Where to Eat in Tenerife, South and North: Restaurants Tried and Recommended

Where to eat in Tenerife? Here are my tips!

We spent two weeks in Tenerife. On this blog you’ll also find:

During our trip to Tenerife we chose to stay in apartments (so we could work comfortably and cut costs a bit), so we often ate at home and tried “only” a few restaurants. But in the end the list turned out so long that I decided to write an article about it anyway!

Another confession (apologies to the Spanish 😂): I’m not a huge fan of tapas, because they’re often full of sauces and dressings and my stomach doesn’t thank me for it. So below I’ll leave you an honest list: places we tried ourselves + places recommended by you (and when you recommend something to me, it’s usually gold).

⚠️ Really useful tip: always book. Even the more casual restaurants can be full in the evening, especially in the south.

In short: in southern Tenerife the restaurants I tried and recommend are mainly in Costa Adeje (Taberna Lorenzo for fish, Duquesa Bistro for a special dinner, La Caponata for Italian pasta), Los Cristianos (breakfast at Neighbours Coffee) and the Santa Cruz area (Yanfi Marina, fresh fish). In the north, in Puerto de la Cruz, Licia Bakery for an afternoon treat, and Pejeverde in Los Gigantes for the tarta de queso. To eat really local, look for the guachinches, the typical Canarian taverns, more common in the north. One tip that holds for everyone: always book, especially in the evening in the south.

Costa Adeje

Taberna Lorenzo
Very casual, no frills… but fresh fish and a simple atmosphere. If you want to eat well without too much of a “scene”, it’s a good shout.

Duquesa Bistro
This was our “special” spot: we celebrated Fabio’s birthday here 🥹
And the lovely part is that we discovered on the spot that it’s run by two guys from Tuscany! Everything was delicious, perfect for a slightly more special dinner too.

Daria’s Bakery & Bistro
So many of you recommended this to me for breakfast and unfortunately I didn’t manage to go… but from the photos I understand PERFECTLY why: the croissants look incredible. If you go, tell me how it is!

La Caponata
A super Italian restaurant, run by Italians. I had a craving for pasta you wouldn’t believe, and here it was fully satisfied!

Los Cristianos

Neighbours Coffee
We treated ourselves to breakfast here and the pancakes were delicious. Perfect if you want to start the day with energy (and something indulgent).

Ricos Los Cristianos
Lots of you recommended this one! I’m leaving it here because I always trust your tips (and they’re often a real safe bet).

K-vegan and Bahia Verde

I’m putting them together because they both do vegan food and are absolutely among the most recommended in my DMs.

Ola Verde Coffee & Brunch

This one is also highly recommended by everyone for great breakfasts with pancakes and brunches with bowls that look delicious.

San Juan area

Agua y Sal

You have no idea how many messages I get about this restaurant! It has several locations, but this one in San Juan is the most recommended.

Santa Cruz area

Yanfi Marina
We stopped here on the way between Santa Cruz and Playa de Las Teresitas. This one is also very simple and unpretentious, but with super fresh fish.

Puerto de la Cruz

Licia Bakery
A thoroughly approved afternoon treat. And here too: plot twist, once we arrived we discovered it’s run by Italian girls — but what can I say, we really are good when it comes to food, so highly recommended.

Los Gigantes

Pejeverde
This one, on the other hand, was tested by us and did we eat well! The dessert was thoroughly approved too: my beloved tarta de queso (cheesecake) 🤍🤍

Cheesecake tip

Varguita Cheesecake
You know about my obsession with “Spanish” cheesecake (different from the classic New York cheesecake: baked, super creamy and cheesier). Here you MUST try the “classic” one. The place is in San Isidro, a little town near the southern airport.

If you want to dig deeper into my passion for cheesecake, HERE you’ll find an article on the famous San Sebastián cheesecake.

Extra tip: look for the “guachinches” (especially in the north)

This is a gem that so many of you wrote to me about: if you want to eat really “local”, try looking for the guachinches.
They’re typical rustic restaurants/taverns (often more common in the northern area), where you’ll find simple, generous Canarian cooking at really honest prices. They might not be the most “Instagrammable” places… but they’re often the ones where you truly eat best.

Here too: book when you can (or go early), because many are small and fill up quickly.

As I was saying, in Tenerife we often ate in our apartment, so this list isn’t an “endless guide” but a selection of places we genuinely tried, plus the ones you recommended to me which, as you know, are often a safe bet.

If you go and try any of these restaurants, tag me on Instagram — I always love reposting you and seeing the places you try thanks to me too! ✨

Frequently asked questions about where to eat in Tenerife

Where to eat in southern Tenerife?

In the south the area with the most choice is Costa Adeje: I had a great time at Taberna Lorenzo (fresh fish and a simple atmosphere), Duquesa Bistro (run by two guys from Tuscany, perfect for a special dinner) and La Caponata for Italian food. In Los Cristianos, Neighbours Coffee is excellent for breakfast. Remember to book, because in the evening they fill up fast.

Where to eat in northern Tenerife?

In the north I’d recommend Licia Bakery in Puerto de la Cruz for an indulgent afternoon treat, and Pejeverde in Los Gigantes, where I ate really well (try the tarta de queso!). The north is also the best area to look for the guachinches, the typical Canarian taverns.

What are the guachinches?

The guachinches are rustic restaurants and taverns typical of Tenerife, more common in the northern area, serving simple, generous Canarian cooking at very honest prices. They’re often not the most “Instagrammable” places, but they’re the ones where you truly eat best. They’re small and fill up quickly, so it’s worth booking or going early.

Do you need to book restaurants in Tenerife?

Yes, I’d recommend it almost always. Even the more casual restaurants can be full in the evening, especially in the south, in tourist areas like Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos. A quick booking saves you from being left with nothing.