As a family-friendly holiday destination, Lanzarote sensibly has plenty to offer in terms of Italian restaurants, as well as the traditional Canarian fare. We know that when you need a cheese-and-carb fix, there’s nothing more disappointing than a sub-standard pizza, so we’ve checked out what’s on offer and come up with a selection of the best pizzerias across the island.
There are two branches of this popular Italian restaurant on the island, the original one in Costa Teguise, and a newer restaurant in Arrecife. Both are equally good in terms of food, but the Arrecife restaurant has more contemporary interiors, and a bar, and a decently sized terrace for outdoor seating. Divina Italia El Charco serves fresh, modern and creative Italian cuisine, with an excellent line in authentic wood-fired pizzas with crisp, thin bases and delicious toppings. The seafood pizza is particularly good, and there are unusual options, such as the pizza bianca (no tomato sauce) with salmon, pesto, ricotta, and fresh basil. A popular place with locals and tourists alike, this restaurant has a buzzing, friendly atmosphere and great food.
It may be located on top of a shopping centre, but with its contemporary terrace overlooking the beach at Playa Blanca, Casale Franco is in a prime position for sea views. This popular Italian restaurant serves all the classics, as well as some truly excellent pizzas, baked in their authentic wood fired oven (which only burns olive wood), using handmade fermented dough and fresh ingredients for the toppings. Aside from the pizzas, the various other breads baked on site are fantastic too, as are the handmade pastas.
It might not look like much, but this small restaurant in Puerto del Carmen serves excellent, authentic Italian cuisine and cracking pizzas. The terrace has sea views, the staff are extremely friendly, and the menu offers all the Italian classics in terms of pizzas and pastas. Popular with families, and the kind of place that people return to again and again, La Lanterna doesn’t offer anything new or unusual, but in terms of traditional Italian food and great service, they really have nailed it.
For very reasonably priced take-away pizza by the slice (or for a beer and pizza pit-stop on their small terrace), Daniele Pizza Al Taglio in Playa Honda is unbeatable. The delicious base is made from dough which is left to ferment for 96 hours, and their range of toppings is huge. Particularly good for vegetarian options, but with plenty of meat and seafood, too, they offer numerous classic pizzas, white pizzas (no tomato sauce), and lots of other unusual flavour combinations. You’ll be extremely hard-pressed to stop at one slice!
Ignore the fairly basic and uninspired décor at Pizzeately and focus on the pizzas, which are generally very good and very fairly priced to boot. Relaxed, friendly, and particularly good for families, this small seafront restaurant in Costa Teguise serves simple but tasty, freshly baked pizzas and calzones, and a blindingly good tiramisu if you find you have room for dessert.
Great value for money, El Sabio serves thin, crisp pizzas (as well as salads and pastas) in a laid-back and friendly setting. Saturday night’s pizzas come with live entertainment, and Mondays and Wednesdays are for cheap meal deal offers. The volcano-shaped Volcan pizza is particularly fun and popular pick, not to mention delicious.
Raved about for its incredibly friendly service, Portobello Restaurante Italiano is a reasonably priced and family-friendly restaurant serving classic Italian cuisine and great pizzas. The menu is very traditional, with no particularly unusual toppings on offer, but the pizzas are freshly baked on thin bases and of consistently decent quality.
