Eurorevs

NOTABLY CELEBRATED FOR ITS NIGHTLIFE—and rightfully so—Ibiza boasts some of the Balearic Islands best restaurants. Beach clubs and pool parties heave, all day. A hungry traveller, needs to know the best restaurants in Ibiza. From high end, to budget friendly restaurants on the island, this article lists the best of the best.

Searching for restaurants alone eats up valuable sunset viewing time. Relax. Enjoy captivating powers of golden hour: time stands still, burnished yolk colours recede to magenta, skywards. The best restaurants in Ibiza await: cheap tapas, authentic Spanish cuisine, stylish beach clubs or fine dining, are all covered in this food guide of the island — across every budget.

Best Restaurants in Ibiza

1. Jondal

Jondal or, Casa Jondal is in Sant Josep de Sa Talaia. Dishes here have touches of El Bulli -esque flair. While ingredient quality stands out at Jondal, it’s their impressive variety of cooking styles that take Casa Jondal to the next level. Celebrity hot spots — especially those grabbing attention for being the best restaurant in Ibiza – can show complacency, by association. Food standards remain high here.

Fresh oysters in aguachile of sweet corn and yellow ají doesn’t exactly scream beach club fare. Neither fresh “bloody” oysters in tomato, chile, and lime. In Ibiza they do. Simple, cured Cantabrian anchovies and pan con tomate or, tomato bread are bold, naked. Topping one with the other is an Eivissenc thing; an Ibiza pairing, that’s downright delicious.

Oysters at Casa Jondal

Not a stranger to both a good fresh oyster and paying more for bad ones – which these aren’t – it’s rare, as a purist, to come across them sauced up in something remarkably palate appeasing. Casa Jondal clearly take pride on presentation of their fresh oysters. Serving each plump oyster—a veritable gift from the sea—on its shell shows off freshness. Furthermore, slurping them with nuanced toppings that accompany each serving doesn’t detract from the main oyster ingredient. Consequently, oysters don’t get lost in another sea; that of of Jondal’s signature aguachile, or herb oil. Their fatty, unctuous body sacs radiate towards floating skirts that reassuring represent the essence of the Mediterranean sea. Subtle undertones of sweetness from yellow corn aguachile don’t disturb this purity.

Faint fragrance from the lime oil is detected first. Following this is a mild heat and tomato sweetness. Casa Jondal’s “bloody” fresh oysters, herb oil blend rolls over the tongue on slurping all in one shot, out the oyster shell.

Classic Ibicenco appetizers

Premium, cured Cantabrian anchovies, on their own are intensely fishy slivers of sal de Ibiza. Melt in the mouth morsels of oceanic, funky marination; mimicking Mediterranean sharp sea salt and Oli d’Eivissa (Oli d’E). Tomato bread or pan con tomate provides that raw grated, sweet tomato essence against the crisp pan de Cristal.

Ibiza’s Jondal restaurant deserves recognition: chefs use quality ingredients; Jondal’s menu dazzles, boasting 12 dishes with caviar, Spiny lobster – a delicacy of Ibiza – also features.

Roast peppers in Sherry and garlic, that do a grand job of obliterating any bitterness from the roast, are a mellow accompaniment to the Mediterranean meal. On the one hand, the grilled steak is undeniably tender; however, it leans slightly overdone for lovers of a rarer medium-rare cook.

In contrast, the white asparagus with lemon mayonnaise at Jondal arrives perfectly balanced, finished with a slick of peppery Spanish olive oil. It’s this robust, fruity kick that compliments both the citrus edge in it and the rich, creamy mayonnaise.

Best Restaurants in Ibiza for tapas

2. Destino Bar de Tapas Destino Bar de Tapas

Like Vegas, Ibiza was once broadly budget friendly. To a fault, they’re both now quite the opposite. Unlike Vegas, however, the nightlife is more spread out in Ibiza. Which means there’s wiggle room for spots like Destino in Sant Josep de sa Talaia, to exist.

Party people parade throughout separate locations. In South Ibiza, patches of premium clubs percolate in pockets, maintaining that illusion of exclusivity; opportunity for private membership. What that means is, while people still party through 6 months of the year here, good food, eaten by locals and employees of the island, exists in Ibiza. Without extravagant price tags, beach club vibes, sea and sunset views.

Chef Santiago prepares Catalan style tapas dishes, using Ibiza’s unique island grown ingredients. Eivissenc or in Spanish, Ibiceño tapas are special: complex layers of flavours form homely, comforting dishes. This is rustic cooking, remise of food eaten at a table with family at home.

Catalan style tapas in Ibiza

Rather than going full force on a couple of labour intensive dishes, what Ana and Josep began in 1997 was offer these tapas, with no compromise on quality. This is the best way to try a lot of traditional dishes in one go. Discovering new tastes and smells in smaller portions helps to illicit likes and dislikes.

Unassumingly found in front of the church of Sant Josep, in the residential village of old, Destino Bar de Tapas is what and how Southern Spaniards eat. Picture perfect poolside plates aren’t comparible.

In lieu of a menu, homemade dishes requiring a last minute cook, are on display. Assistance upon choosing comes in the form of the very human and helpful Claudio. Indeed, certain bites deeply encapsulate this rich Moorish influence. Specifically, fragrant stews arrive in miniature tagines and clay tapas bowls, where rich flavors meld effortlessly with sweet prunes, dates, and crunchy almonds.

Locals love unique tapas

Customers’ preferences keep dishes in rotation, like a kitchen cooking mistake, of Thai meatballs, in mild red curry sauce. Licking messy sauce, escaping only as it dribbles, chin-ward down, is a reminder: photogenic food, is edible art. Consequently, diners universally appreciate the chef’s meticulous effort, much like the precise application of fine maquillage. Editing before posting. Equally easy on the eye is presentation of ingredients, each given their chance to show off at their prime; at peak, when purest. This is not that.

Bacon wrapped dates are a squirting two biter of small, salty, sausage-like casing that melts into tender crystallised caramel goo. Traditional Catalan spinach with plump raisins and almonds replace pine nuts.

Toasted nuts adorning dishes add crunch and a bold bitterness. So bold, that it wrestles it off what is expected to come from adjacent greens and herbs. Taste-wise, it gets to a point of exposing salinity, highlighting it’s presence. Accompanying fruit elevates it to another level.

Culinary mess is what feeds us, far beyond what we see. It tastes of time and toil. It’s as immersive as trying to know a people or a culture, by eating what elders cooked and fed them.

Wine starts around €4 a glass and plates of tapas are around €5-7 a plate. This is as close as you’ll get for a chance to try many home-cooked Catalan, Moorish Moroccan spices (prevalent in Andalusia) tapas style. Londoners go their local (pub). Ibizans go across the road of their local church.

Best Beach Clubs for Food in Ibiza

3. Cala Bassa

Cala Bassa is on the western coast of Ibiza. Conveniently located, where the CBbC group hit the jackpot by basing their flagship beach club restaurant, Cala Bassa on the shores of Cala Bassa beach. The beach is in Sant Josep de sa Talaia, which is about a 15 to 20 minutes drive (9 miles) west of San Antonio.

While being far from a hidden gem, judging Cala Bassa on location alone would be like saying the best places to eat in Ibiza are on the beach. However, it may be the best beach club restaurant in Ibiza: in spite of its stunning natural surroundings, the overall eating experience is an air of calm. It’s enormously appreciated given the weight felt from Ibiza’s beach club restaurants, under pressure to turn tables.

So why Cala Bassa? Rotting in the shade with a book? Lunch by the sea invigorates even the dullest of appetites, the worst of moods. Pumped full of wellness and vitamin D? Well, that’ll turn to salivating after swimming; sweating from sunbathing. Hunger and thirst is as formulaic as a special beach lunch menu.

Xavi Margui Fabra is a key CBbC’s brand partner, spanning prominent venues across Ibiza.

What not to order at Cala Bassa

Just don’t order sushi. Or anything fried, especially if patatas bravas isn’t on the menu. Beach club prices are no joke and then, of course, there’s the element no one talks about.

Highly stimulating stress on the senses, that has nothing to do with whatever playlist is on. No one’s shoulders are relaxed. Everyone’s looking around at anything, but their table. It’s an atmosphere designed to get you in and out as quickly as possible. In the nicest way possible.

So that’s why Cala Bassa. That’s not the feeling here. It’s a nice change.

Every restaurant featured was visited and photographed by EuroRevs. We pay for our own meals and write independent reviews based on first-hand experience.

Final Thoughts on the Best Restaurants in Ibiza

Once upon a time, scratching Ibiza’s surface exposed Euro trash; Sharm El Sheikh vibes, along a clubbing strip. Ibiza clocked on fast and hard to grow out of this student group holiday ideal.

For instance, decent, affordable accommodation near the clubs and shisha bars—complete with inclusive meal-time buffets—has virtually disappeared. Consequently, budget travelers must look elsewhere for accessible options.What replaces all this is high end hedonism, straddling high net worth wanderers, with “wellness retreat” passport stamps. Wanting renewal. Travelers often arrive needing renewal. Consequently, spending time in Ibiza during both peak and off-seasons gives visitors a far greater understanding of where to find exceptional food. Deciphering its raw market value, quality of preparation and cooking and whether it’s worth spending time and money on it.

Spanish gastronomy in the Iles Balears

Why is where to Ibiza important when gastronomy, in other parts of Spain, document other regions?Traditional Ibicencan cuisine relies on Ibiza’s natural, agricultural reserves and seasons. What’s eaten in Ibiza develops from its Catalan, Phoenician, Roman, Moorish histories. José Andres writes, with authority, on the subject of Spain; championing its gastronomic identity, deeply rooted in its history.

Why trust Eurorevs?

Every restaurant featured was visited and photographed by EuroRevs. We pay for our own meals and write independent reviews based on first-hand experience.

Abundant regional dialects are spoken in Spain. Even people with little land between them, eat different things. Why? Spanish cuisine has vast capacity for an abundance of regional recipes, specialities, born out of history and changes in landscape. In spite of Mc-modern life, regional food and drink traditions; tastes and cooking styles, fight for a place at the table. Especially on Sundays.

Eurorevs is covering more quality eats in Ibiza — as well as the low down on Jamón prices — next. Spanish olive oil tastes different compared to Italian olive oil, so Eurorevs will give a simple background, as well descriptions of flavours. More tapaTravelers often arrive needing renewal. In fact, spending time in Ibiza during both peak and off-seasons gives visitors a far greater understanding of where to find exceptional food.

Spaniards everywhere cherish the ritual of sharing tapas. On this island, however, sampling local tapas feels entirely singular. It’s as hard hitting and budget friendly as it gets in Ibiza.

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