The sixteenth edition of the La Laguna Tapas Route – San Benito Abad 2024 has concluded, with approximately 160,000 tapas sold at a fixed price of 4 Euros each, resulting in a total turnover of around 640,000 Euros in the city’s restaurant sector. “An outstanding platform to showcase the diverse, creative, and high-quality gastronomic offerings. A culinary experience that defines us as a destination,” emphasised Estefanía Díaz, the Councillor for Tourism and Commerce of the La Laguna City Council.
“The significant participation of both residents and visitors, along with the enthusiasm of the establishments, reflects the positive impact of the event, not only economically but also in fostering social coexistence and cohesion,” added Díaz. She also expressed gratitude for the participation of the shops in the window display competition held in July as part of the San Benito Abad festivities, which aimed to promote shopping and consumption.
Abbas Moujir, the President of FAUCA, highlighted that “the Tapas Route plays a vital role in promoting and showcasing the local gastronomic sector, serving as a model for success and demonstrating the benefits of collaboration between the public and private sectors.”
Regarding the event, Iván Pérez, President of La Laguna Zona Comercial, commented that “the dedication of the participating establishments and the warm reception from citizens reinforce the route’s importance, creating a unique experience for all visitors to the island during this period.”
Award Recipients
In this edition, the popular jury, using the La Laguna Zona Comercial Business Association (LLZC) APP, awarded the top prize, the Golden Tapa, to Lagula restaurant. The second prize, the Silver Tapa, was awarded to Gulagú, and the Maquila Restaurant received the third prize, the Bronze Tapa.
A total of 7,111 people participated in the voting process through the APP, compared to 4,083 in the previous edition, among the 35 participating establishments in this gastronomic event organised by La Laguna Zona Comercial, with the support of the Federation of Urban Areas of the Canary Islands (FAUCA) and sponsored by the La Laguna City Council through its Department of Commerce.
Window Display Competition for San Benito
In conjunction with the Tapas Route, a window display competition was held in July during the San Benito Abad festivities to engage the retail sector in the city’s socio-cultural agenda, with 9 establishments from the Open Commercial Zone participating.
Through public voting, Calzados Víctor Núñez was awarded for their first-place window display. They were commended for creating an original, vibrant, and historic display, blending antique elements with accessories from traditional clothing available for purchase at the establishment, such as hats and shoes,” stated Iván Pérez, who expressed gratitude to local businesses for filling their windows with colour and tradition during the festival celebrations.
