During our only holiday in Tenerife (to date), I discovered the Canarian island’s distinctive cuisine. Papas arrugadas – which means ‘wrinkly potatoes’ – became almost an obsession. They’re a must-try if you visit the Canaries – or the restaurant La Vieja de Jonay Hernández in Palma, Mallorca’s capital.

In the Canaries, this emblematic dish is usually made from the variety of small potatoes known as ‘papa bonita’. Cooked with a large amount of salt or, as was traditional, in sea water, they end up with a salty and wrinkly skin and are delicious with a Canarian mojo sauce.

Jonay – who hails from Tenerife – opened his Palma restaurant in May 2018 to offer the traditional dishes of the Canaries, but with contemporary touches and creative presentation. It’s a very popular eatery in a square (Plaça de Raimundo Clar) that has since become one of the trendy places for eating out in Palma, with a variety of eateries and bars.

The Place

The place is colourful, with an eyecatching street-art mural of an octopus on one wall.Behind the bar is the kitchen. The food is served on vibrant, quirky tableware. It all adds up to a fun place to eat. If you want to eat outdoors, there are a few tables at the front, but I prefer the ambience indoors.

The Food

The à la carte menu offers hot and cold savoury dishes perfect for sharing, and desserts (including a mini one if you feel guilty about eating puds or you’ve eaten too much for a full dessert).

From Tuesday to Friday, La Vieja’s additional midday menu costs 24,50€. You can see the week’s menu on La Vieja’s Instagram page.

On our last visit, we feasted on Canarian wrinkly potatoes, asparagus ‘chips’ (a little salty for my taste), fried fish with green mojo aioli, and Ibérico pork cooked in the Kamado grill with smoked Hollandaise sauce, sweet red mojo, and sweet potato purée. The potatoes and pork were my favourites, but they were all good.

La Vieja de Jonay Hernández is a good choice for coeliacs and those avoiding gluten for other reasons, with plenty of options (including gluten-free bread). Dishes without gluten are marked as such on the menu.

If you’ve room for a full-size dessert, Eat Tenerife! is my recommendation. Presented in the shape of the island, it’s made from milk chocolate, Venezuelan ocumare chocolate, and gofio cookie, and ‘seated’ in a ‘sea’ of coconut milk coloured blue by butterfly pea flower.

Cocktail fans should check out the list: as well as the classic and virgin cocktails, several signature versons are worth a try.

Book in advance at La Vieja de Jonay Hernández to be sure of a table. And transport yourself for an hour or two to the Canaries, or at least their cuisine.

Good to Know

La Vieja is recommended in 2025 editions of both the Guía Michelin and the Guía Repsol.

Jan Edwards@2024 Updated April 2025