Those who have lived in Mallorca for some time will tell you that it takes a while to build up a strong repertoire of go-to local restaurants. It’s a sector that changes a lot in Mallorca: new restaurants pop up, chefs move on and concepts quickly adapt to new trends. It’s fast-moving so when the locals settle on a place that they really love word spreads fast within the local community.
Here, Dr Helen Cummins has curated her list of the top restaurants in Mallorca that score highly amongst those who live here – either permanently or for several months of the year. Most of the restaurants have been regarded as favourites for years, but there are also some newer entries that, despite not being open for very long, quickly warmed the hearts of the locals.
Find out below which restaurants the locals love in Mallorca and which one in particular wowed us enough to take the top spot!
22. Arrels by Marga Coll - Illetas
Located within the adults-only Meliá hotel in Illetes is Arrels by Marga Coll, an authentic Balearic culinary experience. In her approach, she prioritises delicious Mallorcan recipes using local ingredients. From the cheeses of Mahón to the vegetables from Inca market, Marga is passionate about keeping her cooking connected to the island. Her dishes arrive plated on beautiful tile boards and the cutlery is wrapped up in the ‘Cloth of Tongues’ (a traditional Mallorcan print). The tasting menu is exceptional and her 5-course breakfast (which takes over two hours) is as famous as its dinner counterpart.
21. Aromata - Palma
Michelin star chef Andreu Genestra lights up the Palma culinary scene at his 17th-century restaurant, Aromata. The historic building is the Sa Nostra Cultura Centre, situated minutes from the Paseo del Born and Avenida Jaume III. Inside, the quintessential Mallorcan courtyard and ancient stone arches transport diners to a simpler, more elegant time. Genestra’s ‘back to the land’ ethos forms a necessary approach to cooking that’s based on minimal mileage. The menu at Aromata is representative of the native classics – coca, pork fillet with sobrasada sauce and a marbled almond cake to name but three. Our insider tip: go at lunch for an utterly reasonable midday menu.
20. DINS Santi Taura - Palma
Situated in a historical settlement just metres from the Cathedral, DINS Santi Taura explores Mallorca’s fascinating culinary past. Island chef Santi Taura interprets old recipes and reinterprets them from a contemporary point of view. His vision and skilled approach won the restaurant a Michelin star in 2020, adding to an already impressive number of awards for El Llorenç Parc de la Mar. Diners are welcome to sit around a horseshoe bar to watch Santi Taura at work, where he brings together seasonal ingredients of local origin.
19. Mola - Palma
Basking in all-day sunshine from its prime position opposite the Santa Catalina Market, Mola seductively beckons passers-by to indulge in a long lazy meal. Opening in 2021, Mola is the sister restaurant to Mola Italia in Can Pastilla – known for authentic Italian fare (and not a pizza in sight!). This latest outpost leans toward fresh Mediterranean -Asian cuisine, with hints of flavours from far-off lands such as Peru, Hawaii, and Morocco. The weekday ‘Lunchbreak Menu’ offers a wonderful sample of such flavours with a changing 3-course menu, while the a la carte selection allows diners to stick with the firm favourites Mola has become known for.
18. Fera - Palma
Incorporating philosophies of feng shui with sensuous design and striking contemporary art in a beautifully restored old palace, Fera scores high on aesthetics. But it’s the inventive menu of ‘Borderless Mediterranean’ fusion cooking combining the local with the exotic that takes this restaurant to the next level. Chef Simon Petutschnig combines the flavours of the East with the best ingredients from the Mediterranean. Impossible to resist and so worthy of a Michelin star.
17. AmázO - Puerto Pollensa
Puerto Pollensa has no scarcity of great restaurants but AmázO on Calle de Formentor, with its striking Amazonian-themed interior and handsome gold and emerald facade, plays a welcome role in the neighbourhood. Chef and owner Raul Lopez Perez is at the reigns in the kitchen presenting a smooth South American-influenced menu with some subtle fusion undertones. He has travelled the world for years taking note of different cuisines and it shows. AmázO is a mix of various cultures, but its primary focus is on influences from South America. Insider tip: choose the Chocolate Surprise at the end for a fiery golden spectacle revealing melt-in-the-mouth carob (‘algarroba’) inside.
16. Le Bistro Ocho Kitchen - Palma
Lucky ones might stumble across Ocho Kitchen – the cosy yet refined culinary offering from the boutique hotel, Ocho Suites. Situated in a lovingly reformed townhouse from 1890, this restaurant is more than just a luxury add-on. It is a destination in its own right. A lovely enthusiastic team, an open kitchen and top-quality ingredients combine to introduce Palma to a taste of Scandinavia – and all at an attractive price point. The kitchen describes itself as a French bistro, but the hotel’s Nordic roots are impossible not to notice.
15. Cabra Blanca - Santa Maria del Camí
Although tucked just off Santa Maria’s main street, Cabra Blanca is unmissable, if you’ll only look up. Perched proudly on the restaurant’s rooftop is a white goat, the statue a lucky find by Cabra Blanca’s German restaurateur owners and clearly destined to serve as the location’s mascot. Opening on Valentine’s Day 2022, the stylish restaurant has fast become a local favourite bringing something new to the Santa Maria dining scene with an enticing menu of fresh Mediterranean flavours served in an elegant yet homely setting.
14. Neni - Port Sóller
“You are what you share,” reads the menu at NENI, the large indoor-outdoor restaurant located in the attractive Bikini Island and Mountain Hotel in Port de Sóller. The food takes inspiration from Israeli, Lebanese, and Mediterranean cuisines, with purposeful adaptions to Mallorcan ingredients. This is the place to take your time, feel free and completely switch off. At NENI, everything is fresh flair and fun.
13. Nus - Palma
Striving away from the more baroque spaces in Santa Catalina, NUS proposes a concept that revolves around honest simplicity, with quality and care for the dishes at its core. Chef Irene Martinez, with an impressive gastronomic curriculum including Arume and Santi Taura’s Dins, and an endless list of places that have served as inspiration, has now embarked on her own journey doing what she knows best: providing hearty Asian-inspired food rooted in tradition that follows the natural flows of local produce. NUS offers a succulent presentation of made-to-share food that fills the table with colour and heartfelt dishes, such as delicious red shrimp omelette, lemon fish nigiri, delicate tuna tartar or traditional Chinese sea bass.
12. El Vicenç - Cala Sant Vicenç
Situated in the 5-star Hotel El Vicenç de la Mar, Restaurant El Vicenç delivers on location and taste. A setting like this – overlooking one of the most beautiful coves on the island – calls for impeccable food, and acclaimed chef Santi Taura delivers yet again at his latest outpost. The à la carte and tasting menu focus on local produce, even more specifically from the north of the island, melding traditional Mallorcan flavours with unique and inspired twists. Taura’s menus read like a Mallorcan cookbook, and now, the recipient of two Repsol Suns and a Michelin star for his DINS restaurant in Palma, brings his ‘Santi-style’ take on traditional cuisine and international classics to the north of the island.
11. Tramuntana Grill at La Residencia - Deià
Surrounded by unparalleled views over the Deià rooftops and backdropped by the high mountains and magnific sea views, Tramuntana Grill offers a true Mediterranean rooftop experience at the heart of the La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel in Deià. Overseen by Executive Chef Guillermo Méndez, it offers refined dishes elaborated with local and sustainable ingredients based on a KM0 concept. Some favourites: grilled watermelon salad and charcoal-cooked market crayfish.
10. Arume - Palma
Located on Calle San Miguel, Arume is everything you’d expect from a chef who loves Eastern and Spanish cuisine in equal measure. Menu highlights include sea urchin parcels in tempura, hosomaki and the dim sum of duck, foie and shitake mushrooms. And just when you think the concept is totally Asian, chef Tomeu Martí surprises you with dashes of Mallorcan goat cheese. A monthly-changing tasting menu also seals the deal.
9. Mambo - Palma
Elegance, sophistication and refined food – Mambo brings to Palma all the elements for an utmost enjoyable experience with the feel of a big-city bistro. The classy urban style of the décor, the real-life show behind the open kitchen and the balanced selection of tapas and dishes, give Mambo the right to be considered one of the best spots in Palma. The chef who brings this whole experience to life is Gabriel Conti, originally from Brazil, who after a career in Barcelona, is now following his vocation in his most personal project to date. Mambo possesses a serene atmosphere, but once the dishes start to hit the table, is when the true experience of Mambo comes to light.
8. Oliu - Andratx
Still a hotspot since its 2013 opening, Oliu dishes up a delicious take on modern Mediterranean. Everything on the menu is local and where possible, picked from their own organic vegetable garden. Chef and owner Joan Parcel Balaguer sets the creative direction, serving up a tasting menu that puts a spin on Mallorcan cooking with an emphasis on seasonal products. Oysters with passion fruit caipirinha, braised veal marrow with pickled vegetables and truffle sachets in shitake sauce are only some of their exceptional offerings.
7. Adelfas by Jens - Santa Ponsa
Jens Bräuning and wife Nicole are the driving force behind Adelfas by Jens, a gourmet restaurant in the residential area of Nova Santa Ponsa. Santa Ponsa is not where foodies usually swarm to, but Adelfas is changing that with the warm, friendly and attentive service, and the delicious locally-sourced Mediterranean menu presented on a large lush green terrace. The exquisite menu is a regularly changing delight of seasonal plates. Great ingredients sing – the strawberry gazpacho, winter cod pil pil style with Mallorca calçots (leeks) and warm lemon biscuit with milk froth ice cream were highlights when we visited.
6. Vida by UM - Palma
Nestled in magnificent Palma Bay, port-side restaurant VIDA instantly transports you from the city to the jungle with its Amazon-inspired decor behind the superyachts moored in the marina. Paired with UM Beach House in Puerto Portals and Tree House, the new trendy rooftop experience, VIDA is the perfect escape from reality. Those dining can expect to be taken on a Mediterranean gastronomic journey, with a great emphasis on sustainability and the freshest local produce. Expect grilled made-to-share meats and fresh raw fish served on wooden boards and placed in the centre of the table, or sit by the open kitchen to witness dishes come to life by the hand of some of the island’s best chefs. VIDA also specialises in wine, with an extensive list of 170 of the best bodegas covering every corner of the globe. And as the night falls over the Bay, the vibrant blend of Latin American folk and jungle DJ music will do wonders to spice up the experience.
5. Ocre - Santanyí
Designed for those who appreciate the Mediterranean aesthetic, Can Ferrereta is all about serene luxury. Not at all surprising when you hear that its creators are from Hotel Sant Francesc in Palma. And while the old palace interior wows, the food is anything but an afterthought. At Ocre, vibrant young chef Carlos García spotlights the finest ingredients of the Med with a strong focus on local ingredients. Head chef Àlvar Albaladejo oversees the kitchen, but front-of-house matches in equal professionalism. Maître d’ and team work together just like a family and the chefs cheerfully greet their guests after dining – remembering each of their dishes to a tee. This is intimate dining in one of Santanyi’s most luxurious hotels. Our tip: visit on market day for a great lunchtime menu.
4. Sebastian - Deià
The German-Irish husband and wife team have been running this wonderful restaurant since 1994 in Deià, and it is still going strong. It is housed in an 18th-century former stable, which retains plenty of its rustic charm and fabulous views over the surrounding mountains. A seasonally-changing menu features mostly Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, with Asian twists adding a touch of the exotic. There’s also a menu of specials. Sebastian heads to Palma’s Mercat de l’Olivar; although he has trusted suppliers for most produce, he also likes to see what’s available on the market stalls.
3. Fusion19 - Muro
Travelling and working his way across the Mediterranean, Japan and Latin America, chef Javier Hoebeck ultimately returned to his native Mallorca, settling at Fusion 19 (owned by Grupo Boulevard) in 2016. Quickly progressing to Head Chef in 2017, an evolution with Javier at the helm saw Fusion 19 awarded a coveted Michelin Star. The 13-course menu is delivered in 5 stages, following the path of Javier’s travels and highlighting his gastronomic influences along the way. Expect carefully considered, expertly crafted dishes – some a single morsel, others more substantial, but all demonstrating Javier’s great knowledge of, and respect for, fresh flavours and provenance. Read more
2. VORO - Canyamel
Álvaro Salazar runs the kitchens of VORO, awarded two Michelin stars and two Repsol suns, with mastery and skill. Situated within the Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, VORO is a gastronomic journey, an experience to be enjoyed with calm and curiosity, paying homage to Mediterranean cuisine and its surroundings. The cuisine is without constraints yet committed to its environment and its roots, offering a daring and exciting gastronomic experience, where the produce is used in full in each of its dishes. Available in two tasting menus in constant evolution and an extensive list of national and international wines.
