Filled up and ready to head back out? Check out our list of the best things to do in Lanzarote.
Rather hit some sands? We’ve got the best beaches in Lanzarote for that.
La Cochina del Colacho
This Playa Blanca fave has a space-age exterior
It’s not only the kitchen that’s open at this upmarket Lanzarote restaurant – the perspex exterior means the dining room is fully visible to passers-by. La Cocina del Colacho epitomises Playa Blanca’s rise from somnambulant fishing village to sleek resort, with a stylish interior and a menu of suave dishes that fuse Canarian culinary traditions with avant-garde experimentation.
Calle Velázquez 15, Playa Blanca
lacocinadecolacho.com
Restaurante Lilium
A little resto has a laidback, inviting feel
The ingredients on this chic Arrecife restaurant’s tasting menu never have to travel very far. From the just-fished Atlantic salmon, sweet potato and coriander croquettes to the tuna taco with zingy ponzu and green mojo (a traditional Canary Islands sauce), expect arch Canarian flavours made with produce that’s been sourced on the doorstep.
Centro Comercial Marina Lanzarote, Arrecife
restaurantelilium.com
Aguaviva Tamargo y Bartolomé
That’s aguaviva as in the Spanish word for jellyfish (literally ‘living water’), ‘Tamargo’ as in owner/head waiter Luis Tamargo, and ‘Bartolomé’ as in chef Javier Bartolomé. Put together, they make a slam-dunk seafood restaurant, serving dishes inspired by Bartolomé’s daily raids of the sea. You can always expect delectable sea urchin (or erizos de mar, as in ‘sea hedgehogs’) on the menu at this pimped-up Playa Honda joint.
Calle Mástil 31, Playa Honda
restauranteaguaviva.com
Restaurante el Risco
The nautical-themed Restaurante el Risco rocks our boat
The scenery is epic outside this seaside restaurant – its patio overlooks the cloud-shrouded mountains of the Chinijo Archipelago. Inside, the vibe is decidedly old-school, with a mural by legendary local artist César Manrique dedicated to the fishermen who climbed the cliffs of Famara emblazoned on a wall. Come for a relaxed lunch of just-caught seafood.
Calle Montaña Clara 30, Famara
restauranteelrisco.com
La Cabaña Macher
Get fired up about about the food at this upscale resto / Image: James Mitchell
Head chef/co-owner Darren Spurr earned his chops cooking in Marco Pierre White’s kitchens in his native UK. Plant-based options – like roasted Mediterranean vegetables with feta cheese and pine nut strudel – will suit visiting vegetarians nicely. For dessert, pay homage to Lanzarote’s seismic origins with ‘chocolate volcano’ – a delectable cake erupting with vanilla ice cream.
Carretera Tías-Macher 84, Macher
lacabanamacher.com
Lani's Gourmet Restaurant
Chichi bolthole Lani’s Suites are one of the most exclusive places to stay on Lanzarote, and the on-site resto is as stylish as you would imagine. Bring a pal to split the arroz caldos – literally ‘brothy rice’, it’s a creamy, soupy dish served with delicious stewed lobster.
Avenida de las Playas 26, Puerto del Carmen
lanissuites.com/accommodation/restaurant
Bistro Árbol
Herbivores are guaranteed a good time here
Listen to a soundtrack of classic albums on original vinyl as you work your way through platters of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian dishes. In a welcome break from the usual seafood-heavy dining option on the island, you’ll find plant-based dips, tapenades and burgers you can leisurely graze on at in this relaxed Puerto del Carmen bistro.
Calle Timanfaya 2, Puerto del Carmen
bistro-arbol.com
Coentro
Sample Brazilian flavours at Coentro
Chef/owner Joáo Faraco hails from Brazil, and his native cuisine turns up on the menu here, alongside Iberian favourites such as salmorejo – a thicker Andalucian version of gazpacho, here served with a delightful goat cheese ice cream. The adventurous tasting menu allows you a wider appraisal of his vision.
Calle Irlanda 7, Playa Blanca
facebook.com/coentrojoaofaraco
Kentia Gourmet Club
Another see-through Lanzarote restaurant that centres seafood on its menu: you’ll find this flashy resto in the most gentrified part of Puerto del Carmen. There’s an extensive cocktail menu, which feels appropriate for its setting – the buzzy boutique hotel La Isla y El Mar. The interior is loud and proud, like a high-fashion jungle decked out with rattan lampshades and palm wallpaper.
Calle Reina Sofía 23, Tías
kentiagourmetclub.com
Restaurante Dunas de Famara
This fusion resto has a global bent / Image: Jehú
This elegantly designed restaurant takes influence from the far-flung cuisines of Galicia, East Asia and Peru, using fish and fruits of the sea as the unifying ingredients. Take the starter of bao bun with black pig bacon and hoisin sauce, prepared with sweet palm syrup and red onion, as an example – the kitchen has local roots and branches that extend around the globe.
Calle Chirimoya 13, Caleta de Famara
facebook.com/restaurantedunasdefamara