Guachinches: Tenerife's Home-Style Wine Houses

A guachinche is one of Tenerife’s great food experiences: a simple, family-run place in the northern wine country where a winemaker sells their own wine with a few homemade Canarian dishes, at very low prices. Real guachinches open only for a few months a year, from around late November, until the wine runs out.

The rules

Since 2013, Canary Islands rules say a guachinche must:

• sell only wine of its own production, plus water;
• offer no more than three main dishes, plus simple extras such as olives, nuts and fruit;
• open for a maximum of four months a year, closing when its wine runs out;
• display its prices inside and out and a plaque at the entrance.

Many places call themselves guachinches but are really restaurants (sometimes called “guachinches modernos”). They can be good too — they just have longer menus and open all year.

What to order

• Garbanzas: chickpea stew with meat.
• Carne fiesta: marinated fried pork with potatoes.
• Conejo en salmorejo: rabbit in a spicy marinade.
• Costillas con piña: pork ribs with corn on the cob and potatoes.
• Papas arrugadas con mojo: wrinkly potatoes with red and green sauces.
• The house wine: young red or white, served by the jug.

Where to find them

The heartland is the north: Tacoronte, El Sauzal, La Matanza, La Victoria, La Orotava and Los Realejos. Look for handmade signs by the roadside in season. They’re often in farmhouses, garages or patios — that’s part of the charm.

Tips

1. Bring cash and go at lunchtime — many close early.
2. Don’t drink and drive: take a taxi or have a designated driver.
3. Go with locals’ tips; the best change from year to year.
4. Learn more about the island’s dishes in our Canarian food guide.