The island of Tenerife is synonymous with the best gastronomy. In fact, there are many tourists who come to this Canary Island every year, attracted by its magnificent climate, varied beaches or the natural and monumental attractions it offers, but, increasingly, gastronomy plays a more prominent role for many of the visitors. So, after arriving on the island through one of the two airports and traveling comfortably to our accommodation by transfer, it is time to prepare to enjoy the typical Canarian and Tenerife cuisine.

Tradition and modernity go hand in hand in the gastronomy of the island of Tenerife. Tenerife cuisine offers tourists a wide range of dishes, where the quality of its natural products is its main value, since we are talking about unique varieties given the specificities of this Canary Island.

Vanguard and tradition:

In Tenerife you can taste some of the best traditional Canarian dishes, such as gofio, potatoes or honey, three typical Canarian foods that can be consumed alone or mixed in a wide variety of dishes. For the most gourmets, they will be able to enjoy the avant-garde in the multiple restaurants that the island treasures, many with a Michelin star and that know how to combine Canarian tradition with the culinary avant-garde.

Vegetables and fruits

The Tenerife orchard is one of the greatest exponents of Tenerife, with fresh and quality produce. Tenerife is a producer of tomatoes, cucumbers, bubangos, a variety of zucchini, as well as Swiss chard, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, potatoes, aubergines or beans. If we talk about fruits, what can we say about the banana, perhaps the greatest food symbol of the entire Canary Islands, but not the only one, since its climate makes mangoes, avocados and other tropical fruits, such as papaya, pineapple or custard apple, difficult to grow. to cultivate in Europe.

Fish

The fish that is consumed the most, without a doubt, in Tenerife is the old fish. It has white and delicate meat and is also the most appreciated by canaries. In addition to the old fish, the grouper, the bocinegro or the salema are delicious, cheap and very fresh fish, since they are caught by the locals. Mackerel and sardine are also fish that are served on the tables of Canarian restaurants, as well as mackerel, which deserves a special mention as it gives its name to the inhabitants of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the island, to the known as chicharreros, it must be for a reason.

Meats

From the sea to the land, the Canarian tradition reserves a prominent place for rabbit meat, both in salmorejo and condumio, forms of preparation that are also used for kid, another delicious Canarian dish. Pork, chicken and beef also have many typical island recipes and are part of the menus of the abundant grill restaurants that abound in the north of the island of Tenerife, better known as guachinches. It is also worth mentioning the wide range of pork products, fresh or semi-fresh, such as sweet blood sausage, chistorra; salty ribs; the sausages or the spreadable chorizo, known by the locals as “dog” chorizo.

Cheeses

It is, without any doubt, another of the great culinary riches of the island. Tenerife cheeses can be found in multiple varieties, cured, semi-cured and fresh, and are made with milk that comes mainly from goat and beef and numerous elaborations, such as grilled cheese or with mojo.

Mojos

No information about Tenerife and Canarian gastronomy would be complete without a ‘mojo’, a typical sauce from the island. The most typical mojos are green, with cilantro and parsley, and red, with plenty of paprika.

Gofio

The gofio is a direct heritage of the aboriginal people of the Canary Islands: the Guanches. We are talking about a flour made from toasted cereals, especially barley, wheat and corn, and sometimes some legumes such as chickpeas or beans. It is used as an accompaniment to casserole dishes, meat and fish, although it is also consumed alone, due to its nutritional properties.

The wines

To wash down the entire food festival that we have been mentioning, what better than a good wine. Tenerife is famous for its remarkable wines and its many certified designations of origin, such as Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de la Orotava, Ycoden-Daute-Isora, Abona and Valle de Güímar. Both red and white wines are produced that pair perfectly with Canarian dishes.