Get a taste for island life with restaurants and hotels in Tenerife
The popular holiday destination of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, is not always considered for its culinary achievements, but it does in fact offer a tasty and diverse menu thanks to an eclectic mix of cultural influences Holidaymakers visiting the isle will find authentic Canary Island flavours mixed with international cuisine, catering for all types of tourist Whether seeking something familiar or a true taste of the island, delicious dishes are always served up at the independent restaurants and hotels in Tenerife. Here’s a sampe of what’s on offer:
Meat
Meat, including pork, beef, chicken, or rabbit, is often slow-cooked in liquid and served as a sauce or stew. Other popular dishes includes chopped, marinated and spiced pork, which is called ‘fiesta meat’, often served with both potatoes and sweet potatoes as a side dish.
Vegetarian options
Fresh vegetables are a common theme for many island diets as they are more practical and cost effective than importing food from the mainland. Vegetable stews made with tomatoes, potatoes, maize, onions and peppers are popular choices. Gofio – a cereal paste prepared with grains such as maize, toasted wheat, or barley – is frequently served with stew.
Island specialities
A specialty of Tenerife is ‘mojo’ sauce, which is often served with fresh seafood, such as sardines, octopus, shellfish, boiled vieja (sea bream), tuna, and jareas and tollos (a local, salted fish). It is also particularly delicious served over small potatoes. The sauce combines oil, vinegar, red pepper sauce and a variety of spices like coriander, cumin, pepper, parsley and garlic.
Meanwhile, adventurous taste buds should sample the traditional moles eggs dish, made with a sweet syrup made for sugar and egg yolk. Other must-try items include ‘tollos’ (dried and seasoned shark strips), fried chorizo, and sweet black pudding.
Drinks
The many vineyards in Tenerife are in a prime position to offer up the perfect accompaniment to an evening meal. Visitors to the island can enjoy a day wine tasting, visiting historical sites and museums, shopping, and marvelling at the beautiful landscape and ocean views before settling down to a mouthwatering evening meal complete with a nice glass of ‘vino’.
There are a number of ways to make the most of Tenerife cuisine. The all inclusive options offered by many Tenerife hotels gives guests the chance to sample a variety of different dishes at no extra cost. This is a great option for those on a budget and the standard of food on offer is generally very high – as is the case with most Canaries hotels right across the archipelago. If the hotel menu is limited, however, then bed & breakfast is the way forward. This allows visitors to the island to test out some of the many quaint little eateries and popular restaurants and to get a full feel for the island’s local flavours.