The Calle de Pilar is a main shopping street and near Santa Cruz's main park. Another area with ample shopping opportunities is the Ramblas. Of course the biggest shopping plaza is the aforementioned Continente. This mega-mall not only has a huge hypermarket with a vast range of products at reasonable prices, but there are also 150 other shops on the site. The Continente is located 6km south of Santa Cruz.

In Santa Cruz every Sunday morning there's a flea market at Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa, Calle San Sebastian. Some of Tenerife's other main markets are located in the Costa Adeje, the Los Cristianos area and in Santa Cruz, including a notable open-air flea market along the Avenida Jose Manuel Guimera, which takes place every Sunday morning. You can find inexpensive items to bring back home plus lots of local produce and handicrafts. Some of the items to look for are hand-crafted lace tablecloths, pottery and ceramics, and local wines.

One of the more unusual specialties in the local markets is the palm-tree 'honey' of La Gomera. Called Miel de Palma it's not really honey but is more like maple syrup. The guarapo, or sap, of the date palm is tapped, then boiled. What results is a rich, tasty dark paste that's sweet and perfect for baking or adding sweetness to hot and cold drinks.

Flights to Tenerife are popular because tourists are attracted to its creative culinary offerings which blend both African and European flavours and spices. Its warm climate produces an abundance of vegetables such as courgettes, green beans, chard, watercress, olives and tomatoes. Tropical fruits include bananas, oranges, mangoes, papayas, avocado, and guava. You'll see these fruits and veg in the local dishes as Tenerife keeps most of its delicious produce for the population rather than export.

The island is surrounded by clean waters with a wide variety of fish. The restaurants serve some of the best fish and seafood available on the island including sea bream, mackerel, grouper, sardine, crab Canarian lobster, tuna and moray eels. Fish dishes in Tenerife are usually served with mojo (a sauce that accompanies both fish and meat dishes (and can also be dipped with bread), alongside another regional dish called wrinkly potatoes (papas arrugadas) which have a salty crust.

Meat dishes include pork tacos, goat, and beef. There are also many chicken dishes which are specialties of the island.