Arrecife city centre
Bar Picasso - El Almacén
Tuesday to Saturday
Closed Sundays, Mondays and public holidays
Kitchen 2:00 pm-10:00 pm
Continuous service
Local gastronomy
À la carte and Picasso MenuC. José Betancort, 33
How to get thereTypes of experience
À la carte and Picasso Menu
Bar Picasso's history as a meeting place continues around the table. Choose from the à la carte menu or book the Picasso Menu, its lunchtime offering.
À la carte
Reinterpreted Canarian recipes and local produce shape an à la carte menu designed for sharing, accompanied by a selection of Lanzarote wines.
- No table reservations
- Homemade croquettes
- Montaditos and bites
- Dishes from near and far
- Lanzarote wines
Picasso Menu
A lunchtime offering that changes depending on the chosen day, alternating Canarian recipes with other dishes from the bar's kitchen.
- Daily menu designed around 10 different options
- First course
- Main course
- Dessert
- Bread and butter
Cultural programme
El Almacén
Bar Picasso is located inside El Almacén, alongside the Sala Buñuel and its exhibition spaces. Throughout the year, the Cabildo de Lanzarote presents films, exhibitions, workshops, talks and other activities that continue the building's cultural history. Check the official programme to see what coincides with your visit.
Origins
From the School of Arts and Crafts to El Almacén
El Almacén occupies two connected houses built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characteristic of Arrecife's bourgeois domestic architecture. From 1933 to 1970, the building housed the city's School of Arts and Crafts. After the school moved, the property stood empty and was used for storage, giving rise to its current name.
A cultural laboratory in Arrecife
César Manrique purchased the building in 1973 and restored it with Pepe Dámaso, Luis Ibáñez and Gerardo ‘Yayo’ Fontes. In February 1974, Centro Polidimensional El Almacén opened its doors as the first space in Lanzarote specifically dedicated to contemporary culture.
The project brought together an art gallery, a bookshop, a bar and restaurant, a studio theatre and several commercial premises. Rather than simply gathering different disciplines under one roof, it sought to create a place open to experimentation, thought and avant-garde art.
Bar Pablo Picasso
Bar Pablo Ruiz Picasso was part of that original project. Also known as Bar Picasso or bar El Almacén, the café became a meeting place for artists, intellectuals, politicians and people connected to the island's cultural life from its earliest years.
People talked, debated and launched projects around its tables. The bar did not merely serve the cultural centre: it carried beyond the galleries what was happening in exhibitions, theatre, lectures and film screenings.
The avant-garde around the table
Under Pablo Bucarelli's direction, El Almacén became a reference point for contemporary culture in the Canary Islands. Its galleries welcomed artists including Pierre Alechinsky, Manolo Millares, Óscar Domínguez, Ildefonso Aguilar and Antonio López, among many others.
Exhibitions, experimental theatre, lectures, performances, original-language film screenings and film forums all formed part of its programme. The bar and its meeting spaces brought this cultural energy into everyday life in Arrecife: people could attend an exhibition or film and then continue the conversation around a table.
Reopenings and continuity
In 1989, the Cabildo de Lanzarote acquired El Almacén from César Manrique. The centre continued its cultural programme until 2009 and reopened in 2016 after being closed for seven years during renovation work.
Bar Picasso reopened in July 2022 following another phase of improvement and refurbishment. Today it shares El Almacén with the Sala Buñuel and its exhibition spaces, restoring through gastronomy a function that has long been part of its history: bringing together those who take part in Arrecife's cultural life.
What to see
Around Bar Picasso, El Almacén brings together spaces devoted to visual arts, cinema and other forms of contemporary creation. Its exhibitions and activities change throughout the year, so check the Cultura Lanzarote programme before your visit.
- El Almacén Exhibition Hall: hosts temporary exhibitions connected to visual arts and contemporary creation.
- Sala El Cubo: a flexible space for exhibitions and installations that has also hosted dance, music, theatre and performance.
- Sala Buñuel: a cinema used for screenings, film seasons, audiovisual events and other cultural activities.
- Sala HuB and Aula El Almacén: spaces used for talks, workshops and other programmed activities. Access depends on the activity taking place.
What to do
- Order from the à la carte menu: Check the current selection and choose from homemade croquettes, montaditos and dishes to share. The current menu includes revuelto conejero with desalted cherne, onion, small toasts and shoestring potatoes.
- Choose a Lanzarote wine: The wine list brings together bottles from different island wineries, including varieties such as volcanic malvasía and listán negro. Some wines are available by the glass.
- Book the Picasso Menu: From Tuesday to Friday at lunchtime, the menu includes a first course, main course and dessert. The combination changes depending on the day, and drinks are not included.
- Combine your meal with the cultural programme: Check the exhibitions and the Sala Buñuel listings to stop at the bar before or after the activity.
Visitor guide
- Opening hours: Tuesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm; Wednesday to Friday from 1:00 pm to midnight. Closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.
- Kitchen: continuous service from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
- Reservations: Table reservations are not accepted for à la carte dining; check availability when you arrive. The Picasso Menu is booked separately.
- Allergens: Ask the staff before ordering. Specific allergen information is available for the menu.
- Pets: Pets are not permitted. Accredited assistance dogs may enter the establishment.
- Smoking: Smoking is not permitted inside the bar.
- Accessibility: Bar Picasso is accessible to people with reduced mobility. Contact the establishment if you need information about a specific requirement or support.
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FAQs
Prepare your visit
At Montañas del Fuego and Cueva de los Verdes, tickets can only be purchased online and always for a specific date and time.
At the other centers, you can buy tickets directly at the ticket office, but we recommend purchasing them in advance to make access easier.
Yes. Canary Islands residents can benefit from a special price, as well as residents of Lanzarote and people with disabilities. Please note that these rates cannot be combined and are only available at the ticket offices upon presentation of the required physical documentation.
Some centres do not have a box office. We recommend purchasing your ticket in advance on the website to secure your access to the centre.
It is not necessary to print it, however, you must have the QR code downloaded and ready at the entrance to speed up access.
In some areas coverage is limited, download the ticket on your mobile or take a screenshot of the QR code before arriving.
We are sorry you haven’t automatically received your tickets. We recommend checking your spam folder or ensuring that your email address is correctly entered. If you still can’t find them, please contact our Customer Service department at 901 200 300, via WhatsApp, or by sending an email to info@centrosturisticos.com. Our customer service hours are Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 15:00.
Yes, it is mandatory for Cueva de los Verdes and Montañas del Fuego. You must select the date and time when completing your online purchase.
You can also, if you are interested in discovering our spaces in a different and more exclusive way, the “Experiencias Insólitas” (our premium guided tours in small groups) require advance online booking with a fixed date and time. – They are offered at Montañas del Fuego and Jameos del Agua.-
For the rest of the Centres and general visits, it is not necessary to book a fixed time. You have full flexibility, although purchasing your ticket in advance helps reduce waiting times and supports a more balanced management of the space.
Still have questions?
Contact our customer service team at info@centrosturisticos.com or by phone at +34 928 84 84 84.