pulled pork sandwich

Last summer, I visited Palma de Mallorca for the first time and fell in love with this cosmpolitan city. It’s the summer destination that has it all – beautiful beaches, great shopping, easy access to more remote parts of the island and plenty of charm.

In the past year, a number of design hotels and hip restaurants have opened and I was excited to check a few more places off my list. Here are a few good spots to visit if you’re in Mallorca this summer…

EAT

Rosevelvet Bakery

Head to the hip Carrer de la Missió and you’ll find a little corner of New York at indie coffee shop, Rosevelvet Bakery. It’s a friendly place to chill out and enjoy a speciality coffee (made using beans from Berlin’s The Barn) with a slice of home-made cheesecake. Or, go for a more substantial avocado and poached eggs on toast, chicken teriyaki sandwiches or grilled burger.

We were thrilled to find perfect Iced matcha lattes made with fresh Mallorcan milk just before heading back to the airport. We will definitely make Rosevelvet Bakery our first port of call next time to try the food menu.

C’an Joan de s’Aigo

For a truly unique experience, cool down at C’an Joan de S’Aigo, the oldest cafe in Palma. This historic family-run cafe and bakery was established in the 1700s and specialises in ices. Originally, ice was taken from Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountain range and brought back to Palma to be stored until the summer.

It was mostly for domestic use, but Signor Joan de s’Aigo mixed it with fruit juice to create an early form of ice cream. Later, the cafe became known for its hot chocolate and ensaimada, a traditional Mallorcan pastry.

We enjoyed refreshing glasses of Almond and Meringue milk ice cream, which were all-natural and not overly sweet, as well as a fluffy Sponge cake. Unlike many well-known historic cafes in Europe, it’s very affordable and welcoming – the perfect cheap eat in Palma.

Cafe Rialto

Rialto Living, just off the Rambla in the heart of Palma, is one of my all-time favourite lifestyle stores. Not only is this beautiful Mallorcan townhouse filled with the most exquisite homewares, designer clothing and accessories, but it’s also home to Cafe Rialto in its peaceful courtyard. It attracts a well-heeled crowd but is welcoming and unpretentious – locals drop in for a gossip over an ice-cold cervesa rather than clinking champagne glasses.

The menu offers modern bistro classics with Asian influences (rice paper rolls, tuna tataki etc.) and the gourmet salads are just incredible.

We tried the thoroughly indulgent Crispy chicken salad with poached egg, mozzarella pearls and fried onions and the signature Rialto salad with shrimp, strawberries, avocado, toasted nuts and yuzu vinaigrette. Both salads were so flavourful, fresh and well-composed – just what you want for a chic lunch in town.

Spot

Santa Catalina has a reputation as Palma’s thriving foodie neighbourhood and Spot is one of its coolest new restaurants. It’s the first Mallorca opening from Spanish restaurant group En Compañia de Lobos, which includes Ana La Santa in Madrid and Gats in Barcelona, and there’s a lot to like. Everything is sophisticated and well-curated, from its stunning casual-luxe design to the comfy seating and glowing ambiance.

The menu has a global focus with sharing plates, fresh seafood, wood-fired oven pizza and classic crowd-pleasers. We started with an enormous plate of Fried artichokes and followed with a succulent and flavourful Pekin crunchy duck with pancakes. Our Pizza Marguerita with ham had exemplary dough, but the cheese was too heavy and oily – go for the Burrata pizza instead. Still, we had a memorable meal at Spot and would love to return, as it has a great evening vibe.

Patron Lunares

Patron Lunare, a stylish restaurant in Santa Catalina, is inspired by the neighbourhood’s fishing heritage and it certainly looks the part with striking maritime interiors. Seafood is the order of the day, but there are also typical island specialities, grilled meats and ceviche. We started with the signature Guacamole, which came deconstructed and ready to be mixed at the table and served with plenty of nachos. It was a light and refreshing start to the meal and there was more than enough for two to share.

Mallorcan-style cod with sherry aioli was an accomplished dish – the perfect combination of succulent fish with wilted spinach and aromatic emulsions. Pulled pork sandwich was obviously less intricate but still comfort food at its best with juicy, high quality pork and tasty chips.

Service was a little frustrating at times, but this cool fisherman’s canteen is a good place for a fun night out with great food to match.

Tast

On our first night in Palma, we indulged in tapas at Tast Avenidas, conveniently just around the corner from our hotel. The popular Tast group has been around for 30 years and has six restaurant in Mallorca, including the upscale Tast Club and the Ram Bar serving New York-inspired cocktails on La Rambla.

We feasted on cod fritters, ham croquettes, spicy fried potatoes and chorizo cooked in cider. The mini Caesar salad brought a touch of freshness to the rich tapas and brochettes of prawn, bacon and chicken finished everything off nicely. There’s also an impressive selection of creative pintxos on the bar, if you’re in the mood.

Tast Avenidas is a comfortable, welcoming restaurant for a tapas fix and it seems particularly good for larger groups.

Badal Corner

Ask where to find the best burger in Palma and most of the internet will point you to Badal Corner and believe me, it’s the real deal. This small but busy burger joint near the Olivar Market serves up the most enormous Black Angus burgers, flame-grilled in the open kitchen and loaded with fresh toppings. On arrival, you’re given a check list to order and customise your burger, however it’s best to try one of their own creations as their flavour combinations are on point.

We both tried Un dia de chimenea – a juicy, smoky medium-cooked beef burger with grilled peppers, bacon, cheddar, guacamole, BBQ sauce and roasted onions. We also shared a side of Sweet potato fries, as they were a generous size, and they were served crispy and piping hot, with a choice of two dips. Not only are Badal burgers a feast for the eyes, but they’re so flavourful, satisfying and high on quality – you don’t want to miss out!

SEE

Portixol

The tiny former fishing village of Portixol is a must see when visiting Palma. Stroll or cycle around the horseshoe-shaped bay, just off the Playa de Palma, and relax over lunch at one of the many quaint restaurants.

Hotel Portixol is the place to see and be seen with its boho design, retro swimming pool and chic terrace restaurant. It’s now firmly on my hotel wish list!

Sóller

For a memorable day trip, take the train from Palma to the pretty town of Sóller. The historic electric train sets off from the charming Ferrocarril de Sóller station and journeys north through the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range and 13 tunnels, arriving at Sóller within just one hour. On the way, you’ll pass through olive groves and fruit orchards, plus there’s a short stop at a view point for taking in the beautiful landscape and snapping some photos.

Sóller is a picturesque town for a slower pace of living (even if there are lots of summer tourists) and it’s filled with delightful boutiques, cafes, delis and bakeries where you can snack on a traditional coca bread for lunch. Sóller is also known for its oranges and lemons, so be sure to try an Orange Sóller, a refreshing drink made with freshly-squeezed orange juice, sorbet and whipped cream. The pavement café next to the train station does a great one, so you can relax while waiting for your ride back into Palma.

Travel tip

Plan carefully for this day trip, as the train return ticket isn’t flexible and you’ll need to align your tram return from Port de Sóller to arrive back on time. To keep our options open, we bought a single train ticket to Sóller to enjoy the scenery and took the bus back, which was a speedy and air-conditioned 40-minute ride. If you’re on a budget, you can take the bus both ways for just 3.10 Euros each.

For a fabulous holiday in Mallorca, I can personally recommend staying at the boho-luxe Bikini Island and Mountain Hotel with stunning bayside views over Port de Sóller or Innside Palma Center, a fabulous affordable design hotel in the heart of vibrant Palma.

The Plaza is a New York landmark, immortalised in the pages of American history, literature and film since its opening in 1907. The Plaza has had some great moments – the tea garden was featured in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (The Beautiful and Damned was based on the author’s exploits at the hotel), Eartha Kitt played The Persian Room, The Beatles stayed during their first trip to the U.S and Truman Capote hosted his legendary Black & White Ball in the Grand Ballroom.

More recently, Sex and the City and Gossip Girl have played a part in maintaining The Plaza’s reputation as the most desirable place in the city to get married, enjoy afternoon tea or a glamorous cocktail hour. Of course, being located in New York’s most prestigious spot, overlooking Central Park and 5th Avenue, certainly helps.

We visited The Plaza for lunch at Palm Court, the renowned restaurant and focal point of the hotel. Entering the spectacular dining room feels like walking into a bygone era, with a stunning stained glass cupola, crystal chandeliers, marble pillars and elegant palms.

Palm Court is ever so civilised and romantic, however the atmosphere is refreshingly informal. The waiters are polite yet warm and friendly, making conversation as though it was an old family establishment.

Afternoon tea is a particular favourite at Palm Court, with four special teas available – The Classic, The New Yorker, Chocolate Tea and Eloise Tea (named after author Kay Thompson’s young character Eloise, who lived at The Plaza).

We ordered from the lunch menu by Executive Chef Willis Loughhead, which features classic American dishes and European brasserie favourites.

We both started with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with grilled melon and whole grain mustard aioli ($21). The crab cake was meaty and plump, with crispy golden breadcrumbs on a bed of lamb’s lettuce and juicy grilled melon. The whole grain mustard aioli was potent and piquant and worked perfectly with all of the flavours.

For my main dish, I was tempted by the Braised Beef Short Rib Stroganoff with mixed mushrooms, Harrison Creek Farms grey shallots, wide egg noodles and Dijon ($30). The meat was tender and slow-cooked and fell off the bone. The Stroganoff sauce had a light yet creamy texture and absorbed the flavours of the meat and mushrooms.

The noodles resembled thin fusilli pasta rather than the long ribbons I was expecting, however they were light and tasty. I later found out that in America, the difference between pasta and noodles is whether a wheat or egg dough is used, even if they may look like pasta shapes.

Steven ordered the Beer Braised Barbecue Pork with fresh tomato salsa, avocado, pickled red onion, brioche and house-made potato chips ($22). The pulled pork was moist and well marinated and the fresh garnishes stopped it from being overly rich. The thick-cut house-made potato chips were crunchy, properly seasoned and full of flavour – a welcome change from fries.

My Hazelnut Napoleon with hazelnut meringue and milk chocolate Chantilly ($14) was an absolute delight! I loved the contrasting layers of wafer-thin chocolate, whipped Chantilly cream, dense chocolate ganache, nutty sponge and a decadent, crunchy praline base. Any fans of Nutella or gianduja won’t be able to resist this dessert.

Steven went with the classic French Apple Tarte Tatin with caramelised Granny Smith apples and vanilla ice cream ($14). This was a simple dessert done extremely well, with deeply caramelised soft apples on a flaky pastry base. Pastry Chef Jasmina Bojic certainly brought flair to the dessert course.

We finished with two large pots of fresh mint tea, accompanied by a platter of the most exquisite chocolate truffles. Hand-painted and vibrant, these luxurious white, milk and dark chocolates resembled little meteorites and were filled with interesting combinations. After three delicious courses, we had no room left, so our waiter kindly boxed them up for us to take away.

A popular alternative to the lunch menu and the afternoon tea is the Chef’s Table – a selection of seasonal soup, salads, grilled vegetables, charcuterie, seafood, meats and desserts ($36). This self-service selection at the centre of the room was beautifully-presented and there were plenty of dishes to choose from. This option makes dining at The Plaza more affordable, particularly for families.

Palm Court is a fabulous emblem of ‘old world’ New York and it was a real treat to have dined at The Plaza, in the footsteps of America’s great and good.

For more info, visit: www.fairmont.com/theplaza

Chérie City was a guest of The Plaza

For more New York dining ideas, read my reviews of:

The Best Places to Visit in Palma de Mallorca

EAT