There's a wide range of restaurants in Ibiza to suit all tastes, and budgets. Read our guide on all the best places to eat in Ibiza and where to find your favourite style of cuisine.
The food on offer ranges from the truly spectacular, to the spectacularly over-priced. There are, however, a few places where you can get good honest food for less than the Greek deficit, but you have to know your way around. And if you have no deficit to worry about at all, then you have plenty of gourmet restaurants to choose from, where you can rub shoulders with the holiday elite.
The abundance of beach clubs around Ibiza's beautiful coastline means that no matter where you are you will probably find a great place for lunch. Many of these establishments are set up for you to enjoy your whole day there and this is indeed a very fine idea. You can keep it simple with a sunbed and umbrella and then wander up to the restaurant for lunch or go all out and get served all day long on your private bed, and have that table brought to you. Some of the more upmarket beach clubs are also set up to serve the clientèle who arrive by private yacht, so you can be assured of fantastic service, and probably a glimpse of some A list celebrities.
On the west coast you will find the relatively new and extremely popular Cotton Beach Club. This bright, light and airy club has been an instant hit with locals and is always busy for lunch so best to book in advance for this one. Vallet parking helps in the tiny car park or you could park further away and walk to it along the beach.
For those on more of a budget you will find that the local chiringuito (or outdoor bar) is a better option and fresh seafood will always take pride of lace on their menus. A healthy helping of paella for lunch is very traditional and a great way to keep you going for the rest of the afternoon of water and beach sports!
Although probably better known for cocktails, there is no harm in having a little nibble with your Sex on the Beach or your Long Island Iced Tea. The west coast is well known for the stunning sunset views and bars such as Kumharas, Sunset Ashram and Elements are great places for watching this natural event. Most places will offer tapas at this time (Spanish people would not normally eat dinner until 10pm or even later), but due to the sheer amount of British and other foreign tourists you will be able to get a decent dinner at this time too.
You will find that many hotel bars in Ibiza Town and Santa Eulalia are on the rooftop so you can enjoy the views and the cooler breeze at sundown as you enjoy a selection of dips, mixed olives and cheese, or even chopitos, which are battered and fried baby squid!
Highlights
BBQ Restaurants
The restaurant at the Amante Beach Club just north east of Ibiza Town, near Cala Llonga, is the height of calm sophistication and relaxed glamour. The cuisine is modern Mediterranean, with fresh fish and meats char grilled to perfection on a Josper BBQ grill that seals in all the flavours.
Cafes & Bakeries
For a casual lunch where the bill won’t make you cry, head to one of the towns or marinas and get stuck into a fresh salad or sandwich on one of the small terrace cafes and finish with a delicious coffee.
Michelin-Starred Restaurants
Mainland Ibiza has no Michelin starred restaurants (yet) but there are many fine gourmet restaurants that come highly recommended by the Guide Michelin.
For the finer things in life you mustn't miss a chance to dine at the Es Mirador de Dalt Vila Restaurant, in the hotel of the same name, right in the heart of Dalt Vila, Ibiza Old Town. Or for something with a coastal view the restaurant at the Amante Beach Club just north east of Ibiza Town, near Cala Llonga, is the height of calm sophistication and relaxed glamour.
For a taste of traditional Ibizan dining head to Ca n'Alfredo, a friendly family-run restaurant in Eivissa, recommended by the Guide Michelin for their "large portions of traditional cuisine, enlivened by some Ibizan and Catalan dishes". Check out the photos on the walls to see which famous faces have dined here.
Modern European & International Restaurants
Luckily Ibiza is a small island and so you will be easily able to reach any of the wonderful restaurants that take your fancy. You can choose anything from gastro bars to fusion cuisine, family style tex-mex and rustic Spanish to Japanese sushi and sophisticated marina-side dining.
Had your fill of Spanish food? Head to Bambuddha, and immerse yourself in this elaborate and colourful Balinese style restaurant. Here you will find the übercool crowd sipping on cocktails - amidst ancient erotic artefacts and sultry, sumptuous furnishings. You can even indulge and browse around the Boutique and Tantra Sex Shop - "luxury fashion items and erotica to excite and satisfy your desires".
Nanking is a well-priced Chinese restaurant in Eivissa offering good quality Cantonese cuisine
Seafood Restaurants
The Blue Marlin is considered one of the best places to eat in the stretch of beach clubs that line the south east coast. The décor is cool, white and blue with a nautical chic feel. The seafood here is a delight, from salmon and shrimp tartare appetizers through to whole baked fish, while carnivores and vegetarians will also find wonderful dishes on the menu.
Very popular and trendy, the Es Torrent Restaurant is where the likes of George Clooney and Cindy Crawford enjoy spending their evenings over a relaxed meal and fine wine. The menu offers a delicious selection of typical Spanish seafood dishes such as paella, arroz a banda and bullit de peix - all made from the freshest catch of the day. Situated in a quiet bay that offers some of the best people watching on earth.
Vegetarian Restaurants
For a fresh vegan option the best choice on the island has to be the wonderful The Rabbit Hole in San Rafael. This place is filled with home-made, natural goodness and not an ounce of animal product in sight. It's quirky interior and small garden terrace are both so enticing that you may find it hard to leave!
