Planning a winter sun holiday to Tenerife? It’s time to jot some must-try dishes and gastro-experiences down!
Tenerife has a rich and diverse gastronomy. With a blend of ancient Guanches recipes, Latin American influences brought by migrants in the 20th century, fresh fish and seafood, as well as Spanish tapas… a feast of flavours awaits you.
Let’s Talk Food!
Start your culinary adventure with papas arrugadas, which is simple but delicious. This Canarian dish consists of small, salted potatoes served with spicy Mojo sauce. It’s named after its cooking method, where the potatoes are boiled in salted water until they become beautifully wrinkled or “arrugadas” in Spanish. Enjoy it as a side dish or as part of a tapas platter.
Next, sample gofio escaldado, another staple to the Canary Islands cuisine. This traditional food comes from the Guanches, the indigenous people who inhabited the island before the Spanish colonization. Gofio takes its name from a variety of flour that is made from toasted cereals, mainly corn. A perfect pair for gofio is Tenerife’s traditional goat cheese.
Papas arrugadas – Gofio escaldado
When it comes to cheese, Tenerife is well-known for its exceptional goat cheese. One must-try is grilled goat cheese with honey, red mojo, and green mojo. It’s a delightful combination of smoky, sweet, and tangy flavours.
For seafood lovers, don’t miss out on churros de pescado. When you’re on an island, it comes as no surprise that fish and seafood shape its gastronomy, and, Tenerife, isn’t the exception. Made from small white fish fillets like cod or hake, these fillets are cut into long strips and seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Then they are coated in a flavourful mixture of saffron, garlic, herbs, and cerveza, and deep-fried until golden and crunchy. These crispy delights are a favourite tapas dish among locals.
Grilled goat cheese – Churros de pescado
Ropa vieja is a dish that meat eaters can’t resist. Originally from Cuba, today it’s a staple in Tenerife’s diet. It’s a stew made with shredded beef, pork, chicken, chickpeas, vegetables, and spices. Its name translates to “old clothes” which perfectly captures the essence of this dish, as the shredded beef resembles the appearance of well-worn clothes.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, try bienmesabe, a traditional dessert originally from La Palma but also served in Tenerife. It features a sweet cream made with ground almonds, sugar, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Enjoy it cold on its own or as a topping for other desserts like ice cream or cake.
Ropa vieja – Bienmesabe
Let’s Talk Wine!
Did you know that it wasn’t until the 15th century that Tenerife started producing wine, thanks to the arrival of the Spaniards? Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, England was the leading exporter to Europe and America.
In the 19th century, the Canary Islands were spared from the phylloxera plant plague that devastated many vineyards in Europe, resulting in the unique grape varieties found on the islands today. The most famous grape is Malvasía.
Tenerife has five wine regions: Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de la Orotava, Ycoden-Daute-Isora, Valle de Güímar and Abona. This have been said, consider adding a tasting tour to your winter sun holiday.
Wine Tasting Tour
Eat and drink like a local!
Experience the ‘guachinches‘. These establishments serve home-grown wine along with authentic Canarian dishes. The concept sprang out from the need of the local winemakers to sell their wine directly to customers. Only open for a maximum of four months each year, between November and May, when the harvest comes to an end, these establishments are required to serve food with every bottle / jar of wine they serve.
You can find most of them on north Tenerife, around the island’s major wine-producing regions. Our recommendations include La Finca El Pino (La Orotava), Don Trino (Santa Ursula), and La Gorgolana (Tacoronte).
Traditional ‘guachinche’
We operate direct flights from Jersey to Tenerife weekly throughout the Winter. Stays of 7, 14 nights or longer are available and flights can be booked alone or as part of a full package holiday on our website.