As a destination world-renowned for attracting anyone from high-flying jet setters to down-to-earth ravers, Ibiza Town has a gastronomic scene to match all tastes and budgets. This charming and seductive medieval UNESCO World Heritage site, with its luxury sports marina and vibrant port area, draws crowds worldwide to dine under the stars while enjoying the unique summer evening atmosphere.
With such a wealth of options, choosing the right place for you can be a challenge. Luckily, the Spotlight team are on hand to guide you. Here we concentrate on some of the city’s high-end finer dining establishments, where, if you have to ask the prices, you probably can’t afford them…
If you’re looking for something a little more economical, check out our companion article Where to eat in and around Ibiza Town: mid-range to budget.
The city is roughly divided into four main zones, the old town Dalt Vila, the modern town centre and the Port area, plus the marina across the bay. Here are just a few of our recommendations you will find while exploring these areas:
1742 Ibiza
Opening in 2022, 1742 Nassau Group & Edwin Vinke immediately occupied a place in the highest ranks of Ibizan fine dining. To start with its gorgeous historical setting in a beautifully restored XVIII century palace near the summit of Dalt Vila offers unequalled views down onto Ibiza Town and the port.
Then there's the food itself: haute cuisine conceived by master chef Edwin Winke featuring creative dishes that tantalise all five senses. Expect sumptuous seafood dishes along with venison followed by delicately concocted desserts, all set amid elegant surroundings with many artistic flourishes.
Sommeliers unite, as 1742 boasts what might be the most prestigious wine cellar in the entire region, or possibly even the world! Diners will also be bowled over by spectacular shows. In order to preserve the surprise, we won't say any more than that. Space is at a premium, so book your table in advance for what is sure to be one of the season's culinary highlights and - quite possibly - a meal you will never forget!
Ibiza Gran Hotel
Overlooking the marina, the mightily impressive Ibiza Gran Hotel is not only home to the island’s only casino and the glamorous Club Chinois nightclub, but it also houses four very exclusive, high-end restaurants serving cuisine from around the globe – contemporary Japanese specialists Zuma, Mediterranean maestros La Gaia, Italian chic Cipriani Downtown Ibiza and the recently-opened PanAsian restaurant Novikov.
Jewel in the crown is undeniably La Gaia which, with Head Chef Óscar Molina at the helm, earned the island its second coveted Michelin Star. After years of hard work consistently hitting the highest standards, Molina’s creativity in fusing traditional Ibizan and Asian cuisine into exquisite taster menus was finally and justifiably recognised by the Michelin judges in 2022.
Cipriani Downtown Ibiza has been catering for lovers of the finest Italian home cooking since the luxurious hotel first opened, while Zuma and Novikov are parts of award-winning international chains, both of which originated in West London. Each has established a well-deserved reputation for excellence in their respective fields.
Zuma, which occupies possibly the most enviable location on the island offering diners a wonderfully framed view of the medieval town, elevated the izakaya concept of Japanese dining to new spectacular levels when it arrived on these shores in summer ‘22
Conveniently located opposite the club Pacha, Novikov brings its famous blend of cuisines, merging exquisite Chinese and Japanese dishes that evoke memories of a stroll through an Asian food market, to Ibiza for the first time. Fans from around the world are sure to make their pilgrimage.
Pacha Group
The instantly recognisable double cherries of the world-famous Pacha Group dominate the nightlife scene of Ibiza Town. Since opening in an intimate nightclub in 1973, the brand has grown to represent excellence in clubbing and nocturnal entertainment. And, naturally, that includes gastronomy. Pacha Group has three excellent restaurants around the town that are synonymous with fine cuisine with first-class adult entertainment.
El Restaurante, integrated into the main club venue, is the perfect base to fully immerse yourself in the Pacha experience. A night beginning by sharing the classy and refined Mediterranean dishes and excellently blended cocktails with your favourite clubbing pals and ending with blinking into the warm Ibizan morning sunshine is a night worth living. Free entry to the club is guaranteed for diners.
Lío Ibiza is a dining/cabaret show concept that is about to take the world by storm. Since opening amongst the super yachts of Marina Botafoc has been combining extravagance, elegance and euphoria into a show and onto the table and the dancefloor. This is an entirely unique experience which needs to be pre-booked well in advance to avoid disappointment. With big plans to roll out the format in other major destinations, Lío might well be visiting a city near you soon.
D-Lounge, at the adult-only resort of Destino Pacha Resort at Cap Martinet majors in some of the finest sushi you will find in Ibiza. Dine al fresco under the stars with a classic Pacha soundtrack or, if you’re in town at the right time, you might even catch one of the magical Thursday evening sessions with superstar DJs Solomun or Marco Carola.
High-class grilling
On the outskirts of Ibiza town lie two of the island’s premier open-air dining experiences, El Carnicero and Casa Maca. Both establishments share a love for fine cuts of meat and an open flame. Ok, the dishes may not be refined haute cuisine but both restaurants share a love for the highest-quality produce to satisfy their demanding clientele.
El Carnicero pairs its dishes with an endless garnish of live entertainment, while diners at Casa Maca are surrounded by tranquil orchards and farmland, from where much of the produce on your plate originates.
STK Ibiza
Entertainment features at the top of the menu at STK Ibiza too. Besides a slavish devotion to the finest cuts of meat and fish, STK is a lively feast of fiesta and frivolity. Fans of the brand flock from around the world to become part of this extraordinarily colourful dining and cabaret experience.
NOBU
World-renowned for outstanding Nikkei fusion food, the Nobu brand came to Ibiza's shores in 2017. Its local branch - which overlooks the bay of Talamanca on the outskirts of Ibiza Town - is no exception. Offering izakaya dining of the highest quality in a classy setting, with gentle waves of the Mediterranean lapping on the shore just metres away, it is an unmissable Ibiza gastronomic experience!
Nobu's cutting-edge fusion fare can be enjoyed beneath the stars at night. Naturally, the service is highly professional and there's even a great range of expertly mixed cocktails with a Japanese flavour to boot.
IZAKAYA
Ever since arriving in the Sir Joan Hotel six years ago, IZAKAYA has blazed a trail thanks to its artful blend of high-end dining, stylish decor and emphasis on socialising. Leaning heavily on the Japanese concept of shared dining, it's the perfect match for Ibiza's cosmopolitan clientele. The food fuses the best of contemporary Japanese cuisine with Peruvian influences to outstanding success.
Classy interior furnishings, outdoor cabanas and poolside dining add to its appeal among discerning gastronomes. Top that with cool nighttime music and drinking scene with live DJ sessions and you have a winner.
CALA BONITA
If your idea of fine dining is top-notch Mediterranean fare served up at an idyllic beachside restaurant overlooking Ibiza's aquamarine waters, then look no further. Elegant, scenic and truly relaxed, Cala Bonita – located exclusively in the secluded cove of S’Estanyol near the village of Jesús - is perfect for a leisurely, extended lunch with family or friends.
Specialising in seafood and fish, it also caters to meat lovers and vegetarians. The combination of fresh, locally sourced Mediterranean cuisine in a paradisiacal setting just minutes from Ibiza Town is simply unbeatable.
For a full lowdown on restaurants on Ibiza, check out our restaurant guide.
Hero image: 1742 Nassau Group Edwin Vinke
Words: Tim Dackombe and William McKenzie
