The best restaurants Mao

Right in the heart of Maó, Le Romero treats regulars and visiting travelers alike to fresh Menorcan-inspired seafood dishes in a more modern version. Fabio and Francesca, an Italian couple, will welcome you with a smile and will be happy to guide you according to your tastes: fresh fish and seafood (no meat) and organic vegetarian dishes to enjoy on the terrace or in the dining room. The entire menu is gluten-free, and products are sourced from eco-responsible production chains.

El Rais restaurant invites you to an inventive gastronomic experience in Port de Maó! This new address is the brainchild of the owners of the Ses Forquilles restaurant. The restaurant specializes in rice-based dishes, hence the name "El Rais", a play on the word "rice". The original, gourmet tapas to share make an excellent introduction. The proportions are small, but the flavors are there! A fine wine list.

Opposite the fish market - in other words, right in the center of town - this restaurant is run by a friendly couple from Barcelona, offering creative tapas made from fresh, seasonal produce. Everything is served in small, tasty portions to share: Russian salad, braves à l'aïoli, knife-cut tartare, cooked fish and other seafood... it's all very good! Don't hesitate to ask for advice when choosing your wine, as the owner is an enthusiast. Perfect for a quick bite or a serious dinner party.

Right in the heart of Maó, the Mercat des Peix (Fish Market) is an institution. Not only has it always been the place to go for fish and seafood shopping, but over time it has also become a gourmet meeting place, with a string of small restaurants facing the fish stalls. Choose from a variety of specialties, then take your tray and sit down in the small, picturesque courtyard to feast in a cosmopolitan, seafaring atmosphere. Stopover recommended.

Breakfast, sandwich (4 €), salad (from 7,5 € to 10,50 €), tables of cheese, blocks, salmon (12 € to 13 €), tapas. Ice and sorbets. Air conditioned room or a pleasant terrace on the central square of Explanada.

Small restaurant with a lovely terrace, although it is situated on the road. A large choice of salads (from 7 € to 11 €), but mainly from fish and meat cooked to plancha. The daily menu is 11 € and includes an entrance, a dish and a dessert with water or wine. The special menu is 21 €, and lets you choose from a vast proposal of fish, seafood and meat, all unappetising.

Traditional and international cuisine served in a boat décor designed as a tribute to the shipwrights (translation of "Mestre d'Aixa") of Maó harbor. Start with a few homemade croquetes, one of the chef's salads or a green tomato gaspatxo, before moving on to a bacallà amb pisto i ou, octopus ramen, chicken canelons or corball and llagostin ceviche, and finish with a delicious French toast or lemon tart. Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?

A great place to eat tapas, but also more elaborate dishes, shoulder to shoulder with the locals. The lunch menu is copious and the rations generous. In short, a true bar de poble as we like it. To whet the appetites of passers-by, 36 photos of the sandwiches you can order at Can Xavi are displayed at the entrance, so there's plenty to choose from! When it comes to beer, you'll be able to choose from more than twenty offerings. A popular, typical address with timeless charm, where you get what you pay for.

It's in the port of Maó that you'll find the modern, cosy and bright Calucha. It's a small gastro-bar offering simple, well-made dishes based on local island produce. Here, locals and tourists alike can enjoy one (or more) of the five dishes of the day, washed down with one of the wines from the premises' excellent cellar. The menu includes sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie platters, and high-quality preserves. A reference in the port.

Popular with locals for its arroces (rice), the cuisine at l'Arjau promises some nice surprises. Launched in the spring of 2018 by Max, a chef with over 30 years of experience behind the stove, the business is doing rather well: Minorcan specialties such as caldereta are on offer here, but also, and above all, a whole variety of lobster-based preparations. There are also a number of original arrossos , such as rabbit and artichokes, or duck and foie gras. A fine selection of wines and a very pleasant atmosphere. A very good address.

Particularly popular with locals, this restaurant in the pedestrian center of town doubles as a wine bar. The service room, with its vaulted ceiling and intimate lighting, is an invitation to relax and chat, especially in winter. In summer, the sunny terrace is the perfect place to sample a wide range of homemade tapas, made with care from the island's finest produce. A fine selection of cheeses. A really good little address in Maó's historic center, and at fair prices.

Located within the Sa Sinia des Muret gastronomic space, the Disbarat is a place dedicated to "Burgers, Tapas & Drinks". Resolutely local and welcoming, the place is open to all: soccer fans coming to watch a match, music lovers coming to see a live music concert, friends on the go and other hungry passers-by coming to munch on one of the eight burgers on the menu. The Disbarat's menu is rounded out by a selection of 15 other dishes and tapas. It's a popular and accessible place to discover in the evening!

A classic in the city center, Can Avelino is a regular spot for lunchtime feasting on a low-priced menu in a pleasant bistro atmosphere. From tapas to main courses, the plates are generously garnished, and local produce is the order of the day. In addition to the Spanish staples, there are a number of original dishes such as sweet potato with green pesto, breaded shrimp with mayonnaise and mango, and chicken curry with red peppers. Great value for money.

The very first restaurant in the prestigious eponymous restaurant group, Ses Forquilles has been serving East End gourmets for almost two decades now! In 2021, the cosmopolitan tavern may have moved to the premises of the Cristine Bedfor boutique-hotel (with independent access) to enjoy a more functional and luminous setting, but the preparations and welcome remain unchanged! Chefs Marco Collado and Oriol Castell continue to work creatively with local produce from the sea and land, producing results that are not lacking in character!

Here's a smart little address just the way we like it! Opposite the fish market, this bistro, announced by a few stand-up barrels placed right on the street, has the charm of the old and the audacity of the new! It operates according to a well-thought-out combo: a short menu of fixed specialties ("les incontournables"), a slate that changes according to market produce and top-quality wines, including a collection of natural wines. The crockery is motley, vintage, the service warm and friendly, the flavors subtle. We just love it!

This little bar under the arcades of the Plaça d'Es Claustre, with its outdoor terrace, doesn't look like much, and yet... It's been a meeting place for locals for over a century! Since 1892, to be precise. And today, it's still the local café atmosphere that's been cultivated here. Service is friendly and attentive, and dishes of typical Mediterranean cuisine to share are prepared with simplicity and served in generous portions. In short, this is one of the most popular local addresses!

It's in the port of Maó that we find this fresh young address run by two passionate young entrepreneurs. The menu ranges from snacks and tapas (collectively known as "picoteo") to more elaborate dishes accompanied by sophisticated drinks and cocktails. Among the star dishes, the excellent black rice combined with meat or fish occupies pride of place. Desserts deserve a special place too! Friday and Saturday, it's music time!

Pau Sintes, a young chef (born in 2000) who won the European Young Chef Award at just 24, is the man who runs the kitchens at the Cristine Bedford restaurant... And it's not for the faint-hearted! Local produce, simplicity, quality, creativity... and surprise! That's what a meal here has in store for you, whether it's breakfast, brunch or dinner on the terrace, a cocktail in the secret garden or a meal in the Pool Bar... It's a unique experience that we recommend you take part in!

Run by a small group of Minorcan friends, Sa Petita des Claustre is located in the cloister, under the arches. Behind its wooden storefront, they prepare salads, cakes, soups, savory and sweet tarts, bowls and other healthy dishes at very good prices! Everyone gathers here at lunchtime, local workers and tourists alike, both for the good humor of the owners and for the simplicity and quality of the products. A local address that could well become your canteen if you're staying in the area!

This tortillería (tortilla bar) is as small as it is new in the Maó landscape! From a tiny counter in the town's old center, a mother and daughter, both Madrilenians, prepare splendid, tasty tortillas with a smile! Eggs, potatoes and a good dose of know-how are the main ingredients. But you can also enjoy tapas, croquetes and other simple dishes prepared with great care! An address worth discovering!