23 of the BEST places to eat in Ibiza
The Golden hour
My happy place
When I talk about how I fell in love with Ibiza, I have to give all the love to my good friend Sophie.
It was during my other life, in the early 2000’s that Sophie and I became good friends. She was a regular to my beauty salon and we bonded over a love of clothes and the fact that we were both getting married later that year.
Spoiler alert - I did NOT get married. But Sophie did.
And the year after her bloody incredible wedding at Babington House she invited me to join them in a villa in Ibiza. I was in a tough place emotionally and to say this trip saved my life is not an exaggeration. I can’t really articulate why. We had a really simple trip, Ibiza was so much calmer then, it wasn’t as overpriced and boujee as it is now. But still, the island got me.
When I walked into Pacha for the first time I was blown away, and it’s still by far my most favourite club. I’ve always been a dancer, I was a disco dancer as a kid, and my mum was married to a DJ for a while so me and my brother spent our childhood at river boat shuffles and parties…stories for another day.
On that first trip we visited Pacha, Ibiza Town, Yemanja, Cap de Falco, Sa Trinxa. All old school haunts. Only Sa Trinxa remains unchanged today.
Over the 21 years since then I’ve done Ibiza every which way.
I’ve partied on the terrace at Space. Been for a relaxed yoga retreat. Enjoyed family holidays and been back every year with my besties for a proper let-your-hair-down girlie time.
I could probably go on two other holidays with the cash we spend. For sure it’s overpriced but in my humble opinion, the White Isle is magical. And my 11-year-old son is as enchanted as me.
Ibiza is rich in history and to write it off as just a clubbing paradise is a big shame. Nobody judges you here. In fact, I’m celebrating my 50th there next year.
Eivissa is where I come alive.
It’s where I’m my true self and where I dance in my bikini on the beach.
It’s the familiarity, the Aeroporto Ibiza sign, the billboards for the clubs, the white landscape.
It’s the sunsets, the afterglow and the sight of Dalt Vila watching over the old town.
Only in Ibiza do I:
Eat Sal de Ibiza chips "a la Flor de Sal"
Order Aioli with everything! (I don’t even like mayo FFS)
Walk around in shorts. This probably sounds ridiculous, but I am not a short wearer. I own one denim pair. And I only wear them in Ibiza.
Sleep in
Decompress
Over the years I’ve discovered so many places I love and so many more I want to visit.
I get recommendations from friends, read reviews, blogs and look at reels on Insta.
I also have most issues of MY IBIZA a beautifully illustrated insiders guide from Hjordis Fogelberg (you should definitely follow her on IG). It’s a gorgeous coffee table book and she updates it every couple of years. I never travel without it.
Once I started writing this I quickly realised it was going to have to be in two or even three parts. I have so much to say and share about this beautiful white island.
So, where better to start than with the food?
Ibiza has a thriving food scene, with many talented chefs opening up exceptional restaurants on the island.
Fine dining is a plenty, but that’s not really my type of food, I don’t have the desire to eat Michelin-style food. Instead, I search out food like mine I guess. Tasty, fresh and made from simple seasonal ingredients.
But in Ibiza, it’s all about the setting, the location, the ambience and the proximity to having my toes in the sand. And of course, this is what you pay for - the same food served in dreary London wouldn’t taste as good.
It’s worth saying too that I’m not a paella fan, so you won’t find this on the list below. There are so many places that serve amazing paella though, I hear it’s pretty incredible at Restaurante Esboldada.
So here are a few of my faves and a few on my list for my third (yes third) visit this year.
First things first, I always seek out a Suma Supermarket. I love a Spanish supermarket (or a French one for that matter), and a lot of the road side supermarkets have really delicious grab and go bits, perfect for a beach day. I love the packs of precut Manchego, especially with Spanish peaches + tomatoes for a simple lunch with Ibiza salt (and yes, I do take a knife and the little travel pots with me).
This place. This place! A beautifully styled outdoor Chiringuito just up the road from San Antonio Bay. No longer a secret, it’s nestled above a private cove and you have to book. Go for an early lunch though and you can take your towel and walk down into the beach afterwards to sun the day away. Try the homemade bread and ask for the guacamole with potato skins – they’re not on the menu but so good. Early September when the kids have gone back is super chilled here.
An absolute beauty in the villanueva of Sant Llorenc and a firm favourite of the cool crowd and foodie types. The restaurant is mostly outside, amongst the trees, and I’ve been coming for many years, usually ordering the Parmigiana. It is expensive and this year I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the portions and the charge per person for the bread and dips. But it’s perfect for a special occasion.
This sits just across the road from La Paloma and I think I maybe I prefer it now. A natural wine lovers’ haven, it’s getting a lot of attention for the beautiful farm-to-table Spanish food, outdoor tables and of course the wine list. The anchovy toasts were incredible!
This one is a real treat, and should definitely be on your list, especially if you’re a meat lover. It’s an intimate rural hotel set in the hills of Can Palau, with its own organic farm onsite and an outdoor restaurant in the summer months. With reservations available all day, it’s classic Ibiza at its best, with a really cool bar, DJs and Dalt Vita views.
One of the first natural wine and coffee places popping up on the island, head here for coffee, gorgeous small plates and small vineyard wines.
If you’re on a romantic trip then you definitely need to have a sunset dinner at Amante. The view and setting of this beach restaurant is just stunning. It’s in Cala Llonga which it’s a great spot to stay with the family too.
You can imagine my joy to see Ibiza now has some specialty coffee spots. We went out of our way to get coffee, bagels and buns here. This family-run business is a coffee shop by day and an incredible restaurant OVERALL by night. It also just so happens to be in my favourite village on the island - where I want to live. One day!
This Cinnamon bun at Santa G bagel house, The best i’ve eaten.
My love for Experimental started on that first trip with Sophie when it was still a secret and called Cap de Falco. Then the Experimental Group bought it and made it boujee. They own many chic hotels and bars on the island but its this place I love for lots of reasons. The food is good - my favourite is the whole salt fish - sometimes the service struggles, but I come for the sunsets, the boutique, the sounds and for eating chips with aioli on my sun bed. This place I’d save for the girls or with your other half. It would be wasted on kids (and expensive too). Booking is essential, and don’t forget to look out for the famous Ibiza salt rocks and the flamingos on the very bumpy road down there.
Tapas, beachside At Experimental Beach.
In my future life, when I move to Ibiza I will spend the odd escape at Atzarro, a boutique hotel that my current life doesn’t really match. Anyway, until then, they have a restaurant off site - Aubergine - set on beautiful grounds with a very veg-centric menu and a gorgeous boutique too.
Last year we stayed in the North for the first time and I was so happy that we were close to San Juan. There are loads of great places to eat in this area and it still has that authentic, wild Ibiza feel. Giri Cafe is part of the gorgeous Giri boutique hotel – and it’s a place I would come back to again without kids. The menu is so sophisticated and if you get to sit outside in the evening it is just beautiful. The hippy market Les Dalias is not too far either so if you have a car it’s definitely worth checking that out.
The stunning Giri Cafe
I can’t really explain the beauty of Juntos House. It’s a farm-to-table restaurant in Sant Mateu offering organic, locally grown farm produce. There is nothing on the menu I wouldn’t eat! It’s also got an event space for chic gatherings. PLEASE GO HERE!
This isn’t my favourite beach club, but it’s a gorgeous spot for sushi, sunsets and a decadent day.
A beautiful experience near Salinas with service, food and a location that are tough to beat. Beautiful natural fresh produce and Iberian cooking. The perfect spot to go with kids and have some beach time or a gorgeous walk to the historical cove, plus the sunny terrace is open all year round.
Also in Salinas - Hostel Mar Y Sal has been there for years but has recently had a revamp. A great place for lunch with kids, and a cool place to stay if you aren’t looking for a big hotel.
The Fish Shack in Talamanca Bay
The fish shack has been here for years, there’s no menu and no website. But with their newly extended terrace, you just have to turn up and hope for a table. And if you’re lucky enough to get one, the view is incredible.
A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to be invited on a private boat. Now, I’m not a dive off the boat kinda girl, but I am an arrive on the beach of Formentera and go directly to Beso Beach kinda girl. I just loved it. Think sand on the floors, classic Ibiza wicker boho styling, music, delicious seafood and rosé for days. Beso have spots on the mainland as well as Sitges near Barcelona now too but I think you’d struggle to beat the site on Formentera. Oh, and you don’t need to get yourself a private boat ride, you can get a ferry from Ibiza town a few times a day.
In Ibiza Town
La Olivia has been an Ibiza old town favourite for years and it’s a great spot for people watching
La Brasa is one of the three first places I ate in. And it remains unchanged with an outside tree covered court yard.
And the little rooftop cocktail spot at Hotel Montesol is a favourite not to be missed.
And just a few of the places still on my list…
Casa Jondal in the South West of the island.
Maine in Salinas.
And the Route 66 inspired Romeos
This is a big list, but I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface, and it’s likely I’ve forgotten some. When I live there I’ll no doubt have a different off-the-radar list.
I have lots of other thoughts on hotels, partying, beach clubs and shops but that’s for another day.
Watch this space…
Rebecca x