Forget vanilla and chocolate.
Visitors to Mount Teide can now try ice cream flavoured with Canarian pine, barraquito coffee, gofio, quesillo and even Príncipe Alberto, thanks to the opening of what is believed to be Spain’s highest ice cream parlour.
Located at 2,356 metres above sea level inside the Teide Cable Car visitor centre, the new artisan ice cream shop offers a unique taste of the Canary Islands in one of the country’s most spectacular locations.
A Taste of Tenerife at the Top of Spain
The project has been created by Volcano Teide, which hopes to turn one of Tenerife’s most visited attractions into a showcase for local food and produce.
Rather than offering standard ice cream flavours, the company wanted to create something that reflects the landscapes, traditions and ingredients of the Canary Islands.
The result is a collection of 12 handcrafted flavours, each inspired by the islands’ culinary heritage.
Flavours You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
Executive chef Josué Mendoza worked with traditional Italian gelato techniques before developing recipes with a distinctly Canarian identity.
Among the most unusual creations are:
- Canarian pine with pistachio and kataifi pastry
- Barraquito coffee
- Gofio with caramelised figs
- Quesillo with palm honey
- Príncipe Alberto
- Goat’s milk with dulce de leche
- Sweet potato with vanilla and lime
- María biscuits with guava paste
- Canary Islands banana
- El Hierro pineapple sorbet
- Indian fig cactus sorbet
- Frangollo-inspired ice cream
Each flavour has been designed to capture a memory, landscape or traditional recipe from the islands rather than simply introducing unusual ingredients.
More Than Just Ice Cream
According to Volcano Teide, the aim is to support local producers while giving the thousands of visitors who pass through the cable car station each day a chance to experience Canarian gastronomy in a different way.
Tourism officials have also welcomed the project, describing it as another example of how Tenerife is using local food to offer visitors a more authentic experience.
A New Reason to Visit Teide
Mount Teide has always been one of Tenerife’s must-see attractions, but visitors now have another reason to stop before or after taking the cable car.
Whether you’re tempted by the aroma of Canarian pine or curious to find out what a barraquito ice cream tastes like, it’s certainly one of the island’s most unusual places to enjoy dessert.
And at more than 2,300 metres above sea level, it’s an experience you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in Spain.