Arcón Tapas — Restaurant in Puerto de la Cruz

We went here based on lots of friendly and positive reviews, so let me return the favour.

Short version: If you prefer a hidden gem where the atmosphere is calm, relaxed and with tasty tapas, you will be very glad you visited here. Try the Potatoes with Mojo sauce. (Be careful with the spicy sauce, you can mix it with some extra spice, just half a teaspoon does the trick). They tasted great.

Long version: So if you've been on Tenerife for a few days, you've probably seen your fair share of large terraces full with tables and buzzing with people. Arcón Tapas however seems like a hidden gem. When we went it was still early, they had just opened for business (we are used to eating a tad earlier than what is usual by Spanish standards). So we were early, and that resulted in a calm, relaxed, not to crowded atmosphere.

So if that's your kind of thing, where you just want to relax and slowly enjoy the tapas as they come your way, you will surely love this place.

We (2 people) decided on a mix of five Tapas, or as the owner would say "tapas, tapas, tapas". The food tasted great, genuine and made with care.

Currently there is construction work being done on the roads during the day, this didn't bother us at all. We were afraid that this might be a reason for them to close during this time. But luckily this wasn't the case.

That and the place only accepts cash, but there's a bank just around the corner near the plaza.

We will certainly visit this...

Arcón is a good option if you're looking for tapas in Puerto, offering dishes familiar to tourists, with a local twist. It's all home-made too, unlike many other places in town.

The owner seated us and wasted no time in pitching us his papas arrugadas with special homemade mojos. He spoke good English and German but was definitely not interested in small talk.

If you order the potatoes with both mojos, it would cost almost 10€, so we only added the almond mojo, which was superb, especially with the addition of some surprisingly spicy homemade salsa.

Sardines were well prepared and nicely cooked. Estofado (beef stew) was also tasty but I felt 9€ was a lot for a tapa portion (16€ for full portion).

Our bill came to around 27€, which was fine for lunch but you could easily spend a lot more.

This might not be a bad idea though, rather than spending similar in the overly touristic restaurants in the Plaza Charco or elsewhere, for a lot less.

I would...

Forgettable dining experience at this over-hyped google and TA reviewed restaurant. The tapas and traditional food are similar to most other restaurants, but slightly higher priced. Service is available in multiple languages, however, hospitality is not included. The papas arrugadas con mojo are separated such that you have to pay separately for the sauces: mojo sauce (green and red). The red sauce does come with a side of spicy oil, that is unique and tasty for spicy lovers. The owner boasts that this is the best sauce, however, one visit to any guachinche would prove otherwise. (see Cafe Lito or Guachinche Romance) The Pulpo was soft, but gritty and hard to finish amongst the end of the tentacles. If you are looking for tapas or traditional Canarian food, I would definitely recommend Casa Pache for a much more authentic, enjoyable, and...