4 Best Restaurants in Maspalomas and the Southern Coast, Canary Islands

El Portalón

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In the center of Playa del Inglés, this modern Basque restaurant has made a name for itself for its well-priced classic cuisine. Interiors are a bit passé (a bit like a wedding reception hall), but there are two pleasant terraces outside. The wine list, with more than 40 bottles from Spain, is worth a look, and cocktails are served daily 7 pm to 2:30 am.

Av. Tirajana 27, Playa del Inglés, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain
928-771622
Known For
  • fine Basque dining
  • generous portions
  • good wine list

La Tapita Los Joses

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Cheap and cheerful sums up this small bar-restaurant at the north end of Maspalomas. It's usually packed with locals, who flock here for good and inexpensive Spanish classics, including revuelto de papas con jamón serrano (scrambled eggs with potatoes and Iberian ham) and bacalao con tomate (cod in tomato sauce), and tapas. The daily set menu, which has two courses, is about €10. Expect generous portions, and if you want to be sure to get in, arrive early—before 2 pm for lunch and before 9 for dinner.

Calle Plácido Domingo 12, Maspalomas, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain
928-769680
Known For
  • traditional tapas
  • value set menu
  • local crowds
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and late Aug.–late Sept.

Restaurante Etiopico Afrika

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Maspalomas is an unlikely place to find some of the best Ethiopian food in Spain, but make no mistake—Etiopico Afrika is worth going out of your way to visit. Every entrée—from lentil stews and split pea purees to doro wat (berbere-spiced braised meat)—comes atop a spongy round of injera, a pliable Ethiopian flatbread made from teff flour. There are bountiful vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options.
Calle La Palma 9, Maspalomas, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain
648-760498
Known For
  • spice-packed Ethiopian dishes
  • live guitar music in the evenings
  • vegetarian friendly
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

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Rías Bajas

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Seafood lovers, look no further: This Galician restaurant serves some of the most pristine fish and shellfish on the island, from rape a la marinera (monkfish cooked in wine and garlic) and zarzuela de pescado y marisco (fish and seafood stew) to various rice dishes such as paella. It's a well-established favorite with islanders—many travel all the way here from Las Palmas just for dinner. It's been run by the same Galician family since 1986 that also owns Las Rías, in Meloneras, to the west of Maspalomas.

Av. de Tirajana at the corner of Av. EEUU, Playa del Inglés, Canary Islands, 35100, Spain
928-764033
Known For
  • fresh seafood
  • fish and seafood stew
  • rice dishes