The 18th edition generated an estimated €880,000 in economic activity, with 8,905 public ratings across 48 participating establishments
La Laguna’s Ruta de la Tapa – San Benito Abad 2026 has finished its 18th edition with record-breaking figures, with almost 220,000 tapas sold during the event.
That is up from the 206,800 tapas sold in 2025, generating an estimated €880,000 in economic activity for the municipality’s hospitality sector.
The figures underline how the annual event has become an important part of La Laguna’s commercial and restaurant scene, attracting both local residents and visitors.
Thousands of votes for the best tapas
This year’s route featured 48 participating establishments, with the public submitting a total of 8,905 ratings to select their favourite creations.
Bejeque By Adrián Oliveira came out on top with 3,243 points, taking the Tapa de Oro.
The Tapa de Plata went to Síbaris, with 3,190 points, while Gulagú took the Tapa de Bronce with 1,447 points.
The remaining places in the top ten were:
- Restaurante Maquila: 1,443 points
- Lagula: 1,388
- Taberna Osuna: 1,077
- Café Melita-Palmelita: 1,013
- Taberna La Carpintería: 1,003
- Cheers: 995
- Toca Madera Taberna: 962
The numbers keep climbing
The latest results continue a strong upward trend for the Ruta de la Tapa.
In 2024, around 160,000 tapas were sold. That figure rose to more than 206,800 in 2025, before approaching 220,000 this year.
La Laguna’s councillor for Commerce, Estefanía Díaz, said the figures demonstrate the ability of gastronomy to generate economic activity and bring people into local businesses.
The president of the Federación de Áreas Urbanas de Canarias (FAUCA), Abbas Moujir, also highlighted the event’s contribution to the local economy and its support for La Laguna’s hospitality sector.
Meanwhile, Iván Pérez, president of the Asociación Empresarial La Laguna Zona Comercial (LLZC), praised both the public response and the involvement of the participating businesses.
For the organisers, the continued growth shows that the Ruta de la Tapa has become firmly established as a way of promoting La Laguna’s food scene while bringing more people onto its streets and into local businesses.
And nearly 220,000 tapas is quite a lot of small plates. La Laguna clearly wasn’t messing about.