10 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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.