Ibiza’s most popular holiday resort, Playa d’en Bossa, is blessed with almost 3km of golden sand and surrounded by a collection of the island’s best beach clubs, as well as its brightest nightspots. However, with the resort dominated by some of the island’s best hotels, offering fully inclusive or half board, deciding where to eat out when hunger strikes can be challenging.
Luckily, there are many top restaurants in and around the resort, it just takes a little guidance to find them. Also, it is a resort where the needs of diners and clubbers converge, so be prepared to find restaurants that are livelier and more atmospheric than you might expect in the more sedate towns.
Prices can also be a little on the high side but take a short hop to the nearby village of Sant Jordi and you will find more bang for your holiday budget.
Here is a rundown of our favourite places to recharge and re-energise between those long, lazy sunbathing sessions and your epic clubbing nights.
High end
Let’s start with the daddy of them all, Sublimotion. This multi-sensorial sensation is a truly magical experience, for 12 diners, where the table becomes a stage upon which a gastronomic spectacular is performed. Completely re-invented each year, head chef Paco Roncero combines molecular gastronomy with cutting-edge technology to create an entirely unique event, including as many visual and olfactory ingredients as it does gustatory. Warning! Sublimotion is the most expensive restaurant on Ibiza, but, if you’ve got €1500 spare, check it out!
Playa d’en Bossa’s beach is home to some incredible beach clubs nestled among the sand dunes and palm trees. There is nowhere better on the island to lie in the sunshine chilling to the sound of some of the best DJ’s on the planet, whilst having top-quality Mediterranean seafood and refreshments brought directly to your daybed.
Beachouse, Coco Beach, Nassau, and Tanit Beach Ibiza beach clubs lie side by side along the sand at the southern end of the beach and each of them have kitchens producing meals to the most rigorous standards and bars stocked with the finest beverages. A little further along, the Sir Rocco Beach Trattoria serves up high-quality Italian flavours right beside the sea.
Lively during the daytime, in the evening the beach clubs convert to atmospheric fine-dining establishments, with some of the nicest views on the island - especially on those magical nights when the moon rises out of the sea. Needless to say, this sumptuous luxury comes at a price, but it doesn’t stop those beds and tables from being fully booked throughout the season. So, make sure you reserve your place in advance.
Minami is Ushuaia hotel’s avant-garde Sushi and Japanese restaurant and makes a great place for people watching and absorbing the big party atmosphere whilst you dine. Situated by the famous hotel’s foyer, it is decorated in a traditionally minimalistic Japanese style and also has Teppanyaki tables for that ultimate Asian experience.
Mid Range
Tuk Tuk is a beach club that won’t hit the pocket quite so hard. Located close to the famous Bora Bora beach bar, the restaurant at Tuk Tuk offers a fine variety of dishes, many with nice Asian influences, that will please many tastes. The venue can get lively on certain nights, so do expect a party atmosphere.
Due to the resort’s popularity with Italian tourists (and lucky for those who like to load up on carbs before a long night out!), there are several decent Pizzerias and Pasta restaurants in the vicinity, offering great quality for reasonable prices. Moma Cafe, Bella Napoli, La Dolce Vita and Es Tancó (in Sant Jordi) are among our tried and trusted favourites. All can be guaranteed to deliver plenty of flavourful Italian home cooking, with quality service and a little extra on top.
For something uniquely Ibizan, you will find the charming Restaurante Can Mosson Guillemis housed in a very pretty, traditional Finca (farmhouse) on the coast road as you head towards Ibiza Town. Check out their superb paellas for the full island experience.
Tucked away behind the village church of Sant Jordi you will find the cosy Can Soul, a fusion restaurant with an inventive menu and friendly service. A great choice for a wide range of cuisine from around the Med and the rest of the world.
Ohana Ibiza, at the furthest end of the promenade, offers very tasty Hawaiian/Mediterranean fusion dishes in abundant quantities. With unobstructed sea views from its mellow, wooden-decked terrace, it is the perfect place to enjoy a healthy Poke bowl or stimulating cocktail as you watch the world gliding by.
Budget
Clubbers on the go will love the variety of top-notch gourmet burgers on the menu at the lively Dunes Ibiza diner. Nearby is the resort’s favourite takeaway burger bar, Steak and Shake, a retro diner-style joint with a great choice of burgers and sides. So popular, you might find yourself queueing down the street.
Exotic food lovers will be delighted when visiting Sant Jordi. The little town has a surprising selection of authentic Asian kitchens - Arigato is an excellent Japanese restaurant with a fine choice of sushi and Chirashi bowls, while Ca Na Hathai serves a full menu of delicious home-cooked Thai food. Both are also excellent takeaway options if you prefer to eat in your villa, hotel or at the beach and neither will break the bank.
However, if what you’re looking for is that traditional Spanish dining experience, we can recommend Es Timbal also in San Jordi. Offering a fine selection of tapas dishes, paella and daily menus, this is a casual restaurant that pleases locals and tourists alike.
Friend's Kitchen American Bowling is a cheap and cheerful diner, specialising in hamburgers, nachos, pizzas etc. With plenty to entertain the whole family, including of course four bowling lanes, you might find that, once you’re in, you won't want to leave…
