Where Mallorca's Chefs Fall In 7 Cannibals Where Mallorca's Chefs Eat

With an unparalleled offering, and having emerged from the pandemic far removed from the "the more tourists, the better" model, Mallorca's restaurant scene is thriving. Many bars, taverns, beach bars, and restaurants have committed to quality and locally sourced ingredients, offering unique and distinctive dishes to stand out. This has resulted in a strong overall selection, but one that can still overwhelm visitors. With summer upon us and drawing on the expertise of Antoni Martorell, editor of the online newspaper mallorcadiario.com, we spoke with seven of the island's top restaurant professionals (five chefs and two sommeliers) to get a clear picture of what Mallorca has to offer.

Álvaro Salazar y Aritz Alfageme (Voro, Canyamel)

With his gift of gab, the first person we approached, and the first to express his preferences, is the island's only two-Michelin-starred chef. When he's not at the helm of his elegant Voro, Álvaro Salazar prefers to indulge at Clandestí (Palma), "a bar that overlooks a somewhat hidden garage where Pau Navarro works his magic," explains Salazar, who also frequents Maca de Castro (Port d'Alcúdia); Arume (Palma), "a Japanese restaurant very popular with locals"; and Hanaita (Palma), "the first Japanese restaurant on the island. The menu doesn't change much, but it's so good that it doesn't matter. It has a lot of character."

Of bars, Salazar only mentions Ponderosa Beach (Can Picafort), a beach bar on Playa de Muro specializing in oven-baked paellas where “I also remember a dish of cauliflower with wild sea bass. Simple but very good cuisine.” I press him for another. “I’m trying to think of places like Andalusian roadside inns, but tourism has hit hard here…” Martorell, to the island’s rescue: “Of course, there are still places just for tourists, but Mallorcan business owners have understood that the economic sustainability of their businesses depends on providing good service so that customers want to return and recommend them.” We continue on to find out.

And since we're at Voro, we spoke with their sommelier, Aritz Alfageme. Among the fine dining establishments, he also recommends Clandestí "for being different, for the cuisine, and for the show," and adds Tomeu Caldentey Cuiner (Sa Coma), the new "unconstrained" restaurant of the man who earned the island's first Michelin star (for 18 years he led Es Molí d'en Bou, which closed in 2018 with the award still within reach). "Now, he says he has 'stepped away' from haute cuisine and is enjoying Tomeu Caldentey Cuiner and its good value for money."

For bars, Alfageme chooses the Royal Beach Gastrosenses, also in Can Picafort near the one mentioned by Salazar, and Can Mateuet (Port d'Alcúdia), an 18th-century farmhouse renovated to follow an ecological and sustainable path "with a good wine list".

Marc Foch (Marc Foch, Palma)

He also recommends the "rebellious" Caldentey Marc Fosh. The only British chef with a Michelin star in Spain, who incidentally worked at Bodegón Alejandro when Martín Berasategui was in charge, runs the beautiful Marc Fosh in Palma and describes Caldentey's new approach as "flavorful, honest, seasonal, and based on top-quality local products," which is why it's his first gastronomic choice. His second is Joan Marc Restaurant (Inca), "a true gastronomic oasis in the middle of the island with a personal cuisine that impresses."

To unwind, this British, though now more than settled in Spain, recommends the Cala Sa Nau beach bar, located between Porto Colom and Cala d'Or. "With no buildings around, having a refreshing drink at sunset in Cala Sa Nau is the closest thing to paradise." Another option? Sa Foradada (Deià), famous for its traditional wood-fired paellas and because it can only be reached by boat or by hiking through the mountains. "The food and the views, though, are worth the trip."

Tomeu Caldentey (Tomeu Caldentey Cook, Sa Coma)

We go back to the car and cross the island to talk about the one everyone's talking about. Tomeu Caldentey recommends Las Golondrinas (Porto Cristo) and Bar Can Pedro Grill (Sant Llorenç des Cardassar) as bars, and Daica (Llubí), a creative restaurant with Mallorcan roots housed in a traditional manor in the island's center, and again Maca de Castro as gastronomic highlights. The most internationally renowned Mallorcan is also receiving multiple accolades. It's her turn.

Maca de Castro and Guillermo de Lucas (Maca de Castro, Port d'Alcúdia)

De Castro runs the Michelin-starred restaurant in Port d'Alcúdia and the lively Andana in Palma, and is highly regarded by all her colleagues. She respects them, but when she's away from the fine dining scene, she prefers a more informal setting. She recommends Bar Flexas (Palma), a hub of island culture managed by La Terremoto de Alcorcón, and Cafè Canamunt (Palma), "where they serve the best llonguets (traditional Mallorcan bread)."

Maca de Castro's sommelier is from Cádiz and has experience at the now-closed Can Fabes, but he has been on the island for years to recommend Miceli (Selva), Marga Coll's restaurant, which, like de Castro's, works daily with what the garden provides; Es Racó de Ronda, a family-friendly and homey oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Alcúdia but next to its walls; and Andana, the escape and fun of its chef, a beautiful restaurant with reasonable prices for all budgets located in the old Palma station where De Castro popularizes the Mallorcan garden with flavor.

Pau Navarro (Clandestine, Palma)

Voro mentioned him at the beginning, and we wanted to finish with him. At just 30 years old, Pau Navarro possesses experience and freedom, and has earned the respect and affection of Mallorcans. He learned from Fosh, Andreu Genestra, Álvaro Salazar, and Santi Taura, but has been flying solo for years. Clandestí is a benchmark, which he combines with Mercat Negre, a place "to have a good time in the Mercat del Peix del Olivar (Palma) with fresh fish all day." Now, without self-promotion, Navarro points out where else to have fun in the city center: "Can Biel Felip has had the best variats in the city for 50 years."

Because no trip to Mallorca is complete without trying a variat, the tapas platter that's a local favorite, combining such diverse dishes as tripe and potato salad on a single plate. Because Mallorca is Maca de Castro, Voro, Marc Fosh, Tomeu Caldentey, and Clandestí. And of course, it's also llonguets and variats.