Situated in Los Cristianos, possibly one of Spain’s least Spanish cities, El Cine stands proud, tucked into a corner amidst a sea of tourist-packed places. This is a restaurant for both locals and tourists as is evident by the line that forms up a nearby alleyway. They don’t do a lot here, but what they do, they do well: cook fish, straight out of the adjacent sea. The menu at El Cine is unapologetically simple: a hand-full of fish dishes, a “catch of the day”, chicken wings and the ubiquitous Canarian papas with two mojos for dipping.

The place is crowded, and the service efficient but friendly. This is one of a few restaurants in Spain that realizes the value of turning tables and aims to keep you happy while you’re waiting, beer in hand, if that’s what it takes. Juan Carlos, the owner of El Cine, takes pride in the job his restaurant is doing. You can see him darting through the busy terrace, wiping tables, greeting hungry beachgoers and checking to see how you like everything. Although it’s been serving fresh seafood for a quarter of a century, not much at El Cine seems to have changed and we like it that way.