Sometimes it feels like mallorca is just showing off – a mild Mediterranean climate, beautiful beaches, pristine coves, majestic mountains, and nine Michelin-starred restaurants to put the cherry on the cake. These restaurants in mallorca serve some of the best dishes in the Balearics; from traditional Spanish food to nouvelle cuisine.
Not too long ago, mallorca was a no-go zone for modern cuisine. The culinary scene was filled with grilled meats and fish served in simple local cafes. But now, it’s a delicious mix of local and international flavours. Here are some of our favourite Michelin-starred restaurants in mallorca:
- Zaranda
Zaranda is the only restaurant in mallorca with two Michelin stars. Chef Fernando Pérez Arellano opened his restaurant in Madrid in 2005, where he gained his first Michelin star. He wanted his ingredients to be fresh, sourced from the land and sea, so he moved his restaurant and his entire team to mallorca, where he gained a second Michelin star in 2016. The decor is elegant and sophisticated, with a lot of natural light filtering through. The tasting menu is a mixture of delicious and interesting elements, including a black-poached egg served with a white-onion purée and nutty Venere rice, a ‘sandwich’ made from Creole-style-cooked eel between slices of skin, and Iberico steak (if you want something a bit more simple).
- Restaurante Jardín
This stylish restaurant in Puerto Alcudia was awarded a Michelin star in 2012, which it has retained annually since then – a first for a female chef on the island. The chef recreates traditional Mediterranean and Mallorcan dishes, making her one of the most valued chefs on the current gourmet scene. Guests can enjoy her balanced tasting menu, made up of three starters, five main dishes, and three desserts – 80% of which is fish and seafood; a strictly Mediterranean menu. The menu changes regularly, but some dishes include fried sea anemone, velvety smooth gazpacho, meaty lobster and ‘tarta de lemon pie’.
Image Credit: Restaurantejardin.com
- Restaurant Bou
Restaurant Bou (Es Molí d'en Bou) is one of the most unique restaurants in mallorca. The ‘Bou Concept’ is an interesting gastronomic experience introduced as “a dinner in three acts”. It starts off on the first-floor terrace, where you’re seated on white sofas and served cava and caramelised almonds while you wait for classic Mallorcan dishes like ‘pa amb oli’, ‘coca’, and sea-snail broth served in a seashell. Act two is seated in the kitchen where you can watch the chefs create slightly larger dishes. The act ends off with Norwegian lobster tails flamed in the local liqueur as the lights were switched off. You have to save space for act three; you’re finally seated at a conventional table in the restaurant, where you’re served four meat dishes and three divine desserts that aren’t too sweet.
- Andreu Genestra Restaurant
Set in a small country house hotel, Michelin-star restaurant Andreu Genestra is a force to be reckoned with. Chef/patron Andreu Genestra grows his own organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, vines, olives on the estate – taking fresh cuisine to a whole new level. You can enjoy a meal from the comfortable, minimalist dining room, or the beautiful shaded terrace. There is no separate à la carte menu, but three monthly-changing tasting menus. With dishes like homemade warm ‘xeixa’ bread with cuttlefish pica-pica, terrine of leg of lamb with green sauce, and strawberry gazpacho, your mouth will be watering in no time.
Hungry yet? If you’d like to try one of these restaurants in Majorca, then plan a trip and stay at one of our lovely hotels in Mallorca. If you want to know more about all things Mallorca, including what to do, where to go, and what to eat, download our helpful guide.
