Restaurant in Patalavaca, Spain
One Michelin star, sunset pool tables, book ahead.
La Aquarela holds a Michelin star (2024) and a We're Smart Green Guide listing, with 85% locally sourced ingredients and three tasting-menu formats built around Canarian produce and Atlantic seafood. At €€€€ it's the most serious cooking in southern Gran Canaria. Book well in advance: Tuesday to Saturday evenings only, with no walk-in option.
La Aquarela sits inside an apartment complex on the southern coast of Gran Canaria — an address that should give pause but ultimately doesn't matter once you understand what's on the plate. This is a Michelin-starred creative restaurant where 85% of ingredients are sourced locally, the menus are built around Canarian produce and Atlantic seafood, and the sommelier works with local producers to match every course. At €€€€, it's a serious spend for a resort island, but it earns the price. Book if you want the leading cooking in the south of Gran Canaria. Don't book expecting a casual dinner: this is a tasting-menu format with real technical ambition.
The Apartamentos Aquamarina complex in Barranco de la Verga is not where you'd expect to find a destination restaurant. That tension is part of what makes La Aquarela interesting to think about, but it shouldn't factor into your decision. Inside, the room is quiet, classically dressed, and arranged for conversation. Tables overlooking the swimming pool catch the sunset from the west, which makes early evening bookings in the current season — when the sun drops later , worth requesting specifically. The atmosphere reads as romantic and unhurried rather than formal or stiff, which is exactly the right register for a special occasion dinner where you're going to spend three or four hours working through a menu.
The spatial experience is one of the more surprising things about La Aquarela: the calm, almost hushed quality of the room stands in contrast to what arrives at the table. The cooking is technically precise and visually considered, with occasional Nordic inflections that trace back to chef Germán Ortega's years working in Stockholm. The combination of Canarian produce and Nordic technique produces a style that doesn't have a direct equivalent elsewhere on the island.
85% local sourcing figure is the clearest argument for what La Aquarela charges. This isn't decorative localism , it defines the three menu formats. Experiencia combines land and sea in a progression that moves through the island's growing regions and coastal waters. Tierra is a fully vegetarian menu; according to We're Smart Green Guide inspectors, who have made La Aquarela a regular stop, a 100% vegan version is achievable if you specify it at the time of booking. Fish Lovers focuses specifically on Atlantic seafood from the waters around the Canary Islands.
Practical implication for your booking is this: state your dietary requirements and menu preference when you reserve, not on arrival. The kitchen builds around your choice in advance, and the experience is structured differently depending on which menu you're on. The sommelier's local drink pairings are worth adding if budget allows , Gran Canaria and the wider Canary Islands produce wines and spirits that rarely appear outside the archipelago, and this is a more informed route into them than any hotel bar will offer.
We're Smart Green Guide recognition, which tracks vegetable-forward cooking and sustainable sourcing, is the relevant trust signal here alongside the 2024 Michelin star. The two credentials together confirm that the sourcing commitment is real, not marketing language.
La Aquarela works leading as a special occasion dinner for two. The room is quiet enough for conversation, the sunset pool tables are a genuine asset for a celebratory meal, and the tasting-menu format gives the evening structure without rushing it. For a group of four or more, check seating arrangements when booking , the database does not confirm a private dining option, so clarify this directly. Solo diners can eat here, but the tasting-menu format and the room's romantic register make it a less natural fit than a counter-style venue would be.
This is not a walk-in restaurant. Booking difficulty is rated hard, and the evening-only hours (Tuesday through Saturday, 7 PM to 11 PM, closed Sunday and Monday) mean your window each week is narrow. If you're staying in the south of Gran Canaria for a short trip, La Aquarela should be your first reservation, not an afterthought.
La Aquarela opens Tuesday through Saturday from 7 PM to 11 PM. It is closed on Sunday and Monday. The price range is €€€€. Booking in advance is essential; walk-ins are not a reliable option given the format and demand. Specify your menu choice, dietary requirements, and whether you want the pool-view table when you reserve. There is no website or phone number in our current database , search for the Apartamentos Aquamarina address in Barranco de la Verga, Las Palmas, or ask your hotel concierge to assist with the booking. The We're Smart Green Guide confirms that fully vegan menus are available with advance notice.
Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star (2024) | €€€€ | Tue–Sat 7 PM–11 PM | Advance booking required | Vegetarian and vegan menus available with notice | Barranco de la Verga, Patalavaca, Gran Canaria.
For more places to eat in the area, see our full Patalavaca restaurants guide. If you're planning the rest of your trip, our Patalavaca hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the wider area.
Compared to the peninsula's €€€€ creative restaurants, La Aquarela operates at a different scale but holds its own on the evidence available. Quique Dacosta in Dénia and El Celler de Can Roca in Girona carry three Michelin stars and international reputations that make them harder to book and significantly more expensive in practice. Arzak in San Sebastián and Azurmendi in Larrabetzu are three-star venues with multi-month booking windows. La Aquarela is a one-star restaurant that is hard to book by island standards, not by mainland standards , which means it's actually more accessible than most of the names in its peer category. Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa María is a useful direct comparison on the Atlantic seafood angle: three stars and a stronger international profile, but far harder to access and priced accordingly.
Within Spain's creative cooking category, La Aquarela's point of difference is geographical: it offers a style of Canarian-Nordic cooking you won't find at Mugaritz, DiverXO, or Martin Berasategui. If you're already in Gran Canaria, this isn't a compromise choice in place of a better restaurant elsewhere , it's a distinct experience with its own sourcing logic and local identity. For a Nordic-influenced creative comparison from a different angle, Jordnær in Gentofte shows what a Nordic-focused one-star does at the leading of that form.
The honest framing: if you're visiting Gran Canaria and want one serious dinner, La Aquarela is the booking to make in the south of the island. If you're planning a Spain trip specifically around creative fine dining, the two- and three-star peninsula restaurants will offer more technical ambition and stronger wine programs , but they require considerably more planning and a higher total spend. La Aquarela sits in a tier where the value-to-effort ratio is genuinely favourable for anyone already on the island.
Yes, for the right diner. The Michelin star and We're Smart Green Guide recognition both confirm that the cooking justifies the price tier. The 85% local sourcing means the menus reflect what Gran Canaria actually produces, not a generic creative format. Three menu options (Experiencia, Tierra, Fish Lovers) mean you're not locked into a single direction. Compared to a three-star on the peninsula at higher prices and with a three-month booking window, this is good value for a one-star creative tasting menu with a genuine local identity.
At €€€€ it's the most expensive tier, but it's a Michelin-starred restaurant with a strong local sourcing programme and a sommelier working with Canary Islands producers. In the context of what you'd pay at comparable mainland Spanish creative restaurants, the price is competitive. The case against: if you're looking for a casual dinner or a resort meal, this is the wrong format at the wrong price. The case for: if you want the most accomplished cooking in the south of Gran Canaria, this is where that money goes.
It's one of the better special occasion options in the area. The room is quiet and romantic, pool-view tables work well for a sunset dinner, and the tasting-menu format gives the evening a natural arc. Request the pool-view table and your preferred menu when booking. For a high-effort anniversary or celebration dinner in Gran Canaria's south, this is the clearest answer. For a lower-key celebration where the format feels too structured, look at other options in our Patalavaca restaurants guide.
The menu format means ordering in the conventional sense doesn't apply , you choose between Experiencia (land and sea), Tierra (vegetarian, with a 100% vegan version available on request), and Fish Lovers (Atlantic seafood focus). If you eat fish and seafood, Fish Lovers is the most direct expression of what the Canary Islands produce. If you want the full range of what the kitchen does, Experiencia covers both. Add the sommelier's local drink pairing: Canary Islands wines and producers are rarely showcased this well outside the archipelago.
No dress code is confirmed in our data, but a Michelin-starred €€€€ restaurant in a quiet, classically decorated room sets an expectation. Smart casual is the safe call , resort wear is too casual, black tie is unnecessary. The tone is romantic and unhurried rather than formal, so aim for the smarter end of what you'd pack for a southern Spain trip.
It's possible but not the natural format here. The tasting-menu structure works for solo diners at the right kind of restaurant, but La Aquarela's room reads as romantic and couple-oriented, and the database doesn't confirm a counter or bar seating option that would make solo dining feel more natural. If you're travelling alone and want a serious dinner, it's worth calling ahead to confirm seating arrangements. For more context on what's available in the area, see our Patalavaca restaurants guide.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Aquarela | Creative | Despite its somewhat unusual location in an apartment complex along the Playa de Patalavaca in the southern part of Gran Canaria, La Aquarela has become one of the leading names on the island’s restaurant scene. To a welcoming and hushed backdrop of classic decor and romantic tables (those overlooking the swimming pool are perfect for enjoying the sunset), savour delicate, highly technical dishes with lots of flavour and a strong connection to the local area, but with their own personality, as demonstrated by the occasional Nordic touch (chef Germán Ortega spent several years working in Stockholm). Up to 85% of its ingredients are locally sourced and are showcased in modern Canary Island dishes on three menus: Experiencia (combining the sea and the land), the vegetarian Tierra (we particularly enjoyed the grilled aubergine, with an aromatic yeast salsa), and Fish Lovers (with an obvious focus on fish and seafood from the Atlantic waters around the islands).; Chef German Ortega's dishes all look very appealing, clearly one of the best addresses on the island. Vegan is possible, even at 100%, and our We're Smart inspector was very enthusiastic about the experience, to the extent that the La Aquarela has become a regular stop! Admittedly, it's best to make your wishes known when booking, and then just enjoy, including the unique location and views. Also note that the sommelier can surprise you with brilliant local drinks that match all that green force.; Chef German Ortega's dishes all look very appealing, clearly one of the best addresses on the island. Vegan is possible, even at 100%, and our We're Smart inspector was very enthusiastic about the experience, to the extent that the La Aquarela has become a regular stop! Admittedly, it's best to make your wishes known when booking, and then just enjoy, including the unique location and views. Also note that the sommelier can surprise you with brilliant local drinks that match all that green force.; Despite its somewhat unusual location in an apartment complex along the Playa de Patalavaca in the southern part of Gran Canaria, La Aquarela has become one of the leading names on the island’s restaurant scene. To a welcoming and hushed backdrop of classic decor and romantic tables (those overlooking the swimming pool are perfect for enjoying the sunset), savour delicate, highly technical dishes with lots of flavour and a strong connection to the local area, but with their own personality, as demonstrated by the occasional Nordic touch (chef Germán Ortega spent several years working in Stockholm). Up to 85% of its ingredients are locally sourced and are showcased in modern Canary Island dishes on three menus: Experiencia (combining the sea and the land), the vegetarian Tierra (we particularly enjoyed the grilled aubergine, with an aromatic yeast salsa), and Fish Lovers (with an obvious focus on fish and seafood from the Atlantic waters around the islands).; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Quique Dacosta | Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| El Celler de Can Roca | Progressive Spanish, Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Arzak | Modern Basque, Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Azurmendi | Progressive, Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Aponiente | Progressive - Seafood, Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
How La Aquarela stacks up against the competition.
It's a workable solo option given the quiet room and counter-style focus on the food itself, but the format skews toward couples and small groups. Three tasting menus starting at a €€€€ price point are a significant solo spend, and the sunset pool tables — the main draw for atmosphere — are designed for two. If solo dining is your plan, flag it at booking so the team can seat you appropriately.
The room is described as quiet and classic in decor, and the Michelin star signals a dressed-up crowd. There's no published dress code in available data, but the combination of €€€€ pricing, formal service, and a romantic atmosphere makes casual resort wear a mismatch. Business casual or equivalent is the sensible call.
Yes, if technically precise Canary Island cooking with a clear sourcing story is what you're after. Three menu formats — Experiencia (land and sea), Tierra (vegetarian), and Fish Lovers (Atlantic seafood) — give you genuine choice rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it format. The 85% local sourcing rate and a Michelin star earned in 2024 back the price claim. Vegan guests should flag requirements at booking; full vegan menus are available.
Yes — it's one of the stronger special occasion options in southern Gran Canaria. The room is quiet enough for conversation, the pool-view tables work well for sunset timing, and a Michelin star gives the occasion some weight. Book a pool-facing table explicitly and arrive for an early slot to catch the light.
Choose your menu based on preference: Experiencia covers both sea and land, Fish Lovers focuses on Atlantic seafood, and Tierra is the vegetarian route. Vegan is possible at 100% if arranged in advance. The sommelier is noted for pairing local Canarian drinks with the menus, so the wine pairing is worth considering rather than ordering by the glass.
At €€€€ with a 2024 Michelin star, 85% locally sourced ingredients, and three distinct tasting formats, the value case is solid for what it delivers. The setting — inside an apartment complex — sounds like a liability but has been validated by We're Smart inspectors and Michelin. The honest caveat: if you're primarily after a buzzy dining room atmosphere, this quiet, intimate space may not be the right fit regardless of the quality on the plate.
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