9 Best Restaurants in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, Spain

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 the cuisines of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Mexico, but firmly rooted in Mediterranean flavors.

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. 

A great 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 and shrimp, and chicken with centollo (spider crab). It has fortress-grade, whitewashed stone walls and low vaulted ceilings, and a constant 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.

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.

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.

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.

Channeling that Ibiza-boho vibe, La Paloma feels like a refuge for artists and hippies, nestled amid the shady overhang of orange and lemon trees. By day, the eclectic café menu features crunchy salads and Middle Eastern– and North African–inspired dishes; by night, it's all about homemade pasta (the chef is Italian and many ingredients come directly from there). There are also organic wines and refreshing juices. If traveling with children, the knobbly trees and picturesque surrounds are ideal territory for them to go off and play. In winter, dine inside by the fire.

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 here, in a former-jewelry workshop with a small leafy courtyard and low-key cosmopolitan vibe. Start things off with a local gin, and choose from a menu that is updated monthly, showcasing regional flavors with artful flair.