Multiple Cuisines
As you would expect with any multi-cultural tourist destination, Ibiza has a wide range of restaurant and cuisine styles to choose from. Whilst the restaurant map is dominated by locally-based European/Mediterranean and Spanish establishments, it’s possible to find all manner of other cuisines, including Sushi, Thai, Chinese, Italian and Indian, in various locations around the island. Although a large number are to be found in Ibiza Town, there are also many highly-regarded establishments in the smaller towns of Santa Eularia des Riu and Santa Antoni de Portmany.
The climate in the tourist season in Ibiza lends itself to outdoor dining, and it’s not difficult to find restaurants offering outdoor as well as indoor tables, either with an open or covered terrace for the outdoor tables. The fresh air and Mediterranean climate can do little but enhance the dining experience, especially for the holidaymaker newly arrived from a city or other large conurbation.
Although Ibiza has, in years gone by, had a reputation as a ‘raver’s paradise’, and is still renowned for its club and electronic music scene, the island’s government, in collaboration with the Spanish Tourist Office, have taken steps to promote the island as a more family-oriented destination.
Driving Around
Although Ibiza is the third-largest of the Balearic Islands, it’s still quite small in global terms, being barely 25 miles long and 13 miles wide. This renders virtually all parts of the island easily reachable by car, and placing all of the major towns with a short drive. With car hire you can conquer the whole island of Ibiza within a day, allowing you to map out places to return to later in your stay.
Popular and Unique Restaurants
Naturally, opinions will vary as to what makes the ‘best’ restaurant, but many visitors and commentators favour establishments out of Ibiza Town itself, and many in the smaller towns have gathered favourable online reports and reviews. Sa Carboneria in Santa Eulalia del Rio currently leads the pack on a popular rating website, offering traditional Spanish cuisine, and a range of seafoods. In terms of cuisine foreign to the island, the leader of the pack appears to be Can Domingo Restaurante Italiano in Sant Josep, clearly offering Italian as well as Mediterranean fare. For a fresh, novel dining experience, you could try El Bigotes, near Cala Mastella, where they’ll serve you on wooden benches overlooked by traditional fisherman’s huts – booking is essential, though.
The most popular restaurants are very likely to be busy in the high season, and especially so at weekends, so it’s wise to book ahead to avoid disappointment. Depending on the restaurant and its location, it’s sometimes also advisable to specifically request an outdoor or terrace table when making a reservation, or risk being confined indoors. However, there’s still an ample choice of smaller, more relaxed establishments all over the island to whet your appetite.