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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.
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.
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 Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Mexico cuisines 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.
An excellent 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, shrimp, and chicken with centollo (spider crab). It has fortress-grade, whitewashed stone walls, low vaulted ceilings, and a cheerful 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.
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 Israeli restaurant specializes in healthy bites like hummus and falafel and 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.
Creative, contemporary Menorcan cuisine is the draw in this former jewelry workshop, which has a small, leafy courtyard and a low-key cosmopolitan vibe. Start things with a local gin, and choose from a monthly updated menu showcasing regional flavors with artful flair.
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