Enjoying the Wonderful Restaurants of Menorca

Eating great food while on a holiday staying in one of the fabulous private villas in Menorca doesn’t have to be about the amount of money you spend. Sometimes it is the small, off-the-beaten track family restaurant or the tiny beachside café that offers you the best dining experience. Exploring this wonderful island will reward you with some great food if you know where to look.

Inexpensive Delights

It is common practice for most restaurants to offer a separate lunchtime menu, and this can often be great value for money. A delicious three course meal could cost as little as £9 and sometimes that may even include wine. Of course, the choices could be limited but there will usually be a selection of local dishes on the menu.

Another great way of eating if you like to sample many different dishes is to try the local Montaditos, which are slices of bread topped with an assortment of great flavours. In Ciutadella you could try the Aurora restaurant, where you can take a stool at the bar and choose from the many montaditos set out before you. If you prefer to eat al fresco, Aurora is located on one of the most beautiful squares in Ciutadella and the terrace is a great place to people-watch (be aware that in most restaurants it is cheaper to eat inside at the bar than outside on the terrace).

For wonderful views while you eat you should try the Cap Roig restaurant, which is north of Mahon on the picturesque bay of Cala Sa Mesquida. From the terrace you will get a great view of the bay and the rocky coastline. Seafood is a speciality here and crab and the local clams are a good choice; they also offer some wonderful rice dishes, including Black Rice.

For genuine Menorcan cooking at a good price, visitors staying in private villas in Menorca should pay a visit to Es Mercadel where they will find Restaurante Las Vegas. Don’t be put off by the name, as this really is traditional cooking at its best. They offer a three course daily menu at the incredible price of ten euros.

For a rural restaurant within easy walking distance of Ciutadella you should try Ses Truqueries. The restaurant’s gardens supply the renowned Spanish chef Axel Fortuny and you can get to sample them for a much lower price by opting for the set fifteen-euro menu. It changes daily, but you may be offered seafood paella and you can be assured the quality of the food far outweighs the reasonable price. The rustic surroundings add to the experience of lovely food in an atmospheric setting.

More Expensive Options

At the other end of the scale, if your stay in one of the beautiful private villas in Menorca leaves you with a budget for some fine dining you will find plenty of establishments in which to spend it.

The local speciality dish of Caldereta de Langosta can be found in many restaurants on the island. This delicious dish of lobster cooked in a rich stock can be sampled in the Ciutadella waterside restaurant Café Belear. All the produce used is fresh and of the highest quality and the staff are very friendly. Another beautiful restaurant to visit is Sa Pedrera d’es Pujol, in Torret, St Lluis. It was built in a pine forest where there used to be an old sandstone quarry. The restaurant is a must visit for gourmands, with such treats as moray soup, pumpkin ravioli and Menorcan skate.

Venturing out from your private villas in Menorca for lunch or dinner will give you plenty of options for great food to suit all budgets. You can be assured that you will eat well on this wonderful, relaxing island.

Brenda Jaaback is the Managing Director of Bartle Holidays. They can provide you with a wide selection of great private villas in Menorca for your holidays. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.