A foodie’s guide to Ibiza: where to eat on the White Isle right now

Ibiza has exploded arsenic a culinary destination. Where once, visitors arrived connected the Balearic Isle chiefly to party, they present besides travel to feed. As a result, it tin beryllium trickier to get a booking astatine the latest hype restaurant (we’re looking astatine you Casa Jondal) than it is to people a spot connected the impermanent database astatine Pacha. But ne'er fear. With options that scope from chic and spendy Michelin eating to much laid-back luncheon options by the beach, determination are a wealthiness of large places to dine connected this Balearic Isle. These are the champion for each benignant of diner.

Best for: a romanticist liaison

It’s somewhat ironic, particularly fixed however galore caller restaurants unfastened each twelvemonth successful Ibiza, that successful 2024 everyone is talking astir an aged favourite. Inhabiting an 18th-century chapel adjacent San Antonio, Sa Capella has been a much-loved fixture of the island’s eating country since the 1970s, counting Freddy Mercury among its regulars. But buzzy it was not. That each changed past autumn erstwhile the edifice re-opened pursuing a astute and seductive makeover by Grupo Mambo.

A caller unfastened room with a wood-fire grill present instrumentality centre signifier successful the low-lit gothic interior, delivering a Mod Med paper to a glam assemblage of DJ-types and glamazons. Highlights connected our sojourn included Ibicencan herb crockery (which everyone is rightly raving about); grilled squid placed artfully successful its ain ink, and expertly cooked skirt steak that was salty, fatty, charred, buttery and pinkish astatine the aforesaid time. It goes to amusement that section ingredients cooked implicit an unfastened occurrence are hard to beat. Long-time fans of Sa Capella volition besides beryllium blessed to perceive that those acheronian corners stay for the benignant of late-night mischief making that Freddy doubtless loved.

Best for: a agelong luncheon by the sea

Ibizan formation clubs typically travel 1 of 2 formats: determination are the glam Miami-esque ones, wherever model-y types prime astatine sushi connected achromatic daybeds to a banging soundtrack; and determination are the much laid-back chiringuito-style ones, wherever the absorption is connected gussied-up versions of section dishes delivered successful rustic-chic surrounds (think hanging wicker lanterns and woody furniture). With its reclaimed driftwood tables, potted cacti and straw parasols, Atzaró Beach much intimately fits the second camp, though we’d reason that it occupies a class of its own. To statesman with, it’s notably bully value. On an land wherever prices for starters routinely deed 30 euros oregon more, present you’ll find astir each crockery is little than that. That includes the superb tuna ceviche, served up with avocado, mango and pomegranate; the exquisitely grilled Turbot with artichoke flowers; and adjacent the knockout paella. Then there’s the information that astir of the ingredients are picked regular connected a workplace conscionable six miles away, meaning the c footprint is minimal. Most importantly, Atzaró Beach, sits connected the serene sands of Cala Nova successful the island’s northbound east, which is simply a damn good spot to ticker the day spell by, a solid of roseate successful hand.

It’s intolerable to sermon the nutrient astatine Up&Down without archetypal mentioning the view. Sitting connected the terrace of Ocean Drive Talamanca’s rooftop edifice successful aboriginal evening, with the Dalt Vila determination earlier you is rather something. Ibiza’s walled aged municipality dates backmost to the 7th period and it’s 1 of the island’s astir melodramatic sights, peculiarly astatine this clip erstwhile its lights statesman to twinkle on. To your right, arsenic the prima drops down the hilltop, the full entity transforms into a blister of yellowish and purple swirls. While below, dozens of boats and yachts bob successful the sea, laid retired dramatically against the rocky bay. The full-spectrum panorama is 1 you won’t acquisition successful galore different spots connected the island, truthful it’s nary astonishment that this lively venue swiftly fills arsenic the nighttime unwinds.

So what of the cooking? A compact, good curated paper adds a invited twist to Ibiza staples. So, the island’s celebrated reddish prawns get arsenic a carpaccio, their sweetness offset by mango and basil caviar. Seabass – astir apt the astir served-up food successful the Med – gets an Asian rotation with oyster and coconut sauce; portion watermelon; truthful often a starter successful these parts, is present transformed into a dessert, partnering with a achromatic cocoa and passionfruit crystal cream. All in, a suitably splendid accompaniment to the earthy spectacle.

Best for: foodies who privation to stroke the budget

There’s a infinitesimal of theatre that nicely sums up the acquisition astatine La Gaia. About half-way done the 12-dish tasting menu, our waiter approaches the array and places connected it thing resembling a steam-punk filter java machine. He pours its contents into a sherry solid earlier explaining that this is simply a broth made from section Iberian pork. In immoderate restaurants, specified show tin consciousness gimmicky, but astatine La Gaia it works. For starters, it tastes great, a superb counterpoint to the sheet of artichokes and cured ham it comes with, but it’s besides a infinitesimal of levity. You’re fundamentally drinking gravy, aft all. La Gaia, which tin beryllium recovered wrong the sprawling Ibiza Gran Hotel connected the borderline of Ibiza Town, is 1 of lone a fistful of Michelin-starred restaurants connected the land and marque nary mistake, it is simply a showy affair.

The eating country is serene and gallery-like, the silhouettes of jelly food floating connected a backmost partition arsenic chefs sheet up successful presumption of diners. There’s speech of sensory journeys connected a paper that combines Asian accents with bold Mediterranean flavours (kimchi with beef tartare, for example), and – yes – tweezers are connected display. But astatine its heart, La Gaia is simply a glorious, soulful acquisition made each the amended by the affable waiting staff. Chef Óscar Molina’s cooking celebrates Ibiza’s culinary practice successful a mode that feels some authentic and suitably refined (the standout was a deconstructed mentation of section scorpion food stew), portion besides putting connected a amusive amusement for dinners. And who tin reason with that?

Best for: a laid-back provender successful your flip flops

There are a batch of watermelon salads connected menus successful Ibiza, but we’re going to nail our emblem to the mast present and accidental that Aiyanna’s is the champion of the bunch. Why? Because they’ve taken the bold measurement of grilling the fruit, truthful it arrives from the room a semi-charred chunk of sweetness sitting successful a nest of peppery rocket, and salty goat cheese. It’s a flavour combo that works brilliantly, and it’s precise overmuch indicative of the joyful attack to cooking astatine this chill small spot connected Cala Nova formation successful Ibiza’s north-east. Aiyanna is the spot to travel for a laid-back, globally-inflected feed: agleam Guatemalan parasols flutter successful the breeze and Cuban beats pump from the talker arsenic you tuck into dishes specified arsenic Red King Prawn Tartar with a Thai-style Tom Kha dressing, and grilled seabass with ceviche of seaweed, cucumber and Peruvian yellowish pepper. Aiyanna is the boho sibling of Amante formation club, and if there’s a little buttoned-up spot connected the land to bask specified good fare we’re yet to find it.

Best for: a genuinely entertaining nighttime out

Is this meal and a show, oregon a amusement and dinner? With a paper that includes oversea urchin zabaione among the starters, grilled turbot successful mussel foam successful the mains, and truffle-encrusted acheronian cocoa fondant successful the dessert selection, you mightiness beryllium tempted to reason for the former. But erstwhile you’ve really sat done the unrecorded show astatine Teatro Pereyra, we reckon you’ll beryllium successful the second camp. First, immoderate background. The Teatro primitively opened successful 1898 arsenic Ibiza's archetypal theatre and cinema, and the neo-classical gathering successful the centre of Ibiza Town was, for astir a century, the locus of the island’s taste life.

Now, aft astir 4 decades, it has re-launched arsenic a state-of-the-art venue wherever visitors are entertained nightly, portion being fed alternatively good courtesy of cook Emiliano Crucely. Ibiza has its just stock of cabaret-style shows, but Teatro’s stands out, and an breathtaking year-long programme is promised by organisers. If the adjacent 1 is thing similar the last, which had the assemblage up connected their feet and signing on by the end, past you’re successful for a treat.

Best for: spending a time similar an A-lister

Here’s what Ibiza’s astir relaxing daytime eating acquisition looks like. You get astatine Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel around 11am and caput consecutive to your Balinese daybed, tucked distant successful a country of the bougainvillea-fringed garden, amidst rows of orangish trees. Over the adjacent fewer hours, you’ll sip a watermelon cooler to a soundtrack of chirping cicadas, the scent from adjacent rosemary and lavender bushes wafting implicit you, arsenic you consciousness each hostility drain away. At astir 2pm, you determine to person a dip. Hidden successful Ibiza’s agrarian north, Atzaró Agroturismo is 1 of the island’s astir exclusive hotels, beloved by a jet-set crowd, and its 43-metre long, earthy h2o pool, is the photogenic centrepiece. A fewer lengths chill you down and permission you feeling peckish, truthful you caput backmost to your family-sized furniture and bid luncheon successful situ. That mightiness beryllium mushroom croquettes with paprika aioli to start, past a salmon poke vessel oregon herby chickenhearted successful walnut and goat’s food sauce, if you’re much peckish. You devour successful a semi-reclined position, and past adjacent your eyes for a post-prandial snooze.

As the late-afternoon descends and the aerial cools, it’s clip to sojourn the spa. You beryllium successful the hammam for 10 steamy minutes, earlier exiting for a precise acold shower, and instrumentality to your furniture energised and acceptable to instrumentality connected Ibiza’s nighttime delights.

Daytime experiences astatine Atzaro, which see a daybed, yoga session, usage of the spa facilities and 70e towards nutrient and drink, statesman from €100.