Restaurante La Duquesa La Orotava - typically Canarian

restaurante la duquesa la orotava

It is well known that La Orotava is a very picturesque, traditional town. So, to find an area within it that is even more picturesque on top of that is quite something.

Such an area is Plaza Patricio Garcia, named after a famous architect of the 18th century who was born in the town.

In the centre of the small plaza there are grassy areas with flowers and the whole thing is lined with large palm trees. At one corner, there is a small statue, commemorating the La Orotava carpet manufacturers and, at the other end, a beautiful little church. Some of the surrounding streets are cobbled and closed to traffic.

In this idyllic setting, you'll find Restaurante La Duquesa, a small, unassuming restaurante típico that seems to just be a converted old house.

It is a pure Canarian restaurant and bar and, as is often the case with these things, provides absolutely first class Canarian dishes - at agreeably cheap prices.

You enter the compact interior of this one-story building to find a charmingly rustic decor - stucco walls, gingham tablecloths - the minimum of frills.

The front of the restaurant opens straight onto the cobbled street, which, fortunately, is the bit closed to traffic, enabling the placing of tables outside. This bit of road slopes a bit, so be prepared to eat leaning to one side!

The boss, who can be relied upon to be a bit of a character, provides all the Canarian traditional dishes you can think of - gazpacho soup, conejo en salmonejo, pimientos rellenos and ropa vieja, to name but a few.

As is usually the case with these "tipico" restaurants, service is always very friendly as well as professional.

Desserts are varied and all deliciously homemade.

As stated above, prices are very reasonable, with the average price for a three course meal 12 euros. There is also a set daily menu at 7.80 euros.

Most visitors regard La Duquesa as a "hidden gem".

Contact details: telephone: (+34) 922 334949

To find this restaurant, exit the TF-5 north motorway at junction 33. At the roundabout, take the TF-211 La Orotava exit. On this road, you'll eventually come to a roundabout, where you should take the first exit. Soon, there'll be a traffic island, with fountains, where you should go straight on. This wide road is now one-way and, when it forks, keep to the right. Watch out for a green fronted bar called Los Chicos Del Valleand take a right immediately after. Bear left at the end of this short bit, then keep straight on until you come to a junction with a more major road. Go straight across, up a narrow, cobbled street. Keep going along this until you come to a no entry sign and turn left. Go along here until you either have to turn left or right and take a left. At the end of this, you'll see the tree lined plaza where the restaurant is and there should be somewhere to park.

This has been a bit of a roundabout route, due to La Orotava's maze of one-way streets.

restaurante la duquesa la orotava