New restaurants In Palma
Mallorca offers several enticing new places to eat.
Basque evening
El Txoko de Martín
This summer, the Basque star chef Martín Berasategui opened El Txoko de Martín in the trendy Santa Catalina district of Palma. After more than 40 years in the industry and around a dozen Michelin restaurants on his CV, he has now returned to his roots. Expect to queue at this immensely popular tapas restaurant, where Berasategui tempts diners with ceviche, steak tartare, charcuterie and the freshest fish and shellfish imaginable. We recommend booking a table well in advance to enjoy a Basque evening to remember with a wonderful atmosphere in spacious premises that can seat 200 guests.
On the move at Andana
Andana
Recent arrival Andana, housed in the beautiful old railway station in the very heart of Palma, has attracted plenty of attention. Maca de Castro, the only female Michelin star chef on Mallorca, awarded to her restaurant in Port de Alcúdia, has migrated from fine dining to more rustic dishes in this historic setting. Watching the chefs work in the open kitchen is quite an experience. There is a strong sense of being on the move, with dinner in a lively train station and guests in constant motion. Everything feels truly local here, with the meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables all sourced from the island. Roasted gem lettuce salad with anchovies and mustard, grilled eggplant with tahini, and lentil paella with prawns, are some of the most popular dishes.
Traditional with a contemporary twist
Sant Jaume Boutique Hotel
The five-star Sant Jaume Boutique Hotel nestles in the heart of Palma’s historic quarter. Two famous chefs, Fernando Arellano and Itziar Rodriguez, have now taken charge of the hotel restaurant, Cantina Panzà. These two chefs are also behind Zaranda, a two-star Michelin restaurant. In this reverently renovated 18th Century building, next door to Santa Magdalena Abbey, they offer traditional Mallorcan dishes with a contemporary twist. Highlights on the menu include slow-braised oxtail, pork cheek and squid stew, plus “salmorejo” – cold tomato soup with tuna tartare. And don’t miss the cool bar, with a brilliant drinks list.
A taste of the world
Vagabundos by Balagan
A culinary journey with tastes from all round the world awaits you at Vagabundos by Balagan in the Santa Catalina district, close to the Hostal Cuba and its classic colonial bar. A Swedish trio, Emilio Redman, Therese Lindgren and Cissi Lindahl, serve tapas in a very different guise. And that is the thinking behind Vagabundos – to create a feeling of being a world traveler in the culinary sense. A little bit of Asia, the Middle East, Mediterranean, Central Europe and Latin America. You can sample dumplings, falafel, tacos, tataki, tofu – and a beetroot carpaccio that genuinely leaves you wanting more. They also offer a very reasonably priced taster menu plus a strictly Mallorcan wine list.
New star restaurant
DINs Santi Taura
The latest addition to the list of Michelin star restaurants in Palma is DINs Santi Taura in El Llorenç, a relatively newly opened designer hotel by Parc de la Mar, next to the cathedral. Head Chef Santi Taura was awarded one star last spring and serves sophisticated cuisine in a sober setting. You can eat at the bar counter overlooking the open kitchen and watch Taura and his brigade prepare the dishes. Or alternatively, choose a more intimate table in the restaurant itself. The eleven-course taster menu is not a rushed meal, to say the least. If you prefer to choose your own dishes, you should head to the adjacent Dins El Llorenç. The à la carte menu features Tauru’s signature dishes such as shoulder of lamb, sea bass in a red wine sauce, and roast suckling pig. Incidentally, Swedish designer Magnus Ehrland is behind the hotel design.
Don’t miss Luna 36 in Sollér
Luna 36
Sollér in the northwest of the island is well worth a visit with several wonderful places to eat. You can take the train there from Palma. Luna 36 is located in a former chocolate factory in the middle of the town. Helle Alexandersen, originally from Denmark, runs this much loved restaurant together with Claudio Bernaschi from Argentina. Here, you will find a big portion of Danish hygge in this cozy restaurant. You can also eat in the leafy courtyard on warm evenings. The ingredients are sourced from the fertile Sollér valley and Port de Sollér, a few kilometers away. The ceviche with lemons from the valley and seared scallops in a fennel crème are two musts, together with their delicious truffle pasta.