Article published on July 17, 2014 in LF Recommends
The Lucas Fox team share their Top 10 places to eat out on the wonderful island of Mallorca
Check out the latest insider info on restaurants from Lucas Fox Mallorca. Our top 10 places to eat out on this wonderful island. We have picked our favourites from both inside the gastronomic hub of the capital city of Palma plus some off the beaten-track gems elsewhere on the island.
Shhh though… Don’t tell everyone. That way, we can always get a table…
Our 5 Best Restaurants outside Palma
Almez Restaurant, S’Olivaret Hotel
This restaurant is located within the boutique hotel S’Olivaret, a 200 year old Mallorcan finca positioned at the top of a beautiful winding road in the very heart of the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range. The restaurant takes its name from the centenary tree (Almez) presiding in the main entrance.
Having recently undergone a refurbishment, this beautiful restaurant offers delicious modern cooking based on traditional Mediterranean recipes. The service is second to none – the staff is courteous and attentive and nothing is too much trouble. There is also an excellent wine list. However the really special thing about this place is the breathtaking scenery. Nothing beats having a pre-dinner cocktail on the terrace overlooking the stunning mountains – you will literally feel on top of the world.
S’Olivaret Hotel
Ctra Alaró – Orient Km 3
+34 971 510 889
Ca Na Toneta
A wonderful Mallorcan restaurant where you never know exactly what will be on the menu, which owner sisters Maria and Teresa Solivellas claim “seeks harmony and is inspired by our ancestor’s eating habits.”
The menu is based on a Mediterranean diet using only in-season produce. They employ cooking techniques and recipes inspired by tradition and do what hardly any other restaurants do anymore – their restaurant changes as the seasons change; you won’t find aubergine here in winter. There is always an abundance of fresh vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden which they use to “recover the prominence they used to have in the healthy islanders’ diet.”
As well as the food, the location is wonderful – the village of Caimari is set in the foothills of the mountain range Sierra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage site, and is surrounded by the natural beauty of Central Mallorca. This is a genuine foodie experience and one not to be missed.
Horitzó, 21
07314 Caimari
+34 971 515 226
Casa Manolo
“It all started one cold day on February 15th 1945…”
This is how this charming little restaurant introduces itself. Juan d’es Bodegón, from Jaén in Andalucia, with his Mallorcan wife, Apolonia, opened the doors to their little bar nearly seventy years ago. It is still run by the family, including Manolo, who in 1990 made it into the restaurant it is today, with the same façade and interior.
This wonderful little place is a Mallorcan institution for those in the know and is famous for its fresh fish and seafood including lobster stew and fish baked in salt.
And the best bit? Manolo will be there to greet you and show you to your table just like he always has.
Located next to the church
Ses Salines
+34 971 649 130
Es Guix
Between Caimari and the Monastery of Lluc, near Pollença, there is a mountain path leading to this wonderfully isolated Mallorcan restaurant. Surrounded by rock outcrops, beside a natural lake surrounded by trees and almost hidden among oak groves and wild vegetation, you will find Es Guix in a converted stone hunting lodge in a truly beautiful setting.
Sit outside in the shade and enjoy the best suckling pig on the island. But before sampling the renowned menu of mountain dishes, be sure to have an invigorating dip in the spring-water swimming pool.
You’ll never find anywhere else like it.
C/Baix s/n
07315 Escorca
+34 971 517 092
Restaurante Colón
Gourmets from all over the world regard Restaurante Colón as a place to really indulge in some outstandingly creative haute cuisine – but appreciate that it keeps a certain Mallorcan charm. Since 1999 Colón has offered classics of the Mediterranean culinary art, sophisticated new compositions and mouth-watering delicacies from chef Dieter Sögner’s home country of Austria. All dishes are prepared with selected seasonal ingredients, accompanied by wines from their impressive wine list and served in a wonderfully serene atmosphere.
The restaurant itself has an architecturally appealing colonial style ambiance and is located in the picturesque seaport village of Portocolom on the marvellous southeast coast.
C/Cristobal Colón 7
07670 Portocolom
+34 971 824 783
Our 5 Best Restaurants in Palma
Bar Flexas
A very cool spot for some authentic tapas in Palma Old Town. This is a lively locals’ bar off the tourist trail and has a cool, retro feel. Try the marinated salmon and the anchovies in vinegar – simply divine.
C/Llotgeta 12
Palma de Mallorca
+34 971 425 938
Canela Bistro
Inside this former spice shop (canela is cinnamon in Spanish), on a narrow street just off the main central shopping area in Palma, is this delightful family run restaurant. The decor and ambiance is warm and inviting, and the food is creative and delicious. The tapas have an Asian influence and the steamed dumplings and ceviche are to die for. The impressive wine list includes some great local wines too. A must visit for city dining.
C/Sant Jaume 13
Palma de Mallorca
+34 971 710 314
www.facebook.com/canela.santjaume
Casa Fernando
Casa Fernando is located on the outskirts of Palma de Mallorca, just off the beach promenade of Ciudad Jardín. They opened in 1980 serving simple homemade dishes and tapas and the fish they served was caught on a llaüt, a typical Mallorcan boat, which still can be seen on the roof of the restaurant.
Over the years and after several reforms, Casa Fernando is now a top class restaurant, while still retaining its simplicity. They specialise in fresh fish and seafood, all of which is displayed in a 4m tank inside the restaurant. Customers can choose whatever they fancy to eat, and then the fish or seafood is weighed to calculate the price and sent to the kitchen to be cooked.
You can’t get any fresher than that!
C/Trafalgar 27
Ciuidad Jardín
Coll d’en Rabassa
Palma de Mallorca
+34 971 265 417
www.restaurantecasafernando.com
Koh
A wonderful Thai/Asian restaurant run by some charming chaps who source their ingredients from the amazing nearby Santa Catalina market and their own vegetable garden in Puigpunyent, all of which comes across in the fresh flavours of the dishes.
Start the evening off with their speciality kumquat gin and tonic in the patio by the herb garden, swiftly followed by delicious prawn and crab dumplings and the fantastic Thai green prawn and chicken curry with jasmine rice. Wonderfully tasty food and a cosy, convivial, relaxed atmosphere in the newly fashionable area of Palma.
C/Servet 15
Santa Catalina
Palma de Mallorca
+34 971 287 039
Toque de Queda
A new hotspot in Palma. Toque de Queda has breathed a new lease of life into the historic building of a once famous bakery Forn Cremat. This recently opened champagne bar/restaurant offers a delightful selection of champagnes and cavas and gourmet products to indulge in. Try the sharing platters of cold meats with a specially made cocktail and enjoy the atmosphere in this characterful little venue.
C/Can Cavallería 15b
Palma de Mallorca
