Restaurants

There are restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets and to enjoy the most typical and tastiest dishes of the island and also the most sophisticated or specialized restaurants serving fish or a large variety of tapas.

Restaurant owners and chefs are performing an essential task for the conservation of Mallorcan culinary tradition but also for the international recognition of the island’s new cuisine. They preserve local products and flavours in traditional dishes and maintain their interest in innovating and updating Mallorcan cuisine.

Several Mallorcan restaurants are included in the best international restaurant guides, such as the Michelin guide. Five restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars. In addition, traditional and innovative gastronomic fairs have been taking place in Mallorca for several years. Some examples are the Cuttlefish Fair in Alcúdia, the Dolphin Fish Fair in Cala Ratjada and the Wild Mushroom Fair in Mancor de la Vall, as well as other fairs devoted exclusively to “butifarró”, paprika, vermicelli, olives, honey and almonds.

Those who want to order a typical Mallorcan dish like “arròs brut” (rice soup with vegetables, game and Mallorcan sausages), Mallorcan “sopes” (dry bread and vegetable soup), aubergines stuffed with minced pork or “tumbet” ( a dish made with fried aubergines, peppers and potatoes), should go to a “celler” (a restaurant serving Mallorcan dishes).

Nowadays, restaurants that do not specialize in Mallorcan cuisine include some of these dishes in their menus. You will find “cellers” all over the island. They use old winery furniture and recipes belonging to traditional and local cuisine. Restaurants serving the exquisite Mallorcan “Pa amb Oli” are located in Palma, mainly in the area of Santa Catalina, and in the other towns of Mallorca. It is made with delicious brown bread, Mallorcan branch tomatoes, virgin olive oil, split olives, ham, cheese and exquisite Mallorcan sausages (butifarró, sobrassada and camaiot). Most fish restaurants are located in the Port of Palma, Port d’Andratx, Portocolom, Port de Sóller, Port d’Alcudia, Puerto Portals and Port de Pollença, among other areas.

A typical Mallorcan menu includes a wide variety of dishes given the richness of its cuisine. However, a sample menu could consist of “arròs brut” or Mallorcan “sopes” for starters, fish (dolphin fish with fried peppers) or meat (rabbit with onion or thrushes with cabbage) for the main course and ensaimada, “gató” (almond sponge) or almond ice cream for dessert.

Mallorcan wines are renowned in and outside Mallorca for their great quality. They have received two designations of origin: “Binissalem” and “Pla i Llevant”. Excellent table wines are also produced on the island (“Vi de la Serra de Tramuntana” and “Vi de la Terra Illes Balears”). Mallorca also has genuine and unique liqueurs, such as the internationally renowned sweet and dry herbs and “palo”, as well as sweet orange and almond liqueurs.

Chefs are the soul of Mallorcan cuisine. They are responsible to a large extent for preserving traditional cuisine and promoting the most modern and innovative cuisine to its highest standards achieving national and international recognition. Nowadays, young chefs are recovering the traditional cuisine. They take on the responsibility of preserving the island’s culinary heritage, which is equivalent to the artistic and landscape heritages and is a sign of Mallorcan identity.