The Neptuno restaurant in Costa Teguise is closing its doors. After more than 28 years, which have made it an institution on the island, one of its owners, Juan de León, has confirmed that "an opportunity has arisen" and, after many years of "sacrifice, work and many, many anecdotes", they have decided to sell it.
All kinds of personalities have sat at Neptuno's table, from fields as diverse as politics, royalty or letters and culture. "We have a good book where many people have signed," Juan de León recalled on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero this Tuesday. Camilo José Cela, for example, went to the restaurant twice. His owner recalls with amusement the "repetition of wrinkled potatoes" of his wife, who shortly after having given an account of a good dish told him "bring me another".
Since the De León brothers began their journey, "without a penny", in 1987, members of the Greek royal family, Nobel Prize winners in economics or César Manrique, who was even invited to the inauguration, have tasted Neptuno's dishes. De León recalls the visit of former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and "so many politicians". "If the murals could talk... They have seen many things, but you can't tell everything. The saying goes that you have to see, hear and be silent," he says.
Now, the Neptune will become part of the apartment complex that bears the same name and will continue "providing service to the complex and the street." Juan, for his part, leaves "very grateful." "We had nothing. Desire, a lot, and that is what made us move forward. That and our people. We have always been 80 percent of our people, from people here and we have come this far because they continue to visit us," he thanked. The brothers will now continue to run their other establishment in Costa Teguise, Doña Lola, "working as always."
