Where to Eat in Palma de Mallorca: A 2026 Food Guide
The cuisine of Palma de Mallorca is very diverse and sourced primarily with fresh, local ingredients. From a 2-euro pincho at a classic tapas bar to a Michelin tasting menu in a 17th-century convent, Palma has something for all tastes. This guide pulls together the best of my five Palma food guides: Old Town restaurants, tapas bars, food markets, rooftop bars, and the classic dishes to order. My favorite is a lively local spot where we had our best night of the trip.
Where to Eat in Palma Old Town: The Best Restaurants
The best restaurants in Palma Old Town are packed into a walkable area at the historic center and the La Lonja district by the water. From a Michelin-starred spot at the Convent de la Missió Hotel to a marina bistro with seafood right off the boat, Old Town has options for everyone. A few are famous and central, a couple are quieter and more hidden, and my full guide covers seven of the best.
👍 Marina Bay is my pick for best restaurant in Palma de Mallorca Old Town. The seafood is fresh, the marina setting is something everyone should experience once in Palma, and the food and atmosphere are both excellent, which is more than I can say for some other harbor spots. I had the gambas al ajillo, the tuna tataki, and a burrata salad, and all three were great. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it, and the view over the marina is the best at sunset. Book ahead if you can, and go for the seafood even though the menu is broad. 📌 Read the full guide: Best Restaurants in Palma Old Town: 7 Places to Eat
The Best Tapas in Palma de Mallorca
Palma has great tapas, and the best are in a mix of a few famous central spots and the local bars off the strip. My full guide covers seven of the places we went, from a century-old La Lonja classic to a lively Michelin-listed creative bar, and what to try at each. Go around 8pm, start with a vermut, and share everything. 👍 My favorite is Moltabarra in Sa Gerreria, but more on that below. 📌 Read the full guide: Best Tapas in Palma de Mallorca: 7 Bars You Can’t Miss
What to Eat in Palma: The Classic Dishes to Order
Palma de Mallorca food focuses on local island ingredients, so the classics typically include bread, cured pork, tomatoes, and almonds. You’ll find unique dishes like pa amb oli, spreadable sobrassada, tumbet (the local ratatouille), spiral ensaïmada pastries, and the panada hand pie. These are simple ingredients elevated by classic techniques. My full guide covers eight classic dishes and where to find a good version of each.
👍 My favorite is pan con tomate, and I say that as someone who isn’t usually a tomato person. It’s a unique application of tomato, grated straight onto toasted bread and finished with good olive oil and salt. When I want more than a starter, I go for the heartier Mallorcan pa amb oli, which has the same base with cured ham or local cheese added. 📌 Read the full guide: Palma de Mallorca Food: 8 Classic Dishes You Absolutely Must Try
The Best Markets in Palma de Mallorca
The markets are the best place to taste Palma de Mallorca’s food in one stop, from fish off the morning boats to sobrassada, local cheeses, and tapas. My full guide covers five markets in Palma de Mallorca, what each does best. But the one thing I wish I knew ahead of time to make the trip easier is that every food market in Palma closes on Sundays, and a lot of restaurants do too. So plan your market excursion for another day of the week.
👍 My favorite is Mercat de l’Olivar, the biggest and most central, where restaurant chefs do their morning shoping and four bars inside serve tapas made from market produce. Just don’t go on a Sunday. 📌 Read the full guide: Palma Markets: 5 Best Food Markets in Palma de Mallorca
The Best Rooftop Bars in Palma de Mallorca
Palma has more rooftop bars than most cities its size, and the best ones look straight out over the cathedral and the sea. My full guide covers six bars, which are mostly on top of hotels, from a terrace with an infinity pool to a small, low-key bar with the best cathedral view I found. Several are guest-only by day and open to the public at night, so check before you go and time your visit for sunset.
👍 My favorite is the Nakar Sky Bar at Nakar Hotel, where I stayed. It’s small, but that works in its favor because it has a good vibe, great cocktails, and the best view of the cathedral. 📌 Read the full guide: Best Rooftop Bars in Palma de Mallorca: 6 Spots for Sunset
Where to Eat in Palma de Mallorca: FAQs
What food is Palma de Mallorca known for?
Palma de Mallorca food focuses on island classics like pa amb oli (bread with tomato and oil), sobrassada (spreadable paprika sausage), tumbet (a local ratatouille), ensaïmada pastries, and fresh Mediterranean seafood. The city also has a strong tapas scene, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Old Town, and food markets where chefs do their daily shopping. If you want the short list of great eats, get the pa amb oli, a Spanish tortilla, and a plate of sobrassada, then book one fancy dinner in Old Town.
Where should I eat in Palma de Mallorca?
Start at a market like Mercat de l’Olivar for the variety, then wander around town. The Old Town and La Lonja district have the best sit-down restaurants, Sa Gerreria and Santa Catalina have the best local tapas bars, and the best rooftop bars are mostly on top of hotels in the town center. The five guides above are organized by category, so you can match your meal to your mood.
Is Palma de Mallorca a good food city?
Yes, and it’s more affordable than you’d expect. Palma has a Michelin-starred restaurant, a deep tapas and vermut culture, excellent seafood, working food markets, and myriad rooftop bars with cathedral views, all in a highly walkable area. You’ll usually find the best value a few streets off the Passeig del Born and away from the cathedral, but good spots can be found all over the city.
What is the best area to eat in Palma?
That’s a difficult question. La Lonja by the water has the highest concentration of high end restaurants. Sa Gerreria and Plaça Santa Eulàlia have the most local tapas bars in the smallest area. Santa Catalina is the trendiest food-and-drink neighborhood with a market at its center. It all depends on what you feel like eating.
🏆 My Personal Pick
My favorite place to eat in Palma is Moltabarra, the tapas bar in Sa Gerreria. It was my favorite night of the trip. The atmosphere is funky and lively, it’s packed with locals. The pinchos are traditional and generous, and I ordered a loaded plate of them with shrimp, chorizo, morcilla, and roasted peppers skewered on bread, and a vermut over ice alongside. The prices are a fraction of what you’ll find elsewhere. Come early, since it gets crowded fast, and try to make it on a Tuesday for the Ruta Martiana. If you want a fancier, quieter experience, book Marina Bay for fresh seafood on the marina at sunset.
Where to Stay in Palma: My Top Picks
- Hotel Nakar is a well-designed hotel on Avenida Jaume III, which is central and walkable to the Old Town and the tapas districts. The restaurant CUIT does a modern take on Mallorcan cooking with bay views, and the rooftop Sky Bar is one of the best in the city.
- Hotel Hostal Cuba is a 4-star boutique hotel in Santa Catalina in a 120-year-old building with a well-known rooftop Sky Bar and sea-and-city views. It’s in the heart of the trendiest food-and-drink district, though the Santa Catalina nightlife also means it can be noisy late on weekends, so ask for a quieter room.
- Hotel Saratoga is an iconic 4-star superior hotel on Passeig de Mallorca that’s been family-run since 1962, with three pools including a rooftop pool and a Sky Bar with cathedral and port views. It’s central, comfortable, and good for groups.
🍪 Final Bite
- For fresh seafood on the marina, Marina Bay in the Old Town is the best choice.
- For the liveliest local tapas night, go to Moltabarra in Sa Gerreria.
- To explore traditional dishes, get pan con tomate or the heartier pa amb oli.
- For the best market, go to Mercat de l’Olivar (just not on a Sunday).
- For a cocktail with the best cathedral view, head up to the Nakar Sky Bar at sunset.
What’s your favorite Palma spot? Tell me in the comments.
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