🍷 Guachinche: Where Wine Flows, and the Kitchen Feeds Your Soul

What is it?

A guachinche is not just a place to eat — it’s an experience. These informal, family-run restaurants are dotted across Tenerife and offer authentic Canarian dishes served with vino de la casa (locally made wine). Think mismatched chairs, handwritten menus, grilled meats, garlicky mojo sauce, and laughter that spills out into the street.

Traditionally, guachinches were set up in garages, patios, or even under a few vines in the backyard. No white tablecloths here — just plastic chairs, big flavors, and even bigger portions.

A Taste of Tradition

The origin of guachinches dates back to the mid-20th century, when winemakers needed a way to sell their new wine directly to customers. According to local legend, British wine buyers would come to taste the wine and say “I’m watching you” (which morphed into “guachinche” in the local dialect). Whether or not that’s true, the word stuck — and so did the concept.

Initially, food was just a sidekick to the wine. A few boiled potatoes, some garbanzos, a slice of goat cheese. But as more people came to drink, the cooks started leveling up… and today, you go for the wine but stay for the slow-cooked pork and wrinkled potatoes.

A True Canarian Experience

There’s no fixed menu, and sometimes there’s no menu at all. What’s cooking is what you get. Most guachinches operate only part of the year, and they open when the wine is ready and close when the barrels are empty.

This isn’t fine dining — it’s real dining. Expect to eat surrounded by locals, families, and travelers who heard about “that place where you can get a full meal, a bottle of wine, and a homemade dessert for less than a fancy cocktail in London.”

Would you rather eat in a fancy restaurant or in a guachinche with homemade wine and rustic dishes?

Let’s be honest:
You came for the wine. You’ll stay for the second plate of carne fiesta. 😄