Palma Restaurants

For a relatively small island with a population of less than one million, there is a surprising high number of 1,200 restaurants offering excellent local cuisine made with produce they cultivate including “tumbet” (ratatouille of aubergines, potatoes and peppers in olive oil), frit mallorqui (fried offal with potatoes, onions and tomatoes), rabbit in onions, roast suckling pig, shoulder of lamb, stuffed meats such as “sobrasada” and “botifarrones or fish like fried red mullet, boiled scorpion fish, or toothed bream Mallorcan style

Desserts and pastries are not Mallorca’s strong point with most of them of Arab and Jewish derivation. Helado (ice cream) and flan (creme caramel) are widely served and it is worth sampling ensaimadas which are fluffy, spiral-shaped pastries dusted with sugar and filled with anything from pumpkin jam to sausage. Local cheeses include Mahon from Menorca and Manchego from central Spain.

Cerveza (Spanish beer) is available everywhere; the sherry is always fine, dry and chilled and coñac or Spanish brandy comes in a baffling variety of bottles and is added to coffee at any time of day. There are not many local wines but you will find an extensive choice from those produced on mainland Spain.

Non-alcoholic drinks are freshly squeezed orange juice (zumo de naranja), orxata (almond milk), café solo (a small shot of strong black coffee), tea and manzanilla (camomile) for those who want a relaxing drink.

Listed below are just a small selection of recommended restaurants.

Anima Sea Lounge
Carrer Pins 17, Cala Estancia, Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 745 437 Fax: +34 971 745 438
www.animasealounge.com

Restaurant right on the sea and harbour front at Can Pastilla serving Asian and Mediterranean fusion cuisine of creative, signature dishes An ideal venue with a breezy terrace spacious dining room with minimalist setting and music.

Koldo Royo Restaurant
Ingeniero Gabriel Roca, 3
Paseo Marítimo - Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 73 24 35 Fax: +34 971 73 86 47
www.koldoroyo.com

Located in Palma's Paseo Maritimo this restaurant is owned and managed by one of the best Spanish chefs. The less formal bistro is on the ground floor and serves quality dishes in a simple and friendly. The classic restaurant is on the upper floor with views over the harbour, white tablecloths, abstract food pictures on the walls and soft lights. The a la Carte menu is a mix of Mediterranean and modern cuisine mixing traditional Spanish dishes with White beans with clams soup next to the Oysters salad with frozen sea water. We recommend the set menu of 5 dishes, but be prepared to sit there for a while.

Caballito de Mar
Paseo Sagrera 5 (corner with La Lonja square)
07012 Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 72 10 74
www.caballitodemar.info

Situated in the busy restaurant area of La Lonja in Palma's old town, Caballito de Mar has recently undergone a facelift and now has a modern and intimate interior. It has an ample terrace on the square surrounded by palm trees. It is a good place to try “pescado a la sal” (fish baked in rock salt), or or lobster "Caldereta" (lobster, almond and tomato soup). It is a good place to eat if you do not want to stay in the centre of Palma and have some good Spanish-style fish.

Fabrica 23
Santa Catalina
Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 453 125
www.fabrica23.com

Situated in the former fishing village of Santa Catalina this restaurant has been featured and recommended in many gourmet journals and magazines. It is a bistro offering modern Mediterranean cooking with some good vegetarian options and a great set lunch. The menu changes on a daily basis according to what is available at the nearby market. It is a very popular restaurant so make sure you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Chopin
Puigdorfila 2 (between Conquistador and Plaza Mercat), Palma
Tel: +34 971 723 556
www.restaurantechopin.com

Close to Palma's Cathedral and the town hall square, the Chopin restaurant is one of Palma's most exclusive and elegant restaurants. You will be served the freshest and best quality food, as the Swedish owner is well known for accepting only the best.

Chopin serves French and international cuisine with dishes including salad with warm goose liver, ravioli of turbot, prawns with ginger and lemon grass sauce or fillet of John Dory with clams, tomatoes, basil and steamed potatoes. There is an inside terrace which is a delightful place to dine.

El Bungalow
Esculls, 2 Ciudad Jardin, Palma
Tel: +34 971 262 738

With a beautiful terrace on the beach of Ciudad Jardin, this restaurant serves a wide variety of local fresh fish and great paellas. This restaurant is always busy and service can be slow so make sure you go when you have time to relax and book your table in advance.

Restaurant Tristan
Puerto Portals, Calvia
Tel: +34 971 67 55 47 (Restaurant) +34 971 67 61 41 (Bistro)
www.tristan-restaurant.com

Awarded two Michelin stars, this restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Mallorca offering creative, sophisticated and elaborate cuisine. The restaurant has been featured in many guides and is a place for gourmets and connoisseurs. It has a large terrace overlooking Puerto Portal in Calvia, and is a popular place for the yachtsmen and rich and famous glitterati visiting the island.

Around the corner the Tristan Bistro offers a daily changing fresh variety depending on what is available at the market and is the place for more informal and relaxed dinners. The Bistro is open only during the summer.

Casa Fernando
Trafalgar 27
Ciudad Jardín
Tel: +34 971 265 417

In the Ciudad Jardin area of Palma this Spanish restaurant serves the best fish, which fresh deliveries every day which are cooked to perfection. And the bill is prepared in the old style according to weight.

La Boveda
Calle Botería 3, La Lonja
Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 714 863/+34 971 720 026 (Taberna)

One of Palma’s most popular restaurants, serving Basque-Catalan food. La Boveda is the best place in Palma for tapas, and just around the corner you will find Taberna de La Boveda which serves the same style of food in a slightly different atmosphere with a large terrace.

If you are planning to explore the area outside of the city centre and play some golf or go to some of the more out of the way beaches then you might consider hiring a car. There are a number of car hire firms based at Palma Airport who will be pleased to have a vehicle awaiting your arrival. This also cuts down on transfer costs for you and your family.

We also provide information on other sporting and leisure amenities in Palma including an Area Guide, the best Palma Shopping Areas, Local Markets in Palma, Golf Courses in Palma, the different types of Palma Beaches and recommended Restaurants in Palma. If you are looking for things to keep you occupied and if you want to find out something about the local culture and history of the island, visit our Palma Local Attractions Guide If you are here on a family holiday then we have put together a Palma guide to amusement parks for great days out.