13 Best Restaurants in Canary Islands, Spain

One of the Canaries' few great specialty coffee shops (think single-origin beans, seasoned baristas, and Chemex pour-overs), Caracolillo, opened in 2021, is a trendy hangout in the Centro district. 

In the small town of Villaverde, halfway between Puerto del Rosario and Corralejo, is one of the island's best-kept culinary secrets. At this small restaurant, Canarian dishes are served family style in the center of the table. Favorites include huevos amarrados (literally "tied-up eggs," but really half-boiled eggs with fries and spicy sausage) and paprika-dusted fried octopus with potatoes.

Some of the best sandwiches in town are made here, and the tortilla (potato omelet) may be the tastiest on the island. Eat in or take your purchases to the quiet gardens in the Plaza de Príncipe, just down the road, for an impromptu picnic.

Halfway up a pleasant pedestrian street in Vegueta, this French café-restaurant with red walls and old photos of Las Palmas specializes in mushroom dishes. Choose from more than 15 preparations, or forgo the fungi and try the meat dishes and giant revueltos (scrambled eggs). Portions are large, ideal for sharing.

Escape to the tranquil, air-conditioned quiet of the Casa Suecia Salon de Té on Tomás Miller 70—near Playa de las Canteras—for comfortable booths, foreign newspapers, picture windows, pastries, breakfast plates, sandwiches, and perhaps the only free coffee refills on the islands.

Strewn with nautical gewgaws and awash with color, Charco Vivo has indoor and outdoor seating, with tables overlooking the sea or the San Ginés lagoon. House specials include matrimonio (a "marriage" of squid rings and fish) and clams washed down with local wines. If the restaurant is busy, you might get a table just across the street at the sister bar, where the bocadillo de calamares (baguette stuffed with fried squid rings) tops the menu.

In a culinary homecoming of sorts, Gofio—Madrid's buzzy, award-winning Canarian restaurant—now has an outpost in the archipelago, inside the Corte Inglés's Club Gourmet. Fasten your seatbelts: This is comida canaria like you've never experienced before: "punk" arepas that arrive DIY-style, panna cotta made with Canarian goat milk, and local avocado stuffed with spiced sea bream.

Skip the middling tourist-packed cafés and sandwich shops on the Las Canteras boardwalk and instead grab a bite at this sunny, casual storefront that serves tropical fare ranging from tacos to Cubano melts to pad Thai.

From your patio table overlooking the harbor, feast on attractively plated modern Spanish fare such as heirloom tomato salmorejo (creamy gazpacho), griddled Iberian pork with sautéed vegetables, and rice with wild mushrooms and foie. The interior dining area is almost as charming with pendant lights and mismatched vintage chairs.

Off the tourist track, this no-frills seafood restaurant with stunning sea views is a favorite with locals. The outdoor terrace seems to hover over the sea. The restaurant's popularity makes it a noisy place at peak mealtimes, so if you want a terrace table, book ahead or arrive early.

Just below the cathedral square is one of the island's best bars for having a beer—there's a huge selection—along with some tapas. The bar feels a bit like a French café, with high ceilings and black and red furnishings. Unusual tapas, like nachos with eggplant and ginger sauce and spinach-and-walnut croquettes, make an appearance. There are indoor and outdoor tables and usually live music on Thursday.

A magnet for vegetarians and vegans, this restaurant has retro decor and a pleasant, shady terrace. Specialties include vegetable woks with tofu, vegan meatballs, and healthy organic breakfasts. There's a great-value daily lunch menu (€12) and soy milk shakes and gluten-free cakes for afternoon tea; brunch, served on weekends, is also popular.

Students and penny-pinching travelers flock to this no-frills juice bar, as famous for its colorful smoothies (made with local fruit) as it is for its club sandwiches and filling platos combinados (lunch and dinner combos), served with fries and salad.