Delicious Food Experiences in Mallorca You Don’t Want to Miss

One of the things that I really loved during my first trip to Mallorca was the food, especially the dishes cooked with simple ingredients, and bursting with flavour. On my second trip I was on a mission to explore more of the island’s gastronomic heritage and learn about the traditional products grown here. I was lucky to have some amazing food experiences in Mallorca, which I am sharing with you in this article. If you are a foodie like me, you will probably want to experience them all.

Wine Pairing Lunch in a 16th Century Old Windmill

Mesquida Mora is a little corner of peacefulness in the heart of Mallorca. Barbara, the owner, is a fourth-generation winemaker who combines her passion for creating wines with her life philosophy, to create a small vineyard with personality.

Barbara organises lunches in the 16^th century windmill, which is located between the vines on her land. She is a fascinating storyteller, speaking with enthusiasm about her vineyard and the wines she makes, together with her small team. She is extremely passionate about her project, which she calls Mesquida Mora. She can talk for hours about how soil is life, how it provided food for our ancestors and if we take care of it, it will continue to do so for future generations.

Every single wine at Mesquida Mora is bio and produced in small batches, and has a unique name and label design that symbolises a moment in Barbara’s life: Sincronia (synchrony), Sotil (ceiling), Trispol (floor). 

The food served during the lunch is made from scratch by a local woman from the village. We enjoyed fantastic typical specialities such as panadas, cocas, cremadillos, and the most warming Mallorcan meatballs in tomato sauce. The food was paired with her fantastic wines.

The windmill is small with an intimate atmosphere, and can host 20 people. If you would like to experience this unique lunch, contact Barbara directly on her website, by clicking here. You should know that she usually requires at least 5 people for this experience, but no more than 20. You can also enquire about visiting the vineyard and purchasing her wines. 

Vegan Cooking Experience in the Middle of Nature

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I deeply enjoyed this foodie experience, which I ended up having after my trip to Cala Miilor was cancelled due to bad weather. Because yes, unfortunately it does rain in Mallorca from time to time. And when it rains, it pours.

The day long vegan gastronomic experience is run by Tramuntia, a small company in Mallorca which focuses on wellness and slow travel. Besides the gastronomic experience they also offer a full relaxation weekend program which includes hiking, yoga sessions and accommodation in a rural house in the middle of nature.

The chef, Miguel, became a vegetarian cook after discovering and starting to practice the Zen Buddhism.  When his restaurant had to close due to the pandemic, he re-directed his passion for cooking and love for nature into Tramuntia.

The small 17^th century rural house where the gastronomic experience takes place is located in the Puig de Galatzó Reserve, surrounded by lemon, orange and almond trees, and is overlooked by the Sierra de Tramuntana mountains. Usually the cooking demonstration, lunch and organic wine pairing experience takes place outside in the middle of the forest, but due to the rain, on this occasion it had to be held inside.

The menu had 6 courses and it was paired with 4 organic wines. The starter was paired with a local vermouth, which is made with the native indigenous to Mallorca Prensal grape. The dishes included beetroot hummus with cassava chips, tofu and avocado wraps, the most delicious almond soup, pink tomato and pomegranate salad with fresh thyme, brown rice with broccoli and apples, and for dessert, almond and orange cake with chocolate chips, which tasted divine. 

You can contact Miguel and Tramuntia directly on their website, by clicking here.

Traditional Mallorquin Lunch in an Old Wine Cellar

Mallorca has some amazing restaurants, and one of them is Can Ripoll Antic Cellar, in Inca. I had the chance to have a lunch feast here and I couldn’t have been more impressed. The restaurant is located in a national heritage building, it is family owned and provides a unique dining experience.

As I opened the door, I noticed that the restaurant is about two floors below the street level, accessible by a long staircase. Surrounded by giant original wine barrels, the restaurant serves traditional Mallorcan food such as arroz brut, suckling pig, frito Mallorquin, or typical vegetarian soups. 

I spent several hours sampling the best food this restaurant has to offer. The lunch started with frito Mallorquin, a rustic fry up made with pork offal and seasonal vegetables, followed by a delicious sepia con sobrasada, a cuttlefish and traditional Mallorcan sausage dish. Next, I tried the caracoles (snails) cooked the Mallorcan way, in a sauce made from pork, bacon, tomatoes, garlic and aromatic herbs. This dish was served with aioli and toothpicks, which are used to take the snail out of the shell. Before the main course arrived, I tried the battered artichokes, which were really nice too.

For the main course, my group was served the suckling pig, a traditional Mallorcan dish eaten mostly at Christmas time. The presentation of the porcella was theatrical, with the entire suckling pig being brought to the table and then carved by the skilled waiter.

It was served with roast potatoes, dried apricots and prunes. It was a fantastic course – the meat was extremely soft and succulent, topped with the crispy crackling.

For dessert, we had the giant ensaïmada, which was brought whole to the table, and cut into slices in front of us. The delicious light pastry was served with a refreshing almond ice cream.

So, if you want a special food experience in Mallorca, especially if you visit the Inca market beforehand, I highly recommend coming here for lunch. You will not need any dinner later.

You will find Can Ripoll Antic Cellar on Carrer d’en Jaume Armengol, 4, in Inca. Click here for directions.

Wine Tasting in Binissalem

My friend Dani, who writes at Travelling Jezebel has been to a wine tasting in Binissalem and she sent me her thoughts about the experience. 

“Vins Nadal is a historical winery in the heart of Binissalem that dates back to 1932, and it actually came about quite by accident! The founder wanted to create wines for himself and his family, but when the neighbours realised how good it was, they wanted to buy it, and so he commercialised his passion.

To this day, Vins Nadal remains a small, family-run business, and they welcome visitors with open arms to try their wines. Some fellow bloggers and I were lucky enough to be among these visitors back in November, and our hostess Rebecca regaled us with tales of the winery’s history and showed us around the premises (including venturing underground into the cellars themselves!) before inviting us to sit down and sample some of the best wines that Vins Nadal produces.

Among them was a rosé made with the native Manta Negro grape, making the wine 100% Mallorcan. We also tried two red wines, with blends of various grapes as well as a white wine made from a blend of 6 grapes!

To accompany them, we enjoyed traditional Mallorcan snacks, including pa amb oli, Mallorca’s answer to bruschetta, sobrasada and a selection of cheeses from the neighbouring island of Menorca.

Overall, I really enjoyed visiting Vins Nadal, and if you find yourself in Mallorca, I recommend that you visit them and sample their delicious wines.”

You can book a wine tasting at Vins Nadal on their website, by clicking here.

Blind Beef Tartar Experience

One of the out of the ordinary food experiences I had in Mallorca was a blind beef tartar demonstration, performed by the chef at the Boutique Du Tartar, at Mercat 1930. 

The Boutique du Tartar is one of the many thematic food stalls in Mercat 1930, specialising in tartar of all sorts: beef, cheese steak, tuna, even a vegan one. The chef set his table in front of us, then blindfolded himself and started to chop the meat. It was quite fascinating to watch, I have never seen a chef cooking in this way before.

After he finished preparing the meat, he took off his blindfold, dressed the beef and plated it completely flat. To demonstrate how stable the tartar was, he turned the plate upside down and held it above his head. It was a proper show!

The finished beef tartar was delicious, fresh, and full of flavour. I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally do enjoy it as it’s quite a delicacy.

Treat Yourself to a Luxury Foodie Experience

One of the most interesting lunches I had in Palma de Mallorca was at Can Cera, a luxurious adult only boutique hotel, located in an old 17^th century palace. The experience took place on the ground floor of the hotel, in the interior court, decorated with lush vegetation and works of art of local artists from the island.

The menu at Can Cera is composed of small sharing tapas made from the highest quality ingredients, showcasing the finest regional ingredients of the island. As it was extremely hard to choose, we let the waiter decide what dishes on the menu would be best to sample. And what a treat that was! 

We started with a selection of local cheeses accompanied by the most incredible artisan olive oil bread. We loved the bread so much that we ordered more. To accommodate everyone’s dietary requirements, we had a selection of vegetarian tapas as well, which were simple but showcased the flavour of the main ingredients: tomatoes, artichokes, avocado. The cured platters of Wagyu beef and smoked seabass with tartar sauce tasted out of this world!

For dessert I tried a semi-cured Mallorcan cheesecake, which was baked and served with fresh redcurrants. It melted in my mouth and was extremely tasty, with the sweetness balanced so well by the fruits. 

You don’t have to be a guest at Can Cera to have lunch or dinner here, but you must book in advance. You can find their phone number on their website, here.

Also, if you want a unique experience and stay at Can Cera, you can check their perfect score reviews on TripAdvisor and book directly on Booking.com, by clicking here. 

Have Breakfast with a View

Another great Mallorcan food experience that you can treat yourself to in Palma is having breakfast with a view, from the rooftop terrace of Calatrava hotel. This Mediterranean Sea House is located in Plaça de Llorenç Villalonga and it overlooks both the sea and the old town, as well as the harbour.

Breakfast here is a journey of the taste buds, with a buffet of local products such as sobrasada, Mahón cheese, native Ramallet tomatoes, fresh fruits, freshly baked pastries, and natural squeezed orange juice. Besides the buffet, there is also a hot menu with dishes cooked by the chef on the spot, including eggs to your liking such as omelettes, fried, poached, or eggs Royale/Benedict.

Calatrava is a boutique hotel with some pretty special rooms. This is another great option if you want to choose a special accommodation for your stay in Palma. You can check their perfect reviews on Tripadvisor by clicking here, or find the latest rates and book directly on Booking.com.

To book breakfast, call them, the number is on their site, here.

Take a Food Tour of Palma

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend in Mallorca but you would love to try more of the local foods, consider taking a food tour around Palma. There are plenty to choose from, that include other things as well, such as market visits or a historical tour.

Here are some of the best reviewed food tours in Palma:

• Guided bike tour and tapas, a 3-hour exploration of the old town, to see it from a different perspective. The tour ends with tapas and red wine at a nearby restaurant. Click here to see more details.
• A night tour of Palma which includes a history lesson and then stops to one of the locals favourite tapas bars. Click here to see more details.
• This historical tour is a proper feast for foodies, including a degustation of olive oils, stops at local tapas bars and a wine tasting. Click here to see more details.
• If you want to learn more about the fishing history of Palma, this tour is for you. It includes a visit to the old fishing quarters of the town, and a fish tapas tasting in the local market. Click here to see more details.

Go to One of the Traditional Markets in Mallorca

One of the great ways to learn more about the island and its culture, is by going to the local market. During my first trip to Mallorca, I went to the Sunday market in Pollenca, where I had a lovely lunch in the park, with fresh products I had bought minutes before: Mallorcan tomatoes, olives, freshly baked bread, and Mahón cheese.

Each town in Mallorca has its own market day. This is when the local producers gather in the town centre and sell their delicious treats. Since my first market visit to Pollenca, I also went to the markets in Inca and in Santanyi.

The market in Inca takes places on Thursdays and is one of the biggest and most famous on the island. Here you will find much more than just local products. The market stretches to several streets, with vendors selling everything from clothing to beauty products, from flowers to fruits and vegetables, from leather goods to olive oil and honey.

The market in Santanyi, which takes places on Wednesdays, is much, much smaller. It takes place on the main square in the town, where local producers sell fruits and vegetables, cheeses, sausages and other produce from their own farms.  During my last few days in Mallorca on my last trip to the island, I chose to hire a car and stay at a beautiful self-catering agri-touristic farm located in the middle of nowhere with the nearest shop 2 kilometres away, so I did my food shopping in this market. I bought ecological sobrasada and Mahón cheese, salad tomatoes (which are huge and delicious), home-made sundried Ramallet tomatoes which are native to the island, and a big bag of oranges, some of which made it back with me to England in my hand luggage.  

Going to the local market is not just a great way to discover the local produce and gastronomy of the island, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to get chatting to the farmers. You will notice that when the locals go to the market, they carry woven palm leaves baskets to put their shopping in. Before visiting the castle of Capdepera, which has a permanent exhibition dedicated to this craft, I had no idea how important palm weaving had been on the island over centuries.

Experience the TaPalma Tapas Festival

TaPalma is a tapas festival which usually takes place in the last week of November. Many tapas bars in Palma take part, with their chefs creating two special tapas for the competition, which clients can buy for a very small price. At the end of the 4 days of the festival, a jury awards the best tapas creations, judging them on different criteria such as the best use of olive oil, the best thematic tapa or, the best cocktail – yes, cocktails are included in the competition as well.

By attending the Traverse21 conference, we were given some tokens to go and explore the creations of the participant tapas bars. And we chose very well, with two of the tapas bars we visited having won awards in this year’s competition.

One of the tapas which stood out for me was the yucca bread topped with oxtail stew, from La Trastienda. Another fantastic tapa came from Blat al Sac – the “Indiorquí”. It was a mouthful of flavour: seasonal mushrooms with botifarró (Mallorcan blood sausage) on a base of naan bread, seasoned with smoked paprika.

Eat Your Way Through Mercat 1930

Mercat 1930 is a modern gastronomic hall located in the El Terreno neighbourhood of Palma. There are more than 13 different stalls selling all sorts of local and international dishes. You can actually watch the chefs preparing the food, as the concept of the market is open plan.

I got the chance to taste a few dishes from different vendors from Mercat 1930, and they were all fantastic. One of my favourites was the grilled creole chorizo, from Grilled. Their other meats looked fantastic as well. Another great place to eat was the Mediterranean kitchen room, which serves Spanish classics such as tortilla, which is prepared fresh, on the spot. They also serve boquerones and calamari friti, which reminded me of the years I lived in the South of Spain and used to have these tapas on a weekly basis.

Besides these, Mercat 1930 also has stations specialising in burgers, Thai food, dim sum, sushi, seafood, Mexican dishes, a cocktail and dessert bar, a wine and cava bar, and a beer station.

You will find Mercat 1930 on Av. de Gabriel Roca, 33, in Palma. Click here for directions.

Take a Cooking Class

I love cooking so for me, taking a cooking class to learn how to make the local specialities is important when I travel. In this cooking class in Palma, you can learn how to make some classics such as tortilla de patatas, mixed paella, and crema Catalana. The cooking class includes sampling some local appetisers such as cheese and olives.

After you finish the class, you can sit down and enjoy the food you have prepared, together with a glass of wine from the open bar. You can check more details about this cooking class by clicking here. 

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