4 Best Restaurants in Mahon (Mao), Ibiza and the Balearic Islands

A Menorca institution set above Cala Sa Mesquida, a short drive from Mahón, Cap Roig owes its well-deserved fame to the quality of its seafood and the splendor of its views. The mussels from the port of Mahón are excellent, as is the lobster, which can be served grilled, in a stew, or as part of one of the restaurant's celebrated rice dishes or paellas. 

Originally a flour mill, this is the oldest building in the village of Sant Climent, and both the atmosphere and the food are exceptional. Taste seasonal dishes, which can include prawn carpaccio with cured Mahón cheese and guacamole, black paella with monkfish and squid, and carrilleras de ternera (beef cheeks) with potato. End with some local cheese, ice cream, and figs. In summer, book a table on the terrace. With a brewery on the premises, visible behind glass, you'll know what to drink.

This simple waterfront restaurant, at the east end of the harbor promenade, is a local favorite. The lunchtime crowd comes for the platter of lightly fried mixed fish with potatoes; knowledgeable clients home in on local specialties like cap-roig (scorpionfish) with garlic and wine sauce, or paella bogavante (with clawed lobster). The menu takes a major leap in price for the €75 spiny lobster, a delicacy prepared in a variety of ways. The prix-fixe lunch is a good value at €15.

Rice reigns supreme at upscale El Rais, but that doesn’t mean it’s all paella. There are starters like prawn gyozas, cured Menorcan beef, and red tuna belly with salt-cured yolk and caviar. In addition to the rice-centric options—which naturally extend to rice pudding for dessert—find wood-fired vegetables, seafood, fish, and meat dishes.