Best restaurants in Formentera

Experience Balearic gastronomic proposals in Formentera’s best restaurants: from fancy beachside tables to relaxed resorts, to enjoy the island’s amazing sunsets. Here are our recommendations to spend great moments with gourmet dining and home-style cooking.

Formentera, as well as all Balearic Islands, is not a place usually associated with a dynamic culinary scene. You can find music, fashion and great nature as iconic Balearic components. Yet spots like Ibiza Town, Santa Eulàlia and Formentera offer a wealth of gastronomic experience combined with sailing experiences and amazing sunsets. We explore the top must-try restaurants here, from gourmet dining to home-style cooking.

The tiny island of Formentera has come into its own in recent years – once only known for its proximity to Ibiza and tranquil beaches, the island now has a thriving restaurant scene to enjoy while sailing or walking. Menus tend to have a heavy Italian and Mediterranean influence with an emphasis on excellent seafood, and dining options range from beachside lunches to romantic dinners in candlelit courtyards. If you arrive in a yacht, tender services are provided. Here are our favorite places on the island to enjoy a bite.

Juan & Andrea

Juan & Andrea sits in the dunes on Illetes beach, one of the best in Formentera, and often named as the best beach restaurant in Europe. The restaurant is instantly recognizable by the four huge palm trees surrounding it, which are the only trees on the beach. It was established in 1971 by a local fisherman and his wife and was originally a small seafood shack but is now a large restaurant with a huge, shaded terrace with tables on the sand.

The premise of the restaurant has not changed, and it is still a family-run restaurant, whose local seafood specialties are outstanding. The lobster paella is particularly good, as are the local prawns. This place is a must-visit when on the island.

Beso Beach

Enjoying a gentle sea breeze and outstanding views across the water, the laid-back environment of Beso Beach is one of the best experiences on Ibiza’s sister island Formentera when arriving from the sea. Particularly great for private yacht charter guests, a dedicated tender service is on hand to provide convenient access for those making a VIP entrance.

To get to know the culture, visitors can shop at a small boutique which specializes in local crafts and clothes. Once you are finished dining and drinking, the A-list famous beach of Illetes is only a short distance away and has been voted one of the most beautiful beaches in Spain and the wider Mediterranean.

Es Molí de Sal

Fancy but family friendly, this beachside bar and restaurant is the place to come if you want perfect sunset views with your pre-dinner drinks.

Es Moli de Sal is in an old windmill right on the edge of the sea and is apparently the favorite of the King of Spain, amongst other celebrities, which would explain the eye-watering prices. Drinks however are reasonable, and if you are prepared to splash out on a nice meal, the extensive seafood menu is incredibly good, and the homemade ice-cream is raved about. Yachty types can come to shore using the restaurant’s water-taxi service.

El Pirata

El Pirata was one of the first restaurants that opened their doors in the famous Illetas Beach in Formentera in the early 80s. You can recognize El Pirata immediately for its black pirate flag standing above the tents that provide cool shadow to the dining room.

The tables are disposed over the white sand so you can rest your feet here and El Pirata’s cocktails are worth tasting. With its relaxed yet trendy ambiance, you know you are in for a great dining experience the minute you are seated. The food is a mix of Mediterranean, Italian and Spanish, and it is utterly delicious!

Can Carlitos

With the outdoor terrace set in a beautiful garden with fairy lights twinkling in the trees, Can Carlos certainly make for a picture-worthy romantic setting. It is not all about the garden though, as the food and service are both fantastic, as is the wine list.

The menu is Mediterranean with a heavy leaning towards Italian, and the seafood is particularly good, with the local squid and tuna carpaccio being firm favorites. This restaurant is extremely popular, and only opens for dinner, so booking ahead is essential, particularly if you want to sit outside.

Chezz Gerdi

Expect amazing views, cocktails, good food and great vibes at this lounge bar and seafront restaurant.

In the popular resort of Es Pujols, at the end of the long wooden beach promenade, that is beautifully lit at night, Chezz Gerdi is a place with something for everyone with a large restaurant area, chill-out space, cocktails zone and small children’s playground. Do check out its fashion boutique and if you are on your boat, get your lunch delivered directly to you. Chezz Gerdi also makes a stunning spot for weddings and events.

Es Calo

At Es Caló, tables are set on an open-sided wooden structure on a beach of the same name, with clear views over the pretty cove and out to sea. For a delicious seafood lunch, in a relaxed and tranquil beach setting, this is the place to come.

Their paellas and other rice dishes are excellent, and the spiny lobster casserole, (which does not come cheap, and must be ordered in advance) is a real treat. Local dishes like the octopus or salads with dried salty fish, are also worth trying.

Tiburón

If you want to eat at one of the most famous typical restaurants in Formentera you certainly can choose El Tiburón. It is one of the most attractive seaside restaurants on the island, which means that if you want to immerse yourself in a Balearic atmosphere, El Tiburón has to be on your list.

Here you can enjoy some delicious cocktails and wines, accompanied by fried specialties such as calamari and seafood croquettes. The food is yummy, a combination of Mediterranean and local cuisine. It is located north, between Es Moli de la Sal and Beso Beach, and you can easily find it because of the shark that is standing in the rooftop.

Yacht booking to cruise Formentera and enjoy its local cuisine here.