26 Best Restaurants in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, Spain

Adrián Quetglas, an Argentinian-born chef of Mallorcan descent, cooked in some of the finest kitchens in London, Paris, and Moscow before he returned to Mallorca in 2015 to launch this solo venture. Despite having been awarded a Michelin star, Quetglas remains committed to the democratization of fine dining and to delivering the pleasure of high-end gastronomy to a wider audience. His five-course lunchtime tasting menu is a steal at €55, while seven courses in the evening will set you back €85.

A Menorca institution set above Cala Sa Mesquida, a short drive from Mahón, Cap Roig owes its well-deserved fame to the quality of its seafood and the splendor of its views. The mussels from the port of Mahón are excellent, as is the lobster, which can be served grilled, in a stew, or as part of one of the restaurant's celebrated rice dishes or paellas. 

Local culinary wunderkind Santi Taura is using his eponymous restaurant in the El Llorenç Parc de la Mar hotel to explore historical recipes of the island, served in an ultrachic, contemporary setting. Some of the most emblematic dishes include panada de peix de roca—a "Mallorcan dim sum" of rock fish pie, believed to be one of the oldest recipes on the island—and a dish of rabbit with lobster, which combines the sea and the mountains. Try to get a seat at the counter, where the charismatic chef presents his creations in three different languages.

Originally a flour mill, this is the oldest building in the village of Sant Climent, and both the atmosphere and the food are exceptional. Taste seasonal dishes, which can include prawn carpaccio with cured Mahón cheese and guacamole, black paella with monkfish and squid, and carrilleras de ternera (beef cheeks) with potato. End with some local cheese, ice cream, and figs. In summer, book a table on the terrace. With a brewery on the premises, visible behind glass, you'll know what to drink.

While Palma suffers no dearth of rough-and-ready eateries, Marc Fosh has little or no competition in the fine-dining category. The renowned chef Marc Fosh offers several tasting menus, which are executed superbly, with the best local seasonal produce transformed into remarkable dishes with surprising twists. The restaurant occupies the glorious medieval former refectory of the Mission of San Vicente de Paul, with high vaulted ceilings, a 210-foot gallery with stone arches, and an interior courtyard. White walls display contemporary art, and the smaller dining room has palm trees growing through the ceiling. The lunchtime menu, priced from €29.50, is a steal.

In the leafy garden of the Can Bordoy boutique hotel, Botànic is a plant-forward restaurant that also features locally sourced meat and fish. The menu is inspired by the cuisines of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Mexico, but firmly rooted in Mediterranean flavors.

On an island known for its excellent paellas, fresh fish and seafood, Ca Na Marga is famed for its top-quality steak, served with a choice of sauce, including green peppercorn or Mahón cheese sauce. Balearic specialties such as lamb shank with thyme and grilled rabbit are also a good bet.

Seafood doesn't get much fresher than here, as the owners' boat docks nearby every day except Sunday. The relaxed atmosphere welcomes either a quick bite or a full dining experience. The house specialty, arroz caldoso de langosta (lobster and rice stew), is very impressive, as are the carpaccio d'emperador (thin slices of swordfish marinated in lemon, salt, and olive oil), cigalas (crayfish), lobster with onion, and grilled navajas (razor clams).

Ibiza might pride itself on its seafood, but there comes a time for meat and potatoes. When that time comes, take the 20-minute drive to the outskirts of Santa Gertrudis to this family-style roadside restaurant where you can feast on skewers of barbecued sobrasada (sausage), goat chops, and slow-cooked lamb. Most of the ingredients are from the restaurant's own farms. Diners can choose to eat at the long wooden tables on the terrace.

This simple waterfront restaurant, at the east end of the harbor promenade, is a local favorite. The lunchtime crowd comes for the platter of lightly fried mixed fish with potatoes; knowledgeable clients home in on local specialties like cap-roig (scorpionfish) with garlic and wine sauce, or paella bogavante (with clawed lobster). The menu takes a major leap in price for the €75 spiny lobster, a delicacy prepared in a variety of ways. The prix-fixe lunch is a good value at €15.

Rice reigns supreme at upscale El Rais, but that doesn’t mean it’s all paella. There are starters like prawn gyozas, cured Menorcan beef, and red tuna belly with salt-cured yolk and caviar. In addition to the rice-centric options—which naturally extend to rice pudding for dessert—find wood-fired vegetables, seafood, fish, and meat dishes.

The real magic of Ibiza can only be discovered when you head off the beaten track, and Es Boldado proves it. Getting here requires a bumpy ride down a dirt track off the main road that links Sant Josep de la Talaia with the beautiful beaches at Cala d'Hort, but the reward more than makes up for it. Don't expect snooty waiters and white tablecloths; instead come for the giant plates of fresh seafood paella and mesmerizing views of the turquoise sea stretching all the way to Es Vedrà island. 

A great place for a lunch of typical local cuisine, this restaurant is in an old windmill at the west end of Es Mercadal, on the ME1 about halfway between Mahón and Ciutadella and roughly 4 km (2½ miles) from El Toro. Menorcan specialties include squid stuffed with anglerfish and shrimp, and chicken with centollo (spider crab). It has fortress-grade, whitewashed stone walls and low vaulted ceilings, and a constant air of cheerful bustle that pulls in locals and visitors alike. On warm summer days, arrive early to claim a table on the terrace. The sopa menorquina is excellent.

This former bakery turned restaurant (forn means "bakery" or "oven" in Mallorquin) dates back to the 19th century and features exposed brick walls, patterned floor tiles, modern art, and picture-perfect Mediterranean tapas. There’s a cocktail bar on the ground floor that overlooks the street, and one of the three distinct dining areas is the area where bread dough was once prepared. There’s a good-value three-course lunchtime fixed-price menu.

Hoyo19 (or Hole 19) overlooks the golf course, but locals come here to enjoy the serenity and beautiful green setting, just a 10-minute drive from Santa Eulària. Open all year, from breakfast onwards, the menu focuses on Mediterranean haute cuisine, with superb rice dishes cooked over a wood fire and excellent locally sourced meat and fish options.

This five-table establishment, where the chef cooks behind the bar, is where locals flock to feast on curveball-flavored croquetas (think: prawn and kimchi) and slices of brioche towering with toppings, such as sticky chipotle pork and lemon-mayo squid. Come to get your fingers greasy, chin gooey, and swear to never tell a soul about the (refreshingly affordable) gem you just found.  

This popular restaurant serves huge, tasty portions of tapas and inexpensive platters such as chicken or ham croquetas, grilled cod, garlic shrimp, and revueltos de ajos con morcilla (scrambled eggs with garlic and black sausage). Within hailing distance of the Llotja, the tables in the back are always at a premium (they're cooler on summer days), but there's additional seating at the counter or on stools around upended wine barrels. The traditional tapas are nothing fancy but they are very good. A sister restaurant, La Taberna de la Bóveda (Paseo Sagrera 3), has a terrace with views of the marina.

A perennial favorite, La Brasa is tucked down a side street close to the walls of the Dalt Vila. Here you can dine on traditional Ibizan cuisine, such as barbecued entrecôte steak, lamb chops, or grilled squid, within a tree-filled courtyard lit by fairy lights and candles—a haven from the bustling surroundings. The cozy setting is half hidden behind lush green plants and overflowing flowerpots. The prices are a little steep for the simple fare and wine on offer, but the setting makes it worthwhile.

Channeling that Ibiza-boho vibe, La Paloma feels like a refuge for artists and hippies, nestled amid the shady overhang of orange and lemon trees. By day, the eclectic café menu features crunchy salads and Middle Eastern– and North African–inspired dishes; by night, it's all about homemade pasta (the chef is Italian and many ingredients come directly from there). There are also organic wines and refreshing juices. If traveling with children, the knobbly trees and picturesque surrounds are ideal territory for them to go off and play. In winter, dine inside by the fire.

This charming little port-side Italian restaurant has just 12 tables inside, softly lit with candles and track lighting. The kitchen prides itself on hard-to-find fresh ingredients flown in from Italy. The linguine with jumbo shrimp, saffron, and zucchini or with bottarga (dried and salted mullet roe from Sardinia) is wonderful. In summer, the seating expands to an interior patio and tables on the sidewalk—and the service can get more than a bit ragged.

This Israeli restaurant specializes in healthy bites like hummus and falafel, along with more elaborate dishes like the excellent grilled local butterflied fish. It's all served on a breezy patio inside the Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel, overlooking the bay of Sóller.

Chef-owner Miguel Llabrés honed his craft at starred restaurants in Mallorca and opened here in 2014, to local acclaim. He keeps the menu short and focuses on garden-fresh seasonal vegetables and free-range local meats. Try the Ibizan potato salad, served warm in a huge bowl with anchovies, onions, red peppers, and green beans, and a main course of Iberian pork shoulder or suckling lamb chops. The building, a former-elementary school restored in rustic style, also houses a gourmet shop featuring products from the Can Miquel Guasch olive oil mill, one of the oldest producers on the island.

At the foot of the steps that lead down to the port, this iconic restaurant has a café-terrace out front that's perfect for people-watching, drinks, and tapas. Fresh seafood in any form is a sure bet here: try the local John Dory, baked, grilled, or fried with garlic—or splurge on the caldereta (€52 per person). The wine list is impressive, with local labels and rich reds from Priorat, Montsant, La Rioja, and Ribera del Duero.

On Sóller's busy central square, this friendly and informal restaurant specializes in traditional local cooking, with a nod to touristic expectations. Skip the inevitable paella, and opt instead for the sopas mallorquines, thick vegetable soups served over thin slices of bread, or the Mallorcan pork loin, stuffed with nuts and raisins. Sa Cova has great people-watching: the tram to Port de Sóller passes right in front of its outside tables. In the summer high season, service can be spotty.

Creative, contemporary Menorcan cuisine is the draw here, in a former-jewelry workshop with a small leafy courtyard and low-key cosmopolitan vibe. Start things off with a local gin, and choose from a menu that is updated monthly, showcasing regional flavors with artful flair.