Ibiza has been seeing a meteoric rise as a global gastronomic destination in recent years, this has accelerated after the resurgence of the pandemic with new venues and luxury dining options led by renowned national and international chefs, adding to those who already had their own or franchised restaurant on the island.
Right now the island is the chosen location for the most expensive restaurant in the world, Sublimotion, the most fun and spectacular, the cabaret restaurant Lío, the best beach bar, Casa Jondal and the most fun beach bar both on Ibiza and on its sister island Formentera, Beso Beach. A royal flush of world class dining options, to which is added the participation of the best chef in the world, Mauro Colagreco.
Restaurants serving traditional Ibizan cuisine have added to the quality
An important part of this movement has come with the new five star hotels that host top restaurants such as Oku Ibiza, Six Senses, Aguas de Ibiza, Nobu Ibiza Bay, Migjorn Ibiza,Bless Collection Ibiza and especially the Ibiza Gran Hotel, awarded the best gastronomic hotel in 2022 by the Conde Nast publishing group.
The Ibiza Gran Hotel boasts four first class restaurants on its premises: Michelin-starred La Gaia, Cipriani Downtown and the recently opened Zuma and Asal, two exciting new restaurants endorsed by renowned chefs like Mario Sandoval at Asal.
The most expensive and the most fun restaurants in the world are in Ibiza
Not to mention some other exciting culinary establishments located in small agrotourism hotels, such as Can Domo, Can Curreu, Safragell and Cas Gasi, which offer charming corners in the countryside or near the sea, like El Silencio, where you can find the best chef in the world, Mauro Colagreco.
Oscar Molina in the La Gaia restaurant and Alvaro Sanz in Es Tragon have earned their first Michelin stars opening up the path to many other top chefs and restaurants who aspire to this award, as well as to the Repsol ‘Suns’.
Ibiza is positioned as the top food destination in the Mediterranean
In addition to all this, there are a good number of traditional restaurants who are flying the flag for Ibizan cuisine and who have raised the quality of their dishes by using the best local products from the sea and land, as they have done at Es Pou des Lleó, Cas Milá, Port Balansat, Sa Caleta, Es Rebost de Can Prats, Can Pujol, Can Pau and Ca n’Alfredo, among others.
This year the Gastronomic Academy of Ibiza and Formentera has recognised José Torres ‘Racó’ as the Best Chef of Ibizan cuisine for his exemplary work at Port Balanzat, Es Nàutic, the restaurant in Club Náutico Ibiza and Ses Escoles, with the prize for best traditional restaurant going to Es Rebost de Can Prats de Sant Antoni, which gives us an idea of the parallel rise in local gastronomy.
The Repsol Guide has awarded 18 Soletes awards to Ibiza’s most singular restaurants
Ibiza’s famous beach clubs have joined this unprecedented boom in fine dining near the sea (or even on the beach itself) like Casa Jondal, considered the best beach bar in the world and steered by chefs Rafa Zafra, Ricardo Acquista and Goran Krstanovic. Other contenders include Blue Marlin Ibiza, Coco Beach, Nassau Beach Club, Beso Beach, Tanit Beach, ES Torrent, Malibú, La Escollera, Beachhouse, Amante and CBBC.
In the section of ‘Reconverted luxury beach bars’, Casa Jondal deserves a special mention as a restaurant with fine Mediterranean cuisine, with an original concept in its treatment of fish and seafood and a refined menu designed by Rafa Zafra, for being enjoyed with your feet in the sand, all of which have made it into a culinary magnet for the international jet-set, attracting stars like Richard Gere, Robert de Niro, Lionel Messi and Marta Ortega.
The Repsol Guide recently presented 18 of its new Soletes awards to gastronomic gems in the Pitiusan Islands that stand out for their singular and unique character, gastronomy and service, inviting you to return.