My Best 8 Restaurants in Las Canteras Area

If you are so lucky to be my guest at The Lofito (that little cosy studio in Las Palmas), you will find lots of places to enjoy a good meal in the area. Even if you’re staying for a couple of months, you will not have enough time to visit all of them! That’s why I made the hard work for you (you’re welcome): here you go my personal restaurant ‘top 8’ in Las Canteras.

As a marketing guy, when I started thinking about this post, I wondered how to make the best possible headline to position it on the top… and searched about the best keywords to use. My first idea was to sketch something like “Best restaurants in Las Palmas” or “Top 10 Restaurants in Gran Canaria”. 

But, to be honest, that would not have been fair at all and, you see, blogs success when they are honest! It’s obvious… but I haven’t been to every restaurant in the city and the places in my list would have been other’s favourites, not mine. 

So I decided to change my topic a bit and write a blog only about restaurants that I have visited and give you my opinions about them (I don’t get a penny with these recommendations). Not only this: they must be around The Lofito. 

Las Canteras Terraces. Credit: El Coleccionista de Imágenes / Flickr.com

Pro Tip Before Start: Look At How Full A Restaurant Is! 

I left The Lofito many years ago and Guanarteme has changed a lot, but still one of the most vibrant barrios in Las Palmas. 

Due to the pandemics, I am not used to eating out as I was. So again, I will try to be as honest as possible: some opinions that I am going to write here may be slightly dated or at least not complete. 

There might be other cool new restaurants around that I’ve not tried yet. I am just listing my personal recommendations but, if you are looking for something different, then go ahead with Tripadvisor to do that job for you!

If I were you, I would use this list as another reference if you aren’t sure where to eat out. However, if you aren’t sure where to go, here’s a pro tip: walk around the barrio and get into the restaurant with the crowdest terrace! Never fails!

My #1: Tasca Galileo 

Spaniards love eating… and eating out. Fact. That’s why we have more restaurants and bars per capita than any other country in the world. If you’ve been here for a while, this is not going to shock you.

Tasca Galileo. Credit: Tripadvisor.com.

And that’s the reason why we have so many words for places to eat in Spanish: restaurante, bodegón, taberna, cantina, chiringuito… or tasca, among many others. And my favourite restaurant in the area is a “tasca”. But what’s this exactly? Etymologically, a ‘tasca’ is a place where you can be served alcohol (especially beer, wine or liquor), but also tapas are offered. 

But the reality is quite far from this nowadays. A “tasca” reminds me of a small and snug place where you can get some good quality food. And Tasca Galileo responds better to that definition. 

It’s a nice place where you can have a good time with friends around a table to drink a good cup (or a bottle) of red wine -almost all in their stock are good choices but Pago Capellanes or Habla del Silencio are two of my favourites- and have great tapas. You won’t regret any order you make!

As you can see, I am a big fan of “Tasca Galileo” and that’s why they’ve awarded with my personal #1. But above everything, I would say it’s an unbeatable quality-price ratio! 

The only con -if I were to mention anything- is that it’s a small place so you need a reservation (well, I think with pandemics this is a ‘must’ everywhere, but be sure to go with some time to book your place).

Terrace in Calle Olof Palme. Credit: Bululú on Instagram.

#2. Bululú. Some Venezuela Taste!

I found this one not so long ago. I was recommended by some friends and it did not disappoint me at all! It’s a Venezuelan restaurant and they serve typical dishes from that country. By the way -historical detail here- If you don’t know, there are close relations between Venezuelans and Canarians, and there are many of them settled in the Canaries. 

A lot of tasty dishes on their menu, but I won’t lose the opportunity to try their wonderful ‘arepas’ (typical Venezuelan corn meal pockets) mixed up with a delicious Spanish IPA. I’ve added Bululu in the #2 as it was not expensive and I’m always looking for your economy! 

Parrillada minutes before being served to customers. Credit: El Novillo Precoz website.

#3. El Novillo Precoz

I’ve been considering which of my choice should be #3 and I finally decided “El Novillo Precoz” because it’s so close from The Lofito (if you glance through the window, you will see this restaurant on your right side, 50m far from where you are) and, honestly, if you love meat… you cannot leave Gran Canaria without visiting it.

Best meats from Argentina and Uruguay in the heart of Las Palmas. A restaurant with a great tradition in the city. But I must warn you: it’s not a cheap option, though it is worth the effort! What would I order here? Well, in fact, I always order the same! A parrillada! Stone-grilled meat that you can grill by yourself. And for dessert a mousse de Dulce de Leche (a typical Argentinian milk-based caramel candy).

One of my favourites in Guanarteme: Allende Puerto. Credit: Allende Restaurant on Instagram.

#4. Allende Puerto. The “Usual” Place To Eat.

Don’t you have a restaurant you usually go to when you have no idea where to go and it’s a sure bet? That’s Allende Puerto for me (and I would say for many other locals too!). It’s five minutes by walking from The Lofito. It’s usually full so I’d recommend a book before!

Almost everything is tasty! My favourites: Queso herreño con mermelada (breaded cheese from the island of El Hierro with red pepper marmelade), Tartar de Salmón (salmon-tartare), Huevos Rotos con Jamon (Fried Eggs with Jamon), Lagartillo Ibérico or Lomo Angus (these are both meats). Crema de cheesecake con maracuyá y crumble for dessert.

Authentic Japanese food at Fuji Restaurant. Credit: Unknown.

#5. Fuji. Authentic Japanese food.

Fuji was the first Japanese restaurant not only in the Canary Islands but also in Spain so they were pioneers in Japanese food when they opened their restaurant around 40 years ago in Las Palmas. If you want to live an authentic Japanese experience, far from experiments and trendy places, you should pay them a visit! 

Some of the incredible dishes you can order at De Contrabando. Credit: De Contrabando on Instagram.

#6. De Contrabando. Gastronomic Experience. 

Not sure if I can find the words to describe my only experience at De Contrabando, but I am looking forward to repeating. This restaurant was opened a couple of years ago as a revolutionary concept in Guanarteme: not only a place to eat but a space to learn how to cook exotic dishes. 

They had to stop their educational part due to restrictions from the pandemic but kept the restaurant open, which was an excellent piece of news for all of us. Not cheap, but you will enjoy any euro you are paying! An outstanding gastronomic experience!

#7. La Lonja. The Best Red Tuna I Have Ever Tried

My visit to La Lonja -same owners than Tasca Galileo- was some years ago, but sometimes you remember restaurants just for one taste or one feeling. And this was my case. I confess I dislike most seafood (especially prawns) but their red tuna with sesame is (or was) simply awesome. I have never tried anything like that in any other place! A good white wine is a ‘must’ too! 

Hestia’s Creative Food. Amazing! Credit: Hestia Gran Canaria on Instagram.

#8. Hestia. Creative Kitchen In The Heart Of Guanarteme.

When you pass by Hestia’s main entrance, it’s not easy to notice there is a restaurant there. It’s not what I would call a ‘hidden gem’, but almost. Creative kitchen at its fullest. Worth the visit. Not many comments on Tripadvisor as other restaurants in the city, but most of them are quite good. 4,6 out of 5 stars! 

There’s even someone which is demanding a Michelin star for Hestia! It’s so low on my list because of the high price, and that’s something I wanted to consider seriously when writing this post. 

With Hestia my list is done! I have read the list again and wondering if I’ve been unfair with some of them… perhaps they must be in a higher place. Well, I will finish by saying that any of these 8 restaurants are good options in Las Canteras area so… if you decide to start on the other way round, it would be great as well.

One last thing. PLEASE. If you are reading this blog and you want to add any other restaurant, let me know. I will do the ‘hard work’ again for my readers. And, if you have tried any of these, let me know your feelings about them. I guess the more comments you add, the better idea you will get! 

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