bodegon el puntero — Restaurant in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Bodegón El Puntero is nothing short of a Canarian culinary revelation—a place where tradition, honesty, and flavor come together in an unpretentious yet truly satisfying experience. Without a doubt, it is the best Canarian restaurant I’ve had the pleasure of visiting.

El Puntero doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. What they offer is straightforward, honest, and exceptionally well-prepared food, always based on fresh, high-quality local ingredients. The menu is short and written on the wall, and that’s precisely the beauty of it—what they have, they do incredibly well.

Be prepared to wait a little; it’s nearly always full. But the wait is absolutely worth it, and the warm, personable service makes the time pass quickly. A standout practice here is that the staff takes your order just before you sit, so by the time you’re at your table, the food arrives almost instantly—a level of efficiency that is both surprising and welcome.

On my visit, I was offered the fresh catch of the day, which was shown to me right at the bar and then taken to the kitchen to be prepared on the spot. The result was a dish full of soul and flavor—simple, but cooked with care and mastery.

Prices are very reasonable, especially considering the freshness and authenticity of the cuisine. El Puntero delivers outstanding value and an experience that captures the true spirit of local Canarian dining. A must-visit for anyone seeking real food, real people, and...

This was quite a find. As you approach the entrance, it feels like a takeaway, but once inside, you become aware of a number of tables at the rear. If arriving at lunchtime, it is very busy - somewhat chaotic even - and so it’s hard to make yourself noticed against a rush of hungry regulars unless you assertively push yourself forward or benefit from the pity of a friendly local who is willing to ensure that the staff take your name and order. We were very close to giving up when the latter happened and we were finally ushered to the rear of the restaurant. The noise and bustle of the place rapidly melted away when presented with our dishes of cuttlefish, rock bass, chickpeas with chorizo and salted boiled potatoes (with a gently spiced sauce). The flavours were divine and easily the best food that we had on the island. Everything was cooked to perfection with just the right intensity of flavours supported by high quality ingredients (including the olive oil drizzled over the fish). The table wine, we chose a dry white, was great too. I highly recommend braving and persisting with the ordering process for a truly memorable experience. The staff are lovely and serve their food with justly...

El Bodegon es un restaurante tipico Canario situado en Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This restaurant is very small and familiar, is has only a few spots and the aesthetic of the place is simple, it remembers the old restaurants which make the atmosphere cozy and comfortable. The staff is nice, and the service is fast. Concerning the food, everything we ate was good, but the menu is really short and not very vast (even though there’s a choice also for vegetarians and vegans - I ate a salad with potatoes), and the choice is mainly fish. But sadly there was no alioli sauce, that is typical in the island 😢 furthermore the place didn’t have the air conditioned switched on, so in there it was very very hot even though it was evening. Concerning the prices, they are very low, so considering the quality of the ingredients it’s a plus. I’d suggest to go there if you’re looking for something easy and typical, in that case you won’t be...