Off the Beaten Path
Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa, Santa Cruz
The Mercado de Africa is where people in Santa Cruz actually shop for food, which makes it different from the tourist-facing markets elsewhere on the island. The cheese section has Canarian varieties not available in supermarkets — smoked goat cheese from the Tenerife interior, fresh pressed cheeses from La Gomera — at prices that reflect local incomes rather than tourist spending. The courtyard bar serves tostadas and coffee to market vendors and regular shoppers from 07:30; eating breakfast here costs about €2. The whole market makes clear that Tenerife has a food culture entirely separate from the resort south.