Mallorca Food and Gastronomy

Mallorca Food and Gastronomy

Eating out in Mallorca is, on the whole, an inexpensive and enjoyable experience with hundreds of quality restaurants to choose from. These range from the usual generic fast food outlets, such as KFC and Burger King in all of the big tourist resorts, to all manner of modern international cuisine including Japanese Sushi, Mexican, Indian, Thai, French and Chinese.

In addition to the wide variety of international cuisine a trip to Mallorca also offers the chance to visit a few of the hundreds of bars and cafes that litter the streets in all towns and villages, many of which stay open throughout the day and well into night. These local bars obviously serve all types of drinks. Sip on a Café solo or Cortado during a lazy sunny afternoon or enjoy a cool Mahoo (Mallorca´s premier beer) or a quality vinó tinto (red wine) in the balmy evenings. Many of Mallorca´s bars also provide various small snacks (Tapas) and pastries that include Ensaimadas, a delicious traditional Mallorquin pastry filled with cream.

Wine and dine Mallorca style

Wine and dine Mallorca style. With over 1.200 restaurants in Mallorca and lots of locally produced wine you cannot go far wrong. You will be able to enjoy Mediterranean style of cooking at its best based largely on locally produced meat, fruit, fish and vegetables. Go to any Mallorcan style restaurant and you will be offered age-old recipes mainly comprised of pig, fish and lamb.

To begin to understand Mallorcan cuisine you would be advised to go to a good local Mallorcan restaurant to sample what is available. Try out the shoulder of lamb, roast suckling pig, rabbit in onion and garlic or the traditional "Sopas Mallorquinas" comprised of vegetables such as cabbage, bread, tomatoes and garlic. For those of you who are more adventurous be a devil and ask for one of the following e.g. "lomo con col", "arroz brut" or a "tumbet" and enjoy what arrives at the table.

The quality of local wine has improved greatly over the last ten years. Besides going to visit one or more of the local wine estates to activate your taste buds consider stocking up with Benisalem, Felanitx, and Porreras wine both white and red. To finish off a good meal try out a well-known local digestive "Hierbas", a herb liquor. It comes in dry, semi-sweet or sweet varities that vary in potency and can be found in most Mallorca restaurants and liquor outlets across the island.

Local deserts are wonderful. There are Mallorca cakes such as "Coca de Almendras", and the famous "ensaimada". Since there are lots of almonds on the islands you can even finish off your meal in true Mallorcan style and order some roast almonds and bananas.

Some of Mallorca´s traditional dishes:

Sopas mallorquines - (a hearty broth containing slices of bread and vegetables)
Asados de lechona - (roast suckling pig)
Palatilla de cordero - (roast shoulder of lamb)
Conejo - (rabbit with onions)
Lomo con col - (pork with cabbage)
Arroz Brut - (literaly "dirty rice")
Tumbet - (Baked mediterranean vegetables)

Other Spanish dishes including paella and gazpacho are also widely available.

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