The Montes de Anaga Hostel is nestled in a picturesque location in El Bailadero, within the heart of the Anaga Rural Park. Perched like a balcony, it offers breathtaking views of both slopes of the Anaga Massif, and on a clear day, you can even spot the distant Las Teresitas beach. With a capacity for 40 people, the hostel comprises nine cozy rooms. Its pièce de résistance is the restaurant, complete with a spacious terrace that allows patrons to soak in the awe-inspiring vistas of this Biosphere Reserve.
The restaurant caters not only to guests but also to visitors seeking to relish the captivating landscape and its lush vegetation. Embracing the concept of “kilometre 0,” the hostel’s cuisine is dedicated to sourcing from local producers and crafting traditional Canarian dishes.
The starters menu offers tantalizing choices, including fresh cheese from Benijos, roasted cheese with mojos, almogrote (a local cheese spread), mixed salad featuring Anaga’s finest produce, broken eggs, papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes), papas bravas (spicy potatoes), and this week’s special: mouthwatering goat meat croquettes.
This delectable creation was even entered in the Kilometre 0 Tapa Route competition, organized by the Santa Cruz Town Hall. Additionally, there’s a comforting option of garbanzas (chickpea stew) to curb your appetite after a day of hiking the scenic trails, although perhaps not on these particularly scorching days during the ongoing heatwave in the archipelago.
While the fish section of the menu boasts the classic cod with onions, the meat offerings are more extensive. You can savor a variety of meats, with the option to have them grilled on the outdoor terrace. Choices include half a chicken, sirloin steak, Iberian secret (a pork cut), pork chop, beef sirloin steak, Canarian matured beef cutlet, veal entrecote, Angus steak, and the delightful goat stew, which I had the pleasure of trying during my recent visit. It came accompanied by perfectly fried potatoes.
For dessert, I followed the waiter’s recommendation and opted for the house dessert, prepared in the traditional manner reminiscent of our grandmothers, with biscuits and coffee. It was a truly delightful treat. The wine selection aligns with the “kilometre 0” philosophy, featuring an array of Canarian wines available by the bottle or glass, including Viñátigo, Arautava, Calius, Marba, Zanata, or Riquelas, among others. For those with different preferences, there are also options from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, or Galicia.
On a clear day, it’s highly recommended to dine on the terrace, allowing you to relish not just the delicious cuisine but also the stunning scenery that surrounds you.
