La Torre del Mirador, Tenerife

La Torre del Mirador: fish and seafood at its finest in Tenerife

Sun, sea and sand. That’s what summer holidays are for aren’t they? And seafood. There’s something about walking along a coastal promenade on a hot sunny day and catching the smell of gently frying garlic in the air. It just makes me hungry.

So imagine my delight when Mrs HB and I chanced upon this bustling restaurant overlooking the sparkling sea on just such a walk near Playa del Duque. Positioned at the base of the 5-star hotel Iberostar Grand El Mirador in Costa Adeje, you can’t miss it.

La Torre del Mirador is a traditional-looking restaurant. Open-fronted to the fresh sea air and views that are simply stunning at sunset, choose one of the tables overlooking the beach so you can make the most of the bustling atmosphere both inside the restaurant and outside on the promenade and beach just a stone’s throw away.

We were en route to a different restaurant for the evening, but simply because of the smiles on the diners’ faces and general hubbub emanating from the restaurant, we decided to make a reservation for another night. Stopping at the entrance you can see the fresh seafood and shellfish sitting on ice in a huge fish tank, and it only serves to make you feel hungry. And the welcoming smile from the waiter who, as it turns out, happened to be the son of the owner, made it an easier pill to swallow when he couldn’t fit us in until five days later.

Stylish restaurant overlooking the sea, with upscale Canarian seafood, meat dishes & classic paella

Come for the location but stay for the excellent selection of shellfish and fish, the crab and lobster being particular highlights. Simplicity is their secret: fresh fish caught daily is cooked in a variety of ways, plus a large selection of meat for the carnivores amongst you. The highlight of the menu for me? Take your pick!

The padron peppers are a staple and if you’ve not had them before, try them. Imagine jalapeño poppers but without the cheese stuffing. Just simply fried and salted, they make the perfect accompaniment to any aperitif. Oysters on ice served with a variety of dressings. Fresh octopus sautéed in garlic and tomato with Canarian potatoes. And that’s just for starters.

Worth the wait though (around 30 minutes from ordering) is the sea bass cooked in a salt crust. There’s nothing fancy going on here but the expertise of the waiters managing to scrape the salt, open the crust and serve perfectly moist and tasty fillets of fish – all at the table – was impressive to watch! You don’t really need any sides with this dish other than a squeeze of lemon – we made the mistake of ordering potatoes and salad and completely over-faced ourselves! If you like simple fish cooked well, then order this dish.

I haven’t really spoken about the paella because we didn’t order one. But there were plenty of people around us tucking into huge dishes of seafood paella, which smelled and looked delicious. You don’t have to have a seafood one, but as that’s the focus of this restaurant, I would recommend sticking to what they do best.

The staff at La Torre del Mirador are friendly and knowledgeable. And honest about what’s fresh and what might be worth steering clear of. Don’t be fooled by the king crab legs – they’re frozen and imported from Alaska! So take the time to chat with the waiters if you have questions as they’ll give you a straight-forward answer. I liked that, I liked the honesty; it made me feel very comfortable straight away (although I’d probably take things off the menu instead of telling people not to order them, but maybe that’s just the ‘Spanish way’.).

There’s an extensive wine list to accompany the food and you can also partake of a cocktail or two if you so wish 😉. Whilst a Rum Old Fashioned wasn’t on the menu, they were more than accommodating and rushed off to make one for me; just another sign of the standard of service here. Most of the wine list comprises local producers from the Canary Islands, which can verge on the sweet rather than dry side. But we did order a bottle bottle of white Rioja, recommended to us by the waiter, and it was so palatable that we ordered a second one to see us through the rest of the meal… 🥂

Tenerife’s best fish restaurant? Possibly.

Such is the success of La Torre del Mirador that the owner, who acquired and opened the restaurant in 2004, has received a number of offers from the 5-star hotel which shares its name. Needless to say, Don Cristobal Sides is not in a hurry to give up this place and rather wants to hand the reins to his sons when they’re ready.

With much-coveted alfresco tables overlooking the seafront a family-friendly welcome with impeccable service, it’s hard to imagine a nicer place for seafood dining in the summer!