A proper Sunday roast on holiday sounds like a contradiction. You are in the Canary Islands specifically to escape grey skies and roast dinners, and yet there is something about a Sunday afternoon in the sun, with a plate of roast meat, Yorkshire puddings, and gravy in front of you, that makes complete sense once you have actually done it. The south of Tenerife has a substantial British expat and tourist population, and that population has built a genuinely good Sunday roast scene across Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, and Los Cristianos.
This guide covers five of the best, with honest notes on atmosphere, what to expect, and the practical details you need before you turn up expecting a table.
Contents
- Empire, Playa de las Américas: The Most Polished Option
- The Winning Post, Costa Adeje: The Local Favourite
- The Willows, Los Cristianos: The Hidden Gem
- The Vault Bar, Los Cristianos: The Liveliest Option
- The Winchester, Costa Adeje: The Pub Classic
- All Four at a Glance
- Practical Tips for Sunday Roast in South Tenerife
- Frequently Asked Questions
Empire, Playa de las Américas: The Most Polished Option
Empire is in a different category from most of the other Sunday roast options in the south. It bills itself as a Modern British Restaurant and Steak House rather than a pub, with a properly designed dining room, a butchery sourcing its own meat, and a menu that takes British food seriously rather than treating it as an afterthought to the beer taps. The Sunday roast here is, by some distance, the most ambitious version available in south Tenerife.
The choice runs from a straightforward turkey through to the “Big Roast,” which includes four different cuts of prime meat on one plate alongside the full set of trimmings: Yorkshire pudding, sage and onion stuffing, roast and mashed potatoes, carrots, runner beans, and a generous amount of gravy. A vegetarian nut roast is also available. Live entertainment runs on Sunday afternoons, and the restaurant has built a loyal following of repeat visitors who return year after year specifically for this.
This is the detail that catches people out. Empire’s Sunday roast is a winter season offering, available from October through to May, and is not served during the summer months. If you are visiting in June, July, August, or September, this option will not be available. Plan accordingly or check directly with the restaurant before making it the centrepiece of a summer Sunday.
Empire Modern British Restaurant & Steak House
| Address | Safari Centre, Avenida de las Américas, 38650 Playa de las Américas |
| Opening Hours | Daily 1:30pm to 11pm |
| Sunday Roast Season | October to May only |
| Roast Options | Turkey, the Big Roast (four meats), and a vegetarian nut roast |
| Dietary | Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available throughout the menu |
| Booking | Strongly advised, particularly for Sunday lunch. Book via the website |
| Website | empirerestauranttenerife.com |
The Winning Post, Costa Adeje: The Local Favourite
The Winning Post is the opposite of Empire in almost every respect, and that is precisely the point. It is a small, unpretentious bar in the Garden City complex in San Eugenio, run by Roy and Steve, who are mentioned by name in a remarkable number of reviews going back years. This is the kind of place where regulars are genuinely known by the owners, and where the food is home-cooked rather than plated to impress.
The Sunday roast at The Winning Post is the dish the bar is best known for, with multiple reviewers across several years independently calling it the best Sunday roast they have had in Tenerife. Fresh ingredients, generous portions, and Yorkshire puddings made on site come up again and again in the reviews. The catch, and it is a significant one, is size: the bar is small and seating for Sunday lunch is limited.
Multiple sources confirm that Sunday lunch at The Winning Post is genuinely popular and the venue is small. Turning up without a booking on a Sunday is a real risk of being turned away. Call ahead or book through the bar’s Facebook page in the days before.
The Winning Post
| Address | Lugar Urbanización San Eugenio, 20U, 38660 Costa Adeje. Garden City complex |
| Atmosphere | Small, friendly, sports on the television, basic decor. Charm over polish |
| Known For | Sunday roast and full English breakfast, both consistently praised across years of reviews |
| Booking | Essential for Sunday lunch. Seating is limited |
| facebook.com/winningpostsaneugeniobar |
The Willows, Los Cristianos: The Hidden Gem
The Willows sits in Los Cristianos and describes itself as an Irish-Dutch-Spanish tapas bar, which is an unusual combination that somehow works in its favour. It does not look like much from the street, but visitors who step inside consistently describe it as a hidden gem with some of the friendliest owners on the south coast. The regional sharing plates, cheeses, hams, and tapas tasting menu are the headline draw on most days of the week.
On Sundays, the focus shifts to a proper Sunday dinner that has earned a loyal following among both tourists and the local expat community. Recent reviews from 2025 specifically single out the Sunday lunch for praise, with one describing it as “a 10” and noting the staff go out of their way to make the visit special. The pub quiz nights, hosted by a popular quizmaster, add to the sense that this is a genuine community spot rather than a tourist-facing operation that happens to also serve a roast.
The Willows works well as a relaxed alternative to the louder sports bars in Los Cristianos. If you want a Sunday roast with a bit more conversation and a bit less football on every screen, this is the better fit.
The Willows
| Address | Avenida Juan Carlos I 1, 38650 Los Cristianos. Near the CC Apolo area |
| Format | Irish-Dutch-Spanish tapas bar with a proper Sunday roast |
| Known For | Sunday lunch, sharing platters, pub quiz nights |
| Best For | A relaxed, sociable Sunday lunch away from the louder sports bars |
The Vault Bar, Los Cristianos: The Liveliest Option
The Vault is the busiest and most talked-about Sunday roast venue on this list by review volume, and it earns that attention with a genuinely substantial plate of food. The roast itself is detailed and properly thought through: handmade pork with sage and onion stuffing, beef dripping roast potatoes, seasoned mash, honey-glazed parsnips, cauliflower cheese, buttered savoy cabbage with crispy bacon lardons, orange-infused carrots, and green beans. This is a kitchen putting genuine effort into the trimmings rather than treating them as an afterthought.
The atmosphere is the other half of the appeal. Live music plays every night, the owners are musicians themselves, and the bar has an industrial-chic look with a large terrace for anyone who would rather have the music as background than the main event. It has built a large and loyal following, with one reviewer summing it up as the kind of place you stumble into on the first night of a holiday and end up returning to throughout the week.
The Vault is consistently described as the busiest Sunday roast in Los Cristianos, and being busy occasionally shows. Several reviews mention slower service or food arriving cooler than expected during particularly packed sittings, though the overwhelming majority of reviews remain extremely positive. Booking through TheFork in advance is the best way to avoid the longest waits.
The Vault Bar Tenerife
| Address | Avenida de Ámsterdam 17, 38650 Los Cristianos |
| Format | Live music bar with a full food menu, breakfasts, burgers, and a Sunday roast |
| Live Music | Every night |
| Average Price | Around €15 per main course excluding drinks |
| Dietary | Vegetarian options available |
| Booking | Available via TheFork. Strongly advised given how busy the Sunday roast sitting gets |
| Website | thevaultbartenerife.com |
The Winchester, Costa Adeje: The Pub Classic
The Winchester is the classic British pub experience transplanted to Playa Fañabé in Costa Adeje, established in 2008 and still going strong. Mozzarella dippers, burgers, and a proper Sunday roast sit alongside live music most evenings from 9:30pm, making it a natural choice for visitors who want a traditional pub atmosphere rather than a restaurant setting.
The Sunday roast here has a strong local reputation and is known to sell out, which tells you something straightforward about its popularity with both regulars and holidaymakers. Arrive earlier than you think you need to, particularly during busier weeks of the year.
The Winchester’s Sunday roast has a reputation for running out before the end of service. Arrive earlier in the day rather than leaving it until late afternoon, especially during peak season.
The Winchester
| Address | Calle Londres, CC Litoral, Local 1B, Playa Fañabé, 38660 Costa Adeje |
| Phone | +34 922 71 38 56 |
| Opening Hours | 9am to midnight daily |
| Live Music | From 9:30pm most evenings |
| Known For | Sunday roast (arrive early as it sells out), mozzarella dippers, burgers |
| facebook.com/thewinchestertenerife |
All Five at a Glance
| Venue | Area | Style | Booking | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire | Playa de las Américas | Polished restaurant and steakhouse | Strongly advised | The most ambitious roast in the south. October to May only |
| The Winning Post | Costa Adeje (San Eugenio) | Small local bar | Essential. Limited seating | Home-cooked, personal, long-standing local favourite |
| The Willows | Los Cristianos | Irish-Dutch-Spanish tapas bar | Recommended | A relaxed, sociable alternative to sports bars |
| The Vault | Los Cristianos | Live music bar | Book via TheFork | The liveliest atmosphere and the most detailed trimmings |
| The Winchester | Costa Adeje (Fañabé) | Classic British pub | Arrive early as it sells out | Traditional pub atmosphere with live music |
Practical Tips for Sunday Roast in South Tenerife
Every venue on this list is genuinely popular for its Sunday roast specifically. The Winning Post and The Vault both fill up fast and The Winchester has limited capacity relative to demand. Empire and The Vault both take bookings online via their website or TheFork. Calling or booking a day or two in advance is the safest approach across the board.
Empire’s Sunday roast runs October to May only. If you are visiting in high summer, this option will not be available and one of the other three venues on this list is the better choice.
Most Sunday roasts in the south are served from around midday through to mid-afternoon, with some venues continuing into the evening. The Winchester’s roast in particular is known to run out, so earlier is better. Arriving by 1pm gives you the best chance of the full range of options at any of these venues.
All four venues sit within or close to the main resort corridor. A Sunday roast at lunchtime followed by a walk along the coastal promenade is a genuinely pleasant way to spend the afternoon, and works as a natural counterbalance to a heavy meal. For walking routes connecting the resort areas, see our guide to getting around south Tenerife without a car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best Sunday roast in south Tenerife?
Empire in Playa de las Américas offers the most polished and ambitious Sunday roast in the south, available from October to May. The Winning Post in Costa Adeje is the most consistently praised home-cooked option, though seating is limited and booking is essential. The Vault Bar in Los Cristianos is the busiest and liveliest, with live music every night. All are excellent depending on whether you want a proper restaurant experience, a small local bar, or a lively atmosphere with music.
Is there a Sunday roast in Costa Adeje?
Yes. The Winning Post in the Garden City complex (San Eugenio) and The Winchester in Playa Fañabé both serve a Sunday roast in Costa Adeje. The Winning Post is the smaller, more home-cooked option and requires advance booking. The Winchester has a classic pub atmosphere with live music, though its roast is known to sell out, so arriving early is advised.
Is there a good Sunday roast in Los Cristianos?
Yes, two good options. The Willows on Avenida Juan Carlos I has a strong recent review record and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere. The Vault Bar on Avenida de Ámsterdam 17 is the busiest and most talked-about Sunday roast in the town, with live music every night and a particularly detailed trimmings selection. Book ahead for The Vault as it gets genuinely packed.
What is The Vault Bar in Los Cristianos known for?
The Vault is a live music bar on Avenida de Ámsterdam 17 with a substantial Sunday roast menu including handmade pork, beef dripping roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, and honey-glazed parsnips. It is the busiest Sunday roast venue in Los Cristianos by review volume, with live music every night and a large, loyal following. Booking via TheFork is recommended given how popular it gets.
Is Empire’s Sunday roast available all year?
No. Empire’s Sunday roast is a seasonal offering available from October through to May only. It is not served during the summer months of June, July, August, and September. Check directly with the restaurant if your visit falls near the edges of this window.
Do I need to book for Sunday roast in south Tenerife?
Yes, for all four venues covered here. The Winning Post has particularly limited seating and booking is essential. Empire takes bookings via its website. The Winchester’s roast sells out, so arriving early is the practical alternative to a formal booking. Booking a day or two in advance is the safest approach at every venue on this list.
Restaurant details, opening hours, and seasonal menu availability are subject to change. Always verify current information directly with the venue before visiting, particularly regarding booking requirements and seasonal Sunday roast availability.