Just like in all of the island's cultural expressions, in the gastronomy of Tenerife tradition and modernity go hand in hand. The island's kitchens offer the visitor a wide range of possibilities, where the natural produce, which is often a unique result of the peculiar conditions of this land, is always of the finest quality.
Traditional and creative coo
Here in Tenerife you can enjoy the very best traditional dishes: gofio, honey and potatoes, amongst others. But you can also try the best in imaginative new cooking, the fruit of the fusion of creativity with tradition, at any of the island's avant-garde restaurants.
Fish
The fish par excellence and the favourite of the people of the Canary Islands is the vieja, with very delicate white flesh, but there are many other types that we strongly recommend, including bocinegro, sama and salema (all types of sea bream), and cherne (grouper). Tuna are abundant in the waters of the archipelago and these very tasty fish are served fried, grilled or in brine. Mackerel, sardines and, in particular, chicharro, or Atlantic Horse Mackerel (which gives the inhabitants of the island's capital their name: chicharreros), are also common dishes. The morena, or moray eel, is normally served fried and is a dish that no visitor should miss.
Fruit and vegetables
The huerta, or farmland, of the island is without a doubt one of its gastronomic treasures, and the fresh fruit and vegetables that it produces can be "discovered" with pleasure again and again. Tenerife produces excellent tomatoes, cucumbers, bubandos (a variety of courgette), pumpkins, chard, watercress, yams, potatoes, aubergines, cabbages and kidney beans. As for fruit, the banana is one of the island's staple agricultural resources. The fields of Tenerife are also filled with a wide range of tropical and subtropical fruits, such as avocado, mango, papaya, pineapple, custard apple, guava, mammee apple, starfruit, lychee and many other varieties, including some that are still relatively unknown in Europe.
Meat
No description of the island's food would be complete without mentioning rabbit, either prepared in salmorejo or stewed, two methods of cooking meat that give equally tasty results when used to prepare kid, or cabrito. Pork and chicken are also key ingredients in many island recipes and, together with beef, form one of the essential elements of the numerous asador carveries, which are especially popular in the north of Tenerife. Also worth noting are the wide range of pork products, both fresh and cured, such as sweet morcilla (black pudding) made with almonds and raisins; chistorra cured sausage; savoury ribs; salchicha sausages and spreadable chorizo, affectionately named "de perro".
Cheeses
Another of the gastronomic treasures that may come as a pleasant surprise to visitors are the Canary Island cheeses: soft, cured or semi-cured, especially made from goat's and cow's milk. Certain varieties deserve our full attention, such as the cheeses of El Tanque, cured and lightly spiced, and those of the Arico-Fasnia, Anaga and Teno regions, among others. Particularly interesting is one of the starters or snacks that is often ordered when eating out: fried cheese with mojo.
Gofio
Gofio is a traditional food inherited directly from the island's indigenous people: the Guanches. It is a kind of flour made from toasted cereals, above all barley, wheat and maize, and, occasionally, pulses such as chickpeas or broad beans. It is often served, either as a dough or mixed with stock to form an escaldón, as an accompaniment to stews such as cazuela de pescado (fish casserole) or puchero canario. This natural product is most commonly eaten at breakfast time, when its pleasant taste and excellent nutritional values make it a healthy choice even for people watching their weight.
Mojos
Mojo, a word of probable Portuguese origin, is the Canarian name for the typical sauces served on the islands. The most well-known mojos are the one made from coriander or parsley, called mojo verde, green mojo, and the colorado, or coloured mojo, which contains plenty of paprika.
To find out more
Cocina tradicional
Cocina creativa
Restaurantes
Guachinches
Vinos
Las principales denominaciones de origen de los caldos tinerfeños son Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de la Orotava, Ycoden-Daute-Isora, Abona y Valle de Güímar. Situada en el norte de Tenerife, en el municipio de El Sauzal, una casona tradicional canaria alberga La Casa del Vino "La Baranda", y ofrece al visitante la oportunidad de conocer de cerca el rico patrimonio vitivinícola de la Isla, en un enclave privilegiado con maravillosas vistas al mar y al Teide.
Si quieres saber más
Mercados
La mejor manera de adquirir los productos de Tenerife es en los mercados. Puedes visitar el Mercadillo del Agricultor en Tacoronte situado en Tenerife Norte, el Mercado de la Laguna y el Mercado Nuestra Señora de África situado en Santa Cruz - La Laguna.
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