Meson el Monasterio - Tenerife

The Meson El Monasterio is a gastronomic complex located in the middle of the Northern coast of Tenerife. It is a temple of good food consisting in many different restaurants as well as artisan style shops, bakers and patisseries.

The Restaurants

The Meson El Monasterio is a large building with ample land, altogether it measures around 100.000 metres squared. Originally the location had been a monastery with the surrounding area serving as the grounds of the monastery. Today instead of worshipping a God, people have changed to worshipping a different religion: food.

This temple of food has a number of restaurants and bars that range from the most elegant of fine dining to the typical drink and Spanish tapas style food. All of the restaurants have covered terraces outside which not only provide a cool place to sit and enjoy some high quality food, but also have excellent views of the Tenerife landscapes.

The Restaurant Hacienda San Pedro

The Restaurant Hacienda San Pedro is the most refined of the restaurants at the Meson El Monasterio. Located near the entrance of the complex, this Spanish restaurant specialises in traditional fish dishes. Some of the dishes on offer include paella and other rice dishes, and shrimps in a curry and pepper sauce.

The range of fish available at the Restaurant Hacienda San Pedro is extensive and includes some of the well known favourites such as prawns and lobster as well as some of the rarer and more exotic fish such as the freshwater trout local to Tenerife.

Restaurant Comedor Principal

The Restaurant Comedor Principal is the main and largest of the restaurants located at the Meson El Monasterio. This restaurant is known for its variety of traditional Spanish tapas as well as local dishes from Tenerife and the other Canary Islands.

The restaurant is designed to resemble the landscape of the Canary Islands as it contains many alcoves and corners that are meant to resemble the caves that can be found on the islands and in your Tenerife guide book. These nooks make excellent places to sit and enjoy some Spanish food with friends and family.

La Cabaña

This small restaurant is a much more informal restaurant and specialises in providing a fun and enjoyable eating experience. The speciality at this restaurant is fondues including cheese and chocolate. It may be messy but it is a great way to have fun with your friends and family.

Restaurant and Café El Mirador

This is the restaurant to visit if you want to try some Spanish fine dining. In the evenings, the meals are both exquisite and delicious. However this Spanish restaurant is also used by locals as a great place to meet for breakfast or lunch, especially with the home-made bread and chocolates that are so popular.

The Shops

There are also many shops selling traditional Spanish products at the Meson El Monasterio. Some of the best things to try are the home-made breads, cheeses and chocolates. Although it must be said that the wine tasting is unmissable too. This is a great way to study Spanish food and also pick up a few souvenirs along the way.

Alongside the restaurants and shops one can find other attractions so that you can work off some of the calories. For children there is an animal park which allows them to get up close and even feed some of the creatures there. You can also take a walk through the old monastery gardens which provide a great way to relax and unwind.

If you are feeling a bit more energetic, perhaps you could take a hike up the nearby volcanic mountainside which is great for seeing some of the spectacular views of Tenerife and its countryside. There is also a typical banana plantation atop one of the mountains which is also great fun to visit.