Businesses

Barney's is one of the best-loved live music bars in Playa Blanca, in an open-air spot with lovely views across the bay towards the marina. Barney himself plays most nights along with guest musicians, and it's the music people come back for, though the food is worth a look too, with Canarian dishes and homemade burgers. Drinks are reasonably priced and the welcome is friendly. It gets busy, so get there early for a good seat. Read more

Bikers Beach Club, in the Papagayo centre, is a relaxed, family-friendly bar with beachside outdoor seating and live music. Despite the name it's a welcoming spot for everyone, with a menu of burgers, salads, seafood and the like, plus plenty for children such as crepes, pizzas and ice creams. Good service, fair prices and an easygoing atmosphere make it a pleasant place to eat, drink and catch some music. Read more

Tucked away in the old town near the harbour, Electric Island is the best live music bar in that part of Puerto del Carmen, and the only one down there. A resident three-piece band plays six nights a week (closed Sundays), running through rock and pop covers, Oasis, the Stereophonics, Snow Patrol, the Killers, in sets that can go close to three hours. There are two different levels and a dancefloor so everyone gets a view, and the drinks are fairly priced. It's easy to walk past from the street, so keep an eye out, and it's usually cash only, though there's an ATM nearby. Read more

Flavours is a highly rated Indian restaurant in Playa Blanca, run by the same people behind Spice Fusion, so you're in safe hands for a good curry. It serves the usual well-loved dishes, tandoori, biryanis, curries done to your preferred heat, with plenty of choice and generous portions, and reviewers rate both the food and the friendly service. Booking is a good idea as it's popular. If Spice Fusion is full, or you're at the other end of the resort, this is an equally good choice from the same kitchen. Read more

Gallagher's Beachview Sportsbar is one of the busiest spots on the Puerto del Carmen strip, right on the Avenida de las Playas with a view across the beach. It's an Irish-run bar with plenty of screens, so it's a reliable place to catch the football, rugby or boxing, though it fills up on match days, so get there early for a seat. The food is a big part of it, cooked fresh, with a burger and a Sunday roast that regulars come back for, and the drinks are well priced with cocktail deals usually on. Once the sport finishes the live music starts, so an afternoon at the game rolls into an evening out. Read more

Goofy Burger is a cheap and cheerful spot on the Puerto del Carmen strip, easy to spot thanks to the big cartoon figure out front. It does burgers, roast and rotisserie chicken, kebabs, breakfasts and crepes at good prices, with lunchtime deals and cheap drinks that families make the most of. The breakfast gets a good word from regulars, and often comes with a juice thrown in. If you want a quick, affordable bite with the kids without much fuss, it does the trick. Read more

Havana Beach Club is a late-night bar in Playa Blanca, on the upper floor of The Papagayo Center, and a spot to carry on past midnight when the quieter bars have wound down. It's on the small, contained late scene rather than a big club strip, but if you want to keep the night going with a drink and a dance, it's there. Read more

La Cabaña, in the inland village of Mácher, is one of the best places to eat on the island. It's run by chef Darren Spurr and his wife Debbie, and it's small, only a handful of tables, with a short menu that changes weekly around whatever's freshest. The cooking is imaginative and a clear step up from the usual resort fare, the wine list is well chosen, and the service is warm. People book it for a special night and then come back year after year. With so few tables it fills up fast, so book well ahead. It's about ten minutes by taxi from Puerto del Carmen, and worth the trip. Read more

La Lanterna is about as authentic an Italian as you'll find in Puerto del Carmen, and one of the best-rated restaurants on the strip. It's up on the first floor on the Avenida de las Playas, a small place with sea views, and it fills up fast, so book ahead or you may well be turned away. Read more

Just across Fariones Square from the Live Lounge, Rory's Corner Bar is the more laid-back, all-day option. It's a sports bar showing the big matches through the day, with good homemade food at fair prices, but the pull is the live sunset music every evening from around half six, when a rotating line-up of musicians plays as the day winds down. Sitting between the old town and the new, it's a good spot to start an evening, and you may not get any further. Read more

Rory's Live Lounge is one of the best spots for live music in Puerto del Carmen. It's in Fariones Square, just off the Avenida de las Playas, and it's run by Irish musician Rory Gallagher, the Donegal singer behind "Jimmy's Winning Matches". Read more

Spice Fusion is one of the most popular Indian restaurants in Playa Blanca, and a reliable bet for a good curry. It's tucked away in a shopping precinct just back from the seafront, and while the setting is fairly simple, the food is the reason it's so well rated, including Deep-flavoured tandoori dishes, curries like butter chicken, madras and Punjabi favourites, and fresh naan and rice, in generous portions at fair prices. Read more