eat them: with your fingers or a fork, always with the skin on, dipping the potato into the sauce. It’s the starter you’ll find on every Canarian table.
Where to try them: in almost any Canarian tasca in the old town of Los Cristianos. Look out for small potatoes with thin skins: that’s the sign they’re local.
2. Canarian cheese
In the Canary Islands, almost all cheese is made from goat’s milk and comes fresh, semi-cured or cured. The rind is often smoked or rubbed with paprika or gofio, which gives it a very distinctive flavour.
In the south you’ll find it served three ways:
- Roasted or grilled: golden on the outside and creamy inside.
- With mojo: grilled cheese served with red or green mojo.
- With palm honey: a classic from La Gomera, the island you can see from Los Cristianos harbour.
Where to try it: in the area’s Canarian restaurants and, if you’d like to take some home, at the traditional markets in southern Tenerife. At the Arona Farmers’ Market you can buy directly from the producer.
3. Local fish
The rule here is simple: ask for the catch of the day and have it grilled or sancochado (boiled), with potatoes and mojo.
Los Cristianos began life as a fishing village and its harbour still has a small-scale fishing fleet. These are the names you’ll see most often on menus:
- Vieja (parrotfish): the most Canarian fish of all, with soft white flesh. It’s usually served sancochada.
- Cherne and abadejo: very common in traditional sancochado fish dishes.
- Sama and bocinegro: ideal butterflied or grilled.
Don’t leave without trying limpets with mojo verde and octopus, either chargrilled or as fried rejo (tentacles).
Where to try it: on the terraces along the harbour and seafront promenade, where most of the seafood restaurants are.
4. Conejo en salmorejo
This is Tenerife’s most typical meat dish. The rabbit is left to marinate for hours in a sauce of garlic, vinegar, pepper, thyme and paprika, then stewed in that same marinade.
The result is intense, slightly tangy and full of flavour. It almost always comes with papas arrugadas, perfect for dipping into the sauce.
Where to try it: in traditional Canarian restaurants. Our guide to restaurants in Los Cristianos includes a classic that has it on the menu.
5. Puchero canario and potaje de berros
When you fancy something hearty, the island answers with two filling, home-style dishes cooked just like grandma used to make.
- Puchero canario: a stew of meats, chickpeas and vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, sweetcorn and cabbage. It’s usually served with gofio escaldado.
- Potaje de berros: a watercress stew with potatoes, sweetcorn and pork ribs. It’s eaten with gofio and a piece of cheese.
Where to try them: many tascas only make them on certain days, as the dish of the day. Ask when you arrive: if there’s puchero, order it.
Desserts and coffee: the Canarian finale
Bienmesabe
Canarian quesillo with caramel and cream next to a barraquito coffee served on the rooftop of Hotel Reverón Plaza.
Quesillo
The Canarian flan. It’s made with condensed milk, which gives it a denser texture and a richer flavour than the mainland Spanish version.
Barraquito
Tenerife’s signature coffee. It’s served in a glass in layers: condensed milk, liqueur, coffee, frothed milk, cinnamon and lemon peel. If you’d rather skip the alcohol, ask for a zaperoco, the liqueur-free version. Don’t stir it until you’ve had a good look at it.
Wines of southern Tenerife: the Abona region
In the south, people mainly drink white wine made from Listán Blanco, fresh and mineral, grown in volcanic soils at high altitude.
The Abona region stretches across the southern slopes of Mount Teide, from Arona and Adeje to Arico. In Vilaflor, vineyards enjoy plenty of sunshine, cool nights and volcanic soil, producing wines with real character.
Bodegas Reverón: high-altitude vineyards in Vilaflor
To taste southern wine at its source, head up to Vilaflor, around 40 minutes’ drive from Los Cristianos.
Bodegas Reverón has been making wine since 1947 in the Los Quemados area. Its vineyards sit above 1,300 metres and much of the land is farmed organically. Its Blanco Naturalmente Dulce was named Best Wine of the Canary Islands 2022.
The winery runs a guided tour with a tasting of four wines and nibbles. You can book it directly on their website.
Where to try Canarian food in Los Cristianos
For the most authentic Canarian cooking, it’s best to step away from the promenade and explore the old town. If you’re after fish, stay by the harbour.
Restaurante El Gomero: traditional Canarian cooking
A long-established spot where tradition shows in every dish. Here you can try papas arrugadas with mojo and conejo en salmorejo in one sitting, with excellent value for money.
Bar Restaurante El Cine: fresh fish, no frills
A local classic, simple and with a genuine atmosphere. Its strengths are grilled catch of the day and seafood, at very reasonable prices. A real hidden gem.
El Ventorrillo: tapas with house wine
It has a bar that’s perfect for a quick bite and a good range of tapas and sharing plates, served with a good house wine. It’s the ideal place to immerse yourself in the local tapas culture.
Frequently asked questions
What is mojo?
It’s the quintessential Canarian sauce. Mojo rojo contains pepper, garlic, cumin and paprika, while mojo verde contains coriander or parsley. It’s served with potatoes, fish, meat or cheese.
Are there guachinches in southern Tenerife?
Only a few. Guachinches are informal eateries linked to home-produced wine and only open a few months a year. Most are in the north, in La Orotava, La Matanza or Tacoronte. In the south you’ll find some in Arona and San Miguel, but also many restaurants that use the name as a hook without actually being one.
If I can only try one dish, which should I order?
Papas arrugadas with mojo. They’re simple, cheap and available everywhere, and they sum up Canarian cooking in a single bite. If you have room for a second, order the catch of the day.
What time do people have dinner in Los Cristianos?
Earlier than on the Spanish mainland. Many restaurants start serving dinner from around 6.30 or 7 pm because of international tourism.
Start the day with a local flavour
Canarian food can be enjoyed in the morning too. At Hotel Reverón Plaza, breakfast combines a buffet of more than 40 options with an à la carte breakfast menu served at your table, freshly prepared with local produce and with sea views from the dining room. There are gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and lactose-free options.
And if you’d like to take southern Tenerife home in a glass, book an afternoon at Bodegas Reverón in Vilaflor. It’s the perfect ending to a getaway that starts by the sea and finishes among high-altitude vineyards.
