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PLAYA
DE LAS AMERICAS AND LOS
CRISTIANOS - EATING |
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For picnic food, and snacks, try
the bakery Boutique Amady,
Edif. Lord Nelson 5, which has a
huge well-presented selection of
quality breads, cakes and
pastries.
Scattered in among the vast
number of mediocre places to eat
in Las Americas are a
few good restaurants serving a
fair range of international
cuisines between them. Most
restaurants are open longer
hours than elsewhere on the
island, often not closing in the
afternoon - particularly those
places by the promenade. After
midnight, when most of the
restaurants have closed, it's
still possible to get food from
international fast-food outlets
in the centre, and from local
vendors selling kebabs and such
like. Despite its seaside
location, good fish- and
seafood-restaurants are
surprisingly rare in Las Americas,
making the short trip to the
popular restaurants of the small
fishing village La Caleta
(regular buses from the bus
station in Las Americas) just
to north of the resort
worthwhile. Three restaurants
are particularly popular here - Piscis
is the most expensive and
stylish, while the La Caleta
is more moderately priced and
makes the most of its seafront
setting. The Celso , the
most functional of the three, is
especially good value,
particularly popular with
locals, and offers a range of
preparation techniques beyond
just grilling.
A large number of cafés and
restaurants vie for custom along
the seafront and in the centre
of Los Cristianos . Few
are anything special, making it
worth either heading out to
local favourites on the less
atmospheric fringes of town or
to the simple inexpensive tapas
bars on the western edge of the
pedestrian district. The harbour
area, also just west of the
centre, is notable for its small
collection of good seafood
restaurants. Fast-food needs are
served by American chains on the
beachfront, though tastier,
better value local delicacies
can be had from many of the
town's supermarkets, which offer
picnic food such as a whole
freshly grilled garlic chicken
for around ?4.
Each restaurant listed in the Guide
has been categorized as either
inexpensive (under ?6), moderate
(?6- ?10) and expensive (above
?10) - indicating the price of
an average main course.
Las Americas
Cantina Lupita , CC Fañabé.
Cheerful, brightly coloured
Mexican restaurant on the
promenade where it overlooks
Fañabé's new beaches. Dishes
include burritos, chimichangas,
chargrilled vegetables, Tacos
and salads. Though the food is
a bit bland by Mexican
standards, it can be spiced up
on request. Moderate.
Cervecería Central
, El Camisón, local 17-18,
Los Moritos. A branch of the
classy and popular Santa Cruz
restaurant, serving a good
range of food from coffees and
cakes, to filled rolls,
omelettes and a good variety
of tapas. Full meals, mostly
Spanish or Canarian fish and
meat dishes are also available
in the evenings. Moderate.
El Duque , Gran
Hotel Bahía del Duque, Fañabé.
tel 922/713 000. One of the
most expensive restaurants on
the island, this place serves
a changing and carefully
chosen range of international
dishes in Neoclassical
surroundings. The menu
includes the simple but superb
house speciality, seafood
lasagne, and an extensive
selection of wines. Dress is
smart casual. Closed Sun &
June. Expensive.
El Gomero , Edif.
Las Terrazas. Straightforward
Canarian restaurant with
speedy service at
vinyl-covered tables. The menu
offers a decent range of fish
dishes, including a selection
of paellas, plus good steaks
and reasonable, filling set
meals. Closed Sun.
Inexpensive.
Harley's American Diner
, Torviscas. tel 922/713 040.
Its presence announced by a
fleet of American vehicles
outside, Harley's is a
theme-bar and restaurant
offering a wide range of
cocktails and meals. The
eclectic menu at the bar
includes large portions of
American favourites such as
nachos and fajitas as well as
cannelloni, sweet-and-sour
chicken and a number of
vegetarian options. The
restaurant gets busy in the
evenings, so it's worth
booking ahead - or being
prepared to drink patiently in
the back of a Cadillac while
you wait for a table. Moderate
to expensive.
The King And I ,
Local 12B Garden City San
Eugenio tel 922/750 350. Great
Thai food served in a plain
little restaurant on the
eastern side of San Eugenio.
Though a little more expensive
than surrounding restaurants,
the quality of the massive
range of available dishes -
including good green curries,
chilli squid, ginger mushrooms
and a great papaya salad -
ultimately makes the place
good-value. Moderate to
expensive.
Las Rocas Beach Club
, Hotel Jardín Tropical
, San Eugenio. Small cliff-top
beach club, where exclusive
dining is offered to visitors
as well as hotel guests on a
terrace overlooking the sea.
The restaurant specializes in
rice and seafood dishes -
particularly recommended are
the paellas, including one
vegetarian version. Expensive.
Little Italy , CC Fañabé.
A new branch of the popular
local chain of Italian
restaurants, serving
dependably good pizza and
pasta in pleasant, if
unmemorable surroundings.
Moderate.
Mamma Rosa ,
Apartments Colón II, Los
Moritos tel 922/797 823. Smart
little Italian restaurant
serving delicious pasta and
pizza as well as the excellent
juicy sirloin steak á la
Mamma Rosa - the house
speciality. Meals are
sometimes served to the
accompaniment of live
accordion music. Expensive.
Passaparola , El
Camisón Local 50, Los Moritos.
tel 922/798 214. Simple, small
Italian-run restaurant, ten
minutes' walk from Playa de
las Vistas in a strip of
restaurants popular with
locals as well as tourists.
Serves good pizza and pasta
and excellent antipasta.
Moderate.
Slow Boat I , CC
Puerto Colon tel 922/796 423.
Part of a popular and
successful local chain serving
quality Chinese (mostly
Cantonese) meals at reasonable
prices. A bottle of wine is
often included in the price of
the meal. Take out is
available. Moderate.
Los Cristianos
Casa del Mar ,
Esplanada del Muelle tel
922/793 275. Large,
consistently popular,
first-floor fish restaurant in
a great location with a
terrace that overlooks the bay
and harbour. There's always a
good selection of fresh fish
here, and though the food
costs a bit above the local
average, the size and quality
of portions ultimately makes
the place good value. Closed
Mon. Moderate.
Corisa , C/de
Antigua General Franco 18.
Basic central restaurant with
bright lights and vinyl table
cloths. It serves good simple
fish, seafood and meat dishes
- the ménu del dia, which
includes wine, is particularly
good value. Inexpensive to
moderate.
El Caserio , Plaza
Las Fuentes. Simple Canarian
restaurant, combining elements
of the tourist aesthetic (dim
lighting and wooden furniture)
with traditional, no-frills
food. The large menu includes
dishes such as stews, rabbit,
octopus and a good selection
of fish. Open evenings only.
Inexpensive.
El Gomerón , Edif.
Royal. Cheap eatery, with
stylish chrome tables on a
shady road-side patio near the
bus station. The restaurant is
popular with locals for its
straightforward Canarian food,
including a decent range of
fish and seafood and some good
steaks. Inexpensive.
Little Italy ,
C/Pablo Abril 1. This branch
of the dependable local
Italian-restaurant chain has
views over the beach and
harbour and the option of
street-side dining. The
chain's formula - reasonably
priced pizza and pasta served
at dimly lit check-cloth
covered tables - has been
popular and successful enough
for it to open over a dozen
generic outlets around central
Los Cristianos as well as one
in Las Americas
. Moderate.
Pitaland , Edif.
Reverón. Good local fast-food
restaurant, opening as late as
anywhere in town. Options here
include stuffed pitas, as well
as pizzas, burgers and
sandwiches. Inexpensive.
Pizza Cut , CC Don
Antonio. Good quality Italian
fast food in a quiet, shady
but sterile shopping-centre
courtyard. Closed Sat &
Sun. Inexpensive.
Rincõn del Mero ,
Esplanada del Muelle tel
922/793 553. Functional
restaurant squeezed in beside
the underpass to Playa de Las
Vistas. Only good fresh fish
and seafood grace the menu -
including dishes such as
parrot fish, tuna, sole, hake,
scampi, cockles and octopus.
Moderate.
Slow Boat V , Edif.
Bucanero tel 922/796 163.
Branch of the reliable local
Chinese-restaurant chain -
this one with views over the
bay. Try the excellent varied
(mostly Cantonese) banquets
from around ?12. Take out is
also available. Moderate.
Trattoria La Foccacia
, Ramon Pino 32. Strip-lit
restaurant with small terrace
serving some of the best value
Italian food in town,
including a large selection of
competitively priced pizzas.
The pasta in particular comes
in many creative incarnations,
with numerous shapes and
sauces offered. Daily
2pm-11pm. Inexpensive to
moderate.
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