Brand-new Mexican rooftop restaurant Cielito (meaning little heaven) truly owns its elevated position within the grounds of San Antonio’s latest five-star addition, Bonito Ibiza. Opening its doors for the first time in July, it is already making its mark within the west coast resort.
Stepping out from the fifth-floor elevator, you simply cannot fail to falter at the jaw-dropping view that awaits. It offers an entirely new perspective of the Bay of San Antonio and the setting sun, and might just be one of the best in the harbour town.
Decorated in rustic and neutral tones, with flashes of Mexican-inspired decor throughout, it's a perfect blending of earth and sky, from inside to out.
The breezy restaurant terrace offers romantic poolside seating for two or under shade-giving rooftop beams for larger groups. A small pool lines the balcony edge, a beautiful, romantic setting for couples and a cosy spot for friends to mark their evening.
Before you, glimpses of the sunset emerge on the magnificent San Antonio skyline as the orange and purple tones fade to dark and the twinkling lights of Ibiza’s second-largest town come to life. If you look closely enough, you can catch peeks of the vibrant life below - a stark contrast to the relaxed rooftop setting.
Whilst it's very easy to get lost in the view, the scent of spice and cinnamon soon calls you back.
In our evening, every sense was inspired, as we joined for Cielito Sounds.
Taking place every Thursday, live music accompanies the Vive México menu, where magical Mexican flavours are served alongside ambient acoustic sounds.
Finally, time to sip on signature cocktails.
No run-of-the-mill cocktails here, when the signature offerings were this enticing.
From left to right, we began with the Agua Santa, super smoky with a hard hit of mezcal and zingy ginger. The creamy and sweet Las Mañanitas was a velvety blend of double espresso coffee, Patrón Silver tequila and Khalua with chocolate bitters adding a delicious cutting edge. Finally, the La Bruja was soft, fruity, and refreshing.
Las Mañanitas was acclaimed the drinker's favourite cocktail of the year so far!
Now to eat... Tasked with bringing the fire from Mexico to the sunset skies of San Antonio, Chef Gabriel Sunyer and his team have crafted a modern Mexican menu that still sits firmly in its traditional roots.
The open kitchen and attention-grabbing flame grill certainly caught our eye and brought the menu to life in a flash.
Something to get our teeth into - the Mexican street corn ribs maintained their slightly sweet flavour against the fire grill's hardworking flame, championed by the fiery kick from the spicy mayonnaise.
Best eaten with your hands and with friends you’re happy to get messy with.
The classic enchilada was stacked full of chicken and smothered in earthy, warming and slightly creamy refried bean mole. Guajillo chile gave the sauce that fruity, smoky edge.
A refreshing interlude. Chunks of sweet watermelon, infused with mezcal by osmosis, delivered a really interesting taste. The sweetness of the fruit was enhanced by the classic liquor, with slight hints of smokiness lingering in the background.
A ceviche served exactly as it should be. Refreshing, light, and zesty. The slices of fresh, chilled seabass soaked up the invigorating and incredibly moreish chilli-lime aguachile, delighting the palate with every bite.
Taco time! Homemade corn tortillas, piled with tasty fillings, make for messy but fun sharing plates. Make sure to have a napkin at hand for these!
The Marisqueros: Plump, soft-textured chunks of delicately flavoured fish, with a slightly zingy mayonnaise and sharp, crunchy cabbage for an extra texture twist. Lashings of lime on top made this a winner.
The Cochinita Pibil: Traditional slow-cooked pork, marinated in citrus juice and achiote paste. Rich in flavour, the shredded meat was topped with vibrant avocado dressing and pickled red onions.
It’s amazing how these shared plates can really tighten the waistband, but we soon found room for the final sweet treat of the evening.
An interesting twist and turn on the classic churros. Piping hot, the sugar-coated cinnamon crunch wheel was as much of a mouthful as this description. Dipped in a super-sweet dulce de leche caramel for the final finisher.
Alongside it, the Oaxacan Chocolate Textures brought a rich, biscuity crunch that was drenched in cinnamon ice cream.
Defeat, finally admitted.
With breathtaking views and colourful plates, this is a beautiful sharing experience that is best enjoyed with friends from whom you can steal from their plates with a smile and nod.
Detached from the hubbub below and serving up delicious treats in a relaxing atmosphere and with a serene soundtrack, Cielito is a refuge like no other in San Antonio. It certainly lives up to its name as a little corner of heaven.
All hands on board for this Mexican adventure. Make your reservation here.
