An islandwide guide to the top places to eat out
The best restaurants on Mallorca is an insider’s guide to the gourmet landscape on the Mediterranean island – whether you are looking for a secluded restaurant in a rural setting or a first-line eatery by the sea. There are so many great restaurants on Mallorca and with new ones opening constantly it’s not easy to keep up-to-date with the ever-evolving gastronomic scene. The buzzing and cosmopolitan Mallorcan capital, Palma, in particular boasts an incredibly diverse and vibrant dining scene, with its constantly growing collection of top-notch eateries offering cuisines to appeal to all tastes, moods and budgets.
For food that has impressed the world’s toughest critics – the Michelin inspectors – seek out their coveted stars. And Mallorca now has nine restaurants on which the Michelin Guide has bestowed their stamp of excellence. Chef Fernando Pérez Arellano’s Zaranda, set in the Hotel Es princep. The eight other restaurants bearing single Michelin stars include two in Palma: Adriàn Quetglas and Marc Fosh – still the only Michelin-starred British chef in Spain. In the small village of Capdepera is Andreu Genestra. The only restaurant to be awarded two is VORO by Chef Álvaro Salazar. Michelin-starred Es Fum at the St. Regis Mardavall Resort Hotel has chef José Miguel Navarro at the helm. And in Port de Alcúdia, the eponymous Maca de Castro is named after the island’s only female chef awarded the prestigious award.
There are now nine Michelin-star restaurants on Mallorca. Find out what delicious food you can expect to taste at each star winner.
The variety and quality of restaurants in Palma has never been better, with exciting new places to eat opening all the time. And the dining scene isn’t restricted to the city centre, with a choice of neighbourhoods in and around Palma boasting a plethora of restaurant options.
Your guide to the best restaurants in Palma including new openings, Michelin-starred restaurants, and a variety of cuisines.
The highest concentration of great restaurants in Palma can be found amongst the labyrinth of winding narrow lanes and numerous plazas of its historic Palma old town. Expect some wonderfully atmospheric settings in old converted palazzos, boutique hotels with world-class fine-dining, and alfresco terraces spilling out onto leafy squares.
Palma’s old-town is home to some of the top restaurants on the island and many award-winning chefs. It’s the perfect place to begin a gastronomic tour.
One of Palma’s most historic and picturesque neighbourhoods, the La Lonja area is as popular for eating out with locals as it is tourists. Centred around the beautiful La Lonja building (the former maritime trade exchange) and its pretty plaza, busy lanes full of dining options connect the quarter, with the main Calle Apuntadores serving as its main artery, lined with traditional restaurants and tapas bars.
La Lonja in Palma is famous for its lively nightlife – full of restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs. Here is your complete guide to La Lonja.
Santa Catalina neighbourhood has undergone some dramatic changes in recent years, from sleepy fisherman’s quarter to one of the capital’s most buzzing and sought-after places to live. So it’s no surprise that the dining scene in the area has exploded, offering some of the hottest new restaurants in the capital. Head to the main pedestrianised thoroughfare of Calle Fábrica for wide range of eatery options, or Calle Sant Magi for the area’s lively nightlife.
Full of character, delightful shops and amazing eats, the Santa Catalina area of Palma deserves a special look. Here, we tell you all you need to know!
The former fishing village of Portixol is another Palma neighbourhood that has seen quite a transformation. Starting with the pioneering Hotel Portixol, the area is now abuzz with an (albeit modest sized) collection of excellent dining options, several restaurants in Portixol are overlooking the pretty bay. It’s a great spot to stroll or cycle to from central Palma along the beachfront promenade, with plenty of restaurants to also tempt you en route.
The lively harbour boasts plenty of formal and informal settings in which to savour Mediterranean and international cuisine al fresco.
As an island capital overlooking the sea, it is no surprise that Palma boasts a fine choice of restaurants specialising in seafood. The best source their fresh fish daily from the daily ‘Sant Pere’ market on Palma’s main fishing quay, guaranteeing the finest seafood available reaches your plate. Many of these restaurant also enjoy views over the water, to aptly accompany the marvellous maritime flavours.
From classic paella to innovative fusion cuisine; if you’re looking for a seafood feast in Palma, why not head to one of these top restaurants.
With so much wonderful weather over most of the year, it stands to reason that most of the dining in Palma is done al fresco. Whether it’s rooftop restaurants, marina-side eateries, or seafront beach clubs, for the promise of accompanying your meal with a light warm breeze and blissful Mediterranean sunshine, take a look at these restaurants with the best terraces.
Palma restaurants – where to start? How about somewhere with a beautiful terrace for wining and dining in the warm Balearic air? Here’s our pick of the best.
What’s better than enjoying wonderful vistas over Palma? Accompanying it with a fabulous meal from one of the rooftop of the restaurants or bars in Palma. Whether it’s glimpses of the iconic cathedral, cityscape panoramas over the terracotta rooftops, or out towards the glistening sea, you’ll fall in love with the city all over again from these lofty vantage points.
Nothing gives a sense of freedom like being by the Med, paired with cocktails in the clouds. Discover now the coolest rooftop bars and restaurants in Palma!
Throughout the island, the best restaurants for lunch offer the “menú del día”, a set menu of two or three courses that more often than not includes a glass of wine – and Palma is certainly no exception. Not only do these tend to be excellent value for money, they give you the perfect excuse to enjoy a long lingering lunch, typical Spanish style.
Ritzi is my go-to for sophisticated Italian. Situated within boutique Hotel BO in atmospheric La Lonja, it’s a smart address to be pampered with excellent food and service. The interior is light and spacious, and the menu is enriched with the use of a special charcoal oven used for grilling steaks to perfection, and fresh fish straight from the nearby harbour. The three-course lunch menu is exceptionally good value.
One of my personal favourites, Sadrassana wins on every count for food, décor and ambience. With such sensuous surroundings – luxurious wallpaper, vintage mirrors and sparkling chandeliers – there’s a real sense of escapism when dining at the restaurant.This is the place to come at night for tapas and wonderful Mallorcan food (dinner only). Art takes centre stage beside the menu – one of Palma’s best-renowned galleries, Galeria Horrach Moya, is upstairs.
You rock up to El Camino without a booking, a laissez-faire start to eating at this gem of a restaurant, which doesn’t take reservations. A relatively new concept in Palma, El Camino is much like a traditional tapas bar save for the bar itself, which is the longest bar you’ve ever seen. The team, led by Eddie Hart, is great, as is the ambience; the food wonderfully fresh and flavoursome. Tapas for taste and style aficionados.
Mexican cuisine doesn’t get more authentic than at Manataco, situated on a cobbled street behind Paseo del Born. They are the only taco restaurant in Mallorca to use the traditional taco-making machine ‘màquina para trampo’ and to use recipes straight from the streets of Mexico City. Their interior is super funky with references to Mexican wrestling and Day of the Dead painted on bright yellow walls. The seating plan is open and relaxed which I love when casual dining with friends.
Ask five people what their favourite restaurant is in Santa Catalina, and the chances are three of them will say Duke. This is the place for a fun meet up with friends in a totally relaxed yet buzzy environment. Chef Ronny concocts Asian-inspired dishes packed with flavour, eschewing heavier ingredients like butter and cream in favour of healthier substitutes. Tacos, teriyaki, burgers, kebabs, falafel; they’re all great. I’ve loved Duke for years.
And now for something completely different. Clandestí Taller, hidden away in a unit not far from the San Juan gastronomic market, offers a unique concept. Up to 12 diners sit around a long bar watching two young chefs prepare their food, before eating together. Five courses of affordable deliciousness for lunch, and eight courses of loveliness for dinner, on selected nights; Mallorcan market cuisine experienced in a most enjoyable way.
On the outskirts of Santa Catalina is Stagier Bar, opened in 2018 by chef Joel Baeza and partner Andrea Sertzan. This intimate, laid-back restaurant consists of just seven tables – a real privilege when you realise how great the food is! Joel has worked in several Michelin restaurants, meaning that all his tapas dishes are served with a twist of flavour and a touch of magic. Don’t expect just ordinary Mediterranean cooking here, Joel knows how to incorporate his Chilean heritage into his cooking.
Testament to its excellence, Canela gets very busy at certain times so I do recommend visiting for lunch when things are usually calmer. Food is simply amazing at this former spice shop just off Jaime III; think sharing plates of fusion dishes delicacies like dim sum, scallops and tempura alongside more typical Mediterranean dishes. A Japanese-style bar at the rear of the restaurant lets you see the chefs at work.
Ok, it is undeniably expensive, but the stunning location and quality of food justify the price tag at Mar de Nudos. Eating here, right on the waterfront overlooking the yachts and the cathedral, is a special experience. As you’d expect, décor is chic and the Mediterranean seafood dishes, especially, are consistently excellent. You can also get great tapas and sushi. The sort of place that sparkles by night. Read more
The best Japanese in Palma, Arume has been working its magic for more than 10 years. Its success lies in the expertise of chef Tomeu Martí and team at fusing Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Mediterranean cuisine to mouth-watering effect. A fresh, modern dining space and open show kitchen make this spot just off Calle de Sant Miguel a lively, very pleasant place for lunch or dinner.
Situated right in the heart of Plaza de España (next to the train station), Andana is the ideal place for a hearty lunch or dinner. Maca de Castro is the chef behind this smart restaurant and holds a Michelin-star winner for her restaurant in Port de Alcúdia. All the produce comes from her sustainable farm and her menu changes depending on the season. I wouldn’t say this is a restaurant to just drop-by hastily before catching a train, Andana is really a place to take your time.
La Vieja is quite comfortably Palma’s trendiest place for tapas. There is no restaurant in the capital more hip and colourful than here. Expect to find delicious food served in innovative ways – forget the traditional white plate! Here head chef and owner Jonay Hernández is imaginative with food, bringing plenty of character and vibrancy to this quirky restaurant in Plaza Raimundo Clar.
Sometimes only great Thai will do, and Issan delivers perfectly. A team of Thai cooks take great care in preparing real Asian dishes, served in simple, chic surroundings. You can opt to eat at a bar looking into the open kitchen if you wish, watching the chefs do their authentic Thai thing. An exciting new addition to the burgeoning Santa Catalina food scene.
Opened in 2014 by Mallorcan born, Michelin-starred chef, Andreu Genestra, Aromata is located in the historic Sa Nostra Cultura Centre in Palma. I especially love Aromata for its beautiful 17th century courtyard and big stone archways – it just oozes that feeling of being in the Med. Andreu Genestra is one of Mallorca’s beloved chefs, owed to his back to the land approach to cuisine. A real local favourite.
Eat in the gorgeous garden, library room full of character or exquisite bar of Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden, home of Botànic. Proof that organic, super healthy cuisine need not be boring, this restaurant is pitch perfect. The leafy garden setting is just beautiful, which when combined with a well-priced menu and good wine pairing makes it one of my top favourites.
This Borne beauty is proof that restaurant food needn’t leave you feeling like you’ve overindulged. Dining on the gracious terrace above the leafy avenue is one of Palma’s nicest pleasures. Located within Can Alomar Luxury Boutique Hotel, the De Tokio a Lima menu fuses Japanese, Peruvian and Mediterranean influences to fresh, healthy and delicious effect. Desserts are a little naughtier, but irresistible. Not cheap but quality of food and specialness of surroundings is high.
Vandal is the wild card on my list. Imagine an edgy, busy, noisy restaurant in somewhere like New York’s Tribeca and you get the idea. The cocktails here are some of the best, inventive and absolutely delicious. The ambience here is dark and quite noisy which will not suit everyone but its highly creative cuisine and outstanding wine pairings definitely earn Vandal a top spot.
Dins is the new restaurant at the stylish El Lorenç Hotel which sees chef Santi Taura do exactly what he does best – deliver exceptional Mallorcan cuisine. Whenever Santi cooks there is always this lovely personal tone that makes you feel like he’s cooking just for you. Here it’s no different, Dins promises fabulous food from Mallorca’s most beloved chef.
This Argentinian-born chef is a big talent. He made his name on the tough Moscow restaurant scene and has not stopped since! His restaurant has shot to the top of our list for a superbly creative and well-priced lunch menu that should not go amiss in Palma. His food is reflective of his travels, bold in presentation and beautiful in flavour. If you have an important lunch date in Palma, Adrian Quetglas would be my top choice.
There are no shortage of eateries doing Mediterranean-Asian fusion cuisine, but Chef Simon Petutschnig is a master. Fera’s location is within a renovated palace just off El Borne. It has an exclusive air and lunch in particular is surprisingly good value. We’d certainly recommend dining in their beautiful garden, complete with tropical plants and palms. This is the restaurant for 2021 and is so worth a Michelin-star – we have our fingers crossed for them! Read more
As you can see from this list, variety is what makes the modern Mallorca food scene in Palma so exciting. Eating terrifically well in the capital city can be done at all price points – it just takes a little insider knowledge. I hope you’ll relish the challenge of seeking out those places that deliver unforgettable dining experiences. Your next A-grade lunch is just a step away in this beguiling Balearic city…289
As one of the more upmarket resorts on the island, it stands to reason that you can find some fabulous places to eat out in Puerto Pollensa – with excellent seafood usually taking top billing on menus. But the town’s dining scene is far from just aimed at the annual tourist influx, with many staying open year-round to cater to the local population and off-season visitor. While you’ll certainly find numerous eateries lining the beachfront promenade, be sure not to miss some of the rather special spots tucked away in and around the town.
Puerto Pollensa’s only fully vegan and vegetarian restaurant, Bellaverde offers an impressively lengthy animal-product-free menu that covers everything from curries and burgers to pastas and salads. Dishes are often inventive and bursting with flavour, with plenty of organic ingredients and an excellent list of local wines. An atmospheric courtyard setting with fig trees and lanterns add a little extra magic.
This family-run restaurant first opened its doors in 1998, and has been dedicated to offering diners Mallorcan cuisine with a contemporary twist ever since. It’s tucked away down a side street a block from the beach, with a pretty garden patio, and filling menu of local and Spanish dishes. The house wine is also exceptional and regular Flamenco nights add a little spice to the dining experience.
If you’re wondering where to find the best (and possibly biggest) pizza in town, look no further than this cordial Italian eatery. The menu also covers plenty of traditional Italian favourites, from freshly-made risotto to an excellent lasagne plus its gluten-free pizza is also as good as the real thing. Its Pine Walk setting means lovely sea views, but also means it gets very busy in the summer, so booking ahead is recommended.
For a romantic waterside dinner for two, you’ll struggle to find a better pick than La Terrassa. It’s the terrace restaurant of the upmarket Hotel Illa d’Or, located in the serene Pine Walk at the northern end of the bay. The menu is gourmet Mediterranean and time your reservation right and you’ll be treated to a glorious sunset over the bay. If it’s a little too fresh for al fresco, the more formal 1929 indoors offers a good value table d’hôte as well as a frequently changing à la carte menu.
The restaurant belonging to the Bahia Hotel on Pine Walk, this eatery scores high on both setting and seafood. One of its two terraces sits beachside under pine trees where you can accompany your meal with those lovely views over the bay. It serves one of the best paellas in the port, too, plus there’s enough on the menu to keep carnivores and vegetarians happy.
One of the newest eateries to open in the port, everything about Abbaco says modern and fresh. The menu jumps around between Mediterranean, South America and Asian cuisines, with an excellent sushi selection alongside the likes of Peruvian ceviche, organic salads and suckling lamb. It’s all beautifully presented plus their beach-facing terrace provides the perfect spot to soak up the bay views. Tip: an off-menu vegan taster menu has had diners raving.
Just neighbouring La Llonja Restaurant along the quay, the port’s sailing club also offers one of its finest dining options. Top quality seafood here, too, is the order of the day with a focus on locally caught fish. It is particularly famous for its lobster stew and outstanding paella, as well as a choice of surprisingly good value wines. Open year round, it attracts mostly well-heeled locals and local ex-pats, who come for the superb views as much as the excellent dining.
Located in the port’s former fish market, it should be no surprise that this is the place to come for outstanding seafood. Gastronomic inspiration comes from the Mediterranean via Mallorca with market fresh seasonal ingredients and innovative twists. Meals are accompanied by views from marina-front terrace or first-floor panoramic dining room, plus there’s a more casual cantina serving tapas and other less formal fare.
This inconspicuous little restaurant only has around a dozen tables, so you’ll want to book ahead to guarantee yours. Cuisine is certainly a cut above, offering a top-quality choice of artfully presented dishes that circumnavigate the globe from South American to the Far East and back to the Mediterranean. Prices aren’t the cheapest, but you’ll definitely taste what you’re paying for.
Opened back in 1972, Stay can certainly claim to be one of the port’s more established eateries. Located on the jetty enclosing part of the marina, its sea-view setting is big a selling point, with plenty of alfresco terrace from which to enjoy the sea breeze. A weekly-changing set menu mixes Asian cuisine with local specialities, plus an à la carte menu offers an excellent choice of seafood. Being open year round also makes it particularly popular with locals. Read more
While most of the restaurants in Puerto Pollensa shutter over the winter months, there are still more than a handful of quality eateries open year round to cater to the town’s permanent population. Also, as the visitor numbers swell, so do the dining options, which boast an impressive diversity that ranges from hearty traditional Mallorcan fare and top-quality seafood to the likes of gluten-free pizzas and meat-free menus.
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