Best Tapas in Palma: My Top 10 Tapas Places

Sooner or later everybody who comes to Mallorca will ask the same question. Where do you get the best tapas in Palma? Mallorcan cuisine is fabulous and tapas are a great way to try lots of different dishes. Even more so if you share them with your friends. Because that’s what tapas are all about. Originally, it was a custom to cover (tapar) your drink with a slice of bread to protect it from insects. Over time the covers or tapas, respectively, became more elaborated. Today renowned chefs compete for the most creative recipes. In Palma, there are numerous places for great tapas and pintxos. Some of the best have already been covered by Estilo Palma. But since you keep asking for my personal favorites, here you go.

13% on noble Carrer San Feliu has been around for many years and is still going strong. The cozy restaurant has a small but carefully chosen menu with a North African touch. Plus a nice selection of wines, both from Mallorca and the peninsula. Their aubergine carpaccio with almonds and truffle oil is just heavenly.

Bar España is one of the classic tapas bars in Palma. Hidden close to Plaça Major Bar España is always crowded. And this is part of the unique atmosphere. You can eat at one of the tables but I’d rather go for the bar and enjoy the hustle and bustle.

Café La Lonja is one of Palma’s most traditional tapas places. And what a place! Located right next to one of the city’s most emblematic buildings the café has remained an oasis of calm. Enjoy your tapas on the terrace amidst beautiful Modernisme facades or inside at the fabulous Art Deco bar.

Santi Taura’s COR Barra i Taula became a hot spot for foodies right away. Traditional Mallorcan dishes refined to a modern taste and with an unmistakable twist. Located next to Mercat de l’Olivar the ingredients couldn’t be any fresher.

Early in the evening the regular crowd shuffles in for an aperitif at La Rosa. Next to a choice of tapas the menu also includes fish and seafood. With the vintage design the vermuteria is a great place to spend the night with friends.

La Vieja is the go-to place if you love food from the Canary Islands. Chef Jonay Hernandez moved from Tenerife to Mallorca. And his restaurant in Palma became popular among locals and visitors in no time. For the quality of his dishes as well as for its instagramability.

Molta Barra is one of the few neighborhood pubs left in Sa Gerreria, Palma’s former craftsmen quarter. A place with a special atmosphere, full of vintage objects that tell about the history of the barrio. And a long bar where the freshly prepared tapas and pintxos are displayed. Grab a plate, a cold beer or a glass of wine and enjoy the night.

OMBU is situated in the heart of Palma at Plaça de la Reina next to splendid Borne. If you need a break from exhibitions and window shopping, stop right here and relish some of Palma’s finest tapas. Famous for its creative cuisine, OMBU was among the winners at TaPalma twice.

A great addition to Palma’s gastronomic scene is Stagier in Santa Catalina. The menu reads like a best-of tapas. And indeed, chef Joel Baeza gathered experience in 23 renowned, often Michelin starred kitchens as a stagiere (intern). Only to surprise his guests with an exceptional selection of Latin-Mediterranean flavors.

It’s only due to the alphabetical order that Vandal is last on the list. When it comes to tapas in Palma chef Bernabé Caravotta has been number one several times. Vandal’s menu is special in several ways, you’ll find out. What I like most is how they marry each dish with a separate drink.

Of course, there are a lot more tapas places in Palma, many of them you find here on Estilo Palma. If you miss your personal favorite, though, please let me know. Because with Estilo Palma it’s like with tapas: Sharing is caring.