Trying to find a proper Canarian restaurant these days isn’t as easy as it should be.
Plenty of places look the part… traditional menu, nice setting… and then the food turns up and it’s all a bit underwhelming.
But every now and then, somewhere actually lives up to the reputation.
Mesón del Norte is one of those.
One of those places people keep mentioning
It’s up in Buenavista del Norte, in Las Portelas… not exactly somewhere you just “pass by”.
You go there on purpose.
And that’s usually a good sign.
It’s one of those restaurants that keeps getting recommended, to the point where you start thinking… “Is it actually that good, or just hype?”
Turns out, it is.
The kind of food that doesn’t need dressing up
They started off with goat’s cheese croquettes with pumpkin jam… solid start.
Then the gofio escaldado, which is where it gets interesting.
You don’t see it done like this very often in Tenerife. More of a Gran Canaria thing, if anything.
Served properly, loads of flavour, and not shy with the meat either. No tiny “taster portions” here.
There’s also a sweet potato canapé with saffron mojo… and apparently the mojo’s good enough that you’d happily take a jar home if they let you.
Always a good sign.
Meat lovers won’t have any complaints
If you’re into grilled meat, this is where it really delivers.
Galician Blonde sirloin, T-bone… both brought out with a hot stone so you can finish it exactly how you like it.
It’s a simple idea, but it works. And more importantly, the quality of the meat backs it up.
No gimmicks needed.
And yes… you’ll end up having dessert
Even if you say you won’t.
Chocolate mille-feuille, crema catalana, bienmesabe… the usual suspects, done properly.
The sort of meal where you sit back at the end and think… yeah, that was worth the drive.
Worth going out of your way?
Yes… just be prepared for the drive.
It’s not around the corner unless you already live up that way, but that’s part of the appeal.
Nearly 3,000 reviews on Google and sitting around a 4.8 rating, which in Tenerife usually means it’s consistently good, not just a one-off.
If you’re after proper Canarian food without the nonsense, this is one to add to the list.
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