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On the Balearic Islands many restaurants tend to have short business seasons. This is less true of Mallorca, but on Menorca, Ibiza, and especially on Formentera, it might be May (or later) before the shutters are removed from that great seafood shack you’ve heard so much about. Really fine dining experiences are in short supply on the islands; in the popular beach resorts, the promenades can seem overrun with paella and pizza joints. Away from the water, however, there are exceptional meals to be had—and the seafood couldn’t be any fresher.
This café, on a side street behind the church of Sant Francesc, is one of Palma's venerable institutions, in business since 1700. Drop in for coffee or hot chocolate with an ensaimada crema—a spiral-shape Mallorcan pastry with a rich cream-cheese filling. With its green-glass chandeliers, cane-back chairs, and marble tabletops, the setting is a treat in itself.
An excellent spot for coffee or a G&T, this is a classic establishment in the old fishermen's neighborhood. The sunny terrace in front and the bar inside are excellent places for drinks and sandwiches.
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 and chin gooey, and swear never to tell a soul about the (refreshingly affordable) gem you just found.
