Guachinches - Flavors and history of Tenerife

Guachinches - Tenerife

Guachinches Tenerife and the typical flavors of the Canary Islands; These wonderful and common "Restaurants" are meeting points for tourists and for all those nostalgic for the tastes and flavors of the past.

The Guachinches are true inns located in the homes of anyone who wants to share the flavors of Tenerife and has the requisites to do so, such as having homegrown wine. Often located in cellars, garages, caves or terraces, the guachinches are an excellent way to experience Canarian gastronomy at an affordable price. The fact that they are housed in private homes does not make them any less hospitable or "functional". It is not uncommon to find guachinches capable of accommodating a few dozen people!

The name, in itself, does not mean anything, in fact there are different theories about the origin of the name. The most cited one refers to a deformation of the English expression "I'm looking at you". That is, I'm watching you. Another widely cited hypothesis is that of a modification of "water and bedbugs" due to the increasingly common use of the term.

The dishes served are homemade, but the most important thing is perhaps the wine, these places orbit around everything from wine production to consumption. Many guachinches remain open throughout the year only if they still have their own wine to serve. At that point, it is a matter of waiting for the next harvest. Also, for legal reasons, these facilities can only stay open for a maximum of 4 months per year.

Guachinches - How to find them?

These restaurants are often marked by small signs with the words "vino aquí" or "guachinche", but as they are not real restaurants, it can be difficult to find them; if this is the case, just ask any local person, they will surely be able to indicate at least one. The oldest and most traditional restaurants are found in small mountain villages, especially in the Tacoronte and La Orotava areas. But let's talk about money: the guachinches are extraordinarily cheap: you usually spend less than 10 € per person (including wine!). Obviously, when cooking at home, the portions are plentiful and the dishes are very tasty.

Each restaurant can serve a maximum of 3 different dishes, but it is very common to find dishes made with pork, potatoes and chickpeas.

Tenerife Restaurants - Discovering the "Gastronomic Routes".

The Gastronomic Routes are gastronomic routes that allow gourmets to taste the island of Tenerife. gourmets to taste the island of Tenerife. There are no real rules for making your own Gastronomic Route, in fact it is not common to follow a pre-determined but some organisations do design tours and guides which, for the lazy, can be the may be the best option for the lazy. In Tenerife it is possible to to do this route savouring every step of the farmer's market with typical typical Canarian products (potatoes, bananas, mojo and tropical fruits), all the way to the restaurant until you reach the restaurant, obviously passing by tapas, guachines and a frozen Dorada. The flavours of Tenerife are hidden, to really taste them to really taste them you have to find them and enjoy them in a corner of nature in the hills. of nature in the hills. A day trip will allow you to why not visit us in one of the nesting lodges and take part in one of the gastronomic in one of the gastronomic activities of the hostel, we are waiting for you! waiting for you!

Here you can see the list of all guachinches divided city by city or south/north Guachinches Tenerife