There are still plenty of places in Tenerife that you can drive past dozens of times without realising what’s inside.
Cantina El Marino, tucked away inside the Antonio Domínguez Alfonso Stadium in Arona, is one of them.
It has been getting plenty of attention for its mix of Canarian, Venezuelan and Colombian cuisine, with generous portions, homemade food and prices that haven’t gone completely mad.
Food creators @guachinchesmodernos recently paid a visit and came away impressed by the variety of the menu and the value for money.
A bit of everything
The menu starts with homemade tequeños, served with red fruit jam and alioli. They also offer empanadas filled with potatoes and a selection of grilled arepas with different fillings.
One of the more substantial options is the Colombian bandeja paisa, which is not exactly a light snack.
It comes with white rice, red beans, shredded beef, pork crackling, fried egg, ripe plantain, avocado, arepa and artisanal sausage.
There’s also lengua guisada, slow-cooked beef tongue served in a criollo sauce with potatoes, yuca, rice and salad.
So, if you’re hungry, you probably won’t leave disappointed.
The €10.50 daily menu
For local workers looking for a reasonably priced lunch, the biggest attraction could be the daily menu from Monday to Friday for €10.50.
It includes a starter and main course, with homemade desserts available to finish things off.
Among the sweet options are coulant and cheesecake.
At €10.50, that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find in Tenerife, particularly when you’re getting proper portions rather than something that requires a second lunch afterwards.
Where is Cantina El Marino?
The restaurant is located at Avenida Gómez Cuesta, 18, inside the Antonio Domínguez Alfonso Stadium in Arona.
It has a very impressive 4.9-star rating on Google, based on customer reviews.
Opening hours are:
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 6:00pm
It’s one of those slightly unexpected Tenerife food finds that proves you don’t always have to head to the obvious tourist areas to find somewhere interesting to eat.
And if Colombian, Venezuelan and Canarian food on the same menu sounds like your sort of thing, it might be worth knowing where this one is.