Canarian Food Experience

Canarian cuisine is a delicious fusion of Spanish, African, and Latin American influences, shaped by the island's volcanic soil, Atlantic waters, and centuries of maritime trade. This food experience takes you beyond the tourist restaurants to discover the authentic flavours that locals cherish — from the humble wrinkled potato (papas arrugadas con mojo) to freshly caught vieja fish grilled over charcoal.

Depending on the format, you'll either join a hands-on cooking class in a traditional Canarian kitchen or follow a guided food tour through local markets, guachinches (farm restaurants), and hidden tapas bars. Key dishes include papas arrugadas with mojo rojo (spicy red) and mojo verde (herb green), gofio (toasted grain flour used since Guanche times), ropa vieja (shredded meat stew), puchero canario (hearty chickpea pot), and fresh seafood including lapas (limpets), pulpo (octopus), and calamar (squid) straight from the harbour.

For cooking classes, you'll shop for ingredients at a local market before preparing a full Canarian meal under the guidance of a local chef. The meal you've created becomes your lunch, served with local wines. Food tours include multiple tastings across 4–5 stops, with the guide explaining the history, ingredients, and cultural significance of each dish. Both formats offer genuine insight into Canarian gastronomy that transforms every subsequent meal on the island.

A food experience is one of the most enriching activities you can book in Tenerife, transforming your understanding of the island from a beach destination to a culinary one. Canarian cuisine has been gaining international recognition in recent years, with several Tenerife restaurants earning Michelin stars and the island's wines winning prestigious international awards.

Food tours and cooking classes run in various locations across the island, from the markets of Santa Cruz and La Laguna to rural farms in the Orotava Valley and fishing villages on the south coast. They make excellent rainy-day activities and pair well with wine tasting tours for a complete Tenerife gastronomic day.