Born in Isla de Margarita in the Venezuelan Caribbean, chef David Rivas worked in Barcelona, Oslo, and Hong Kong before settling in Mallorca. These days, he can be found in his rustic-chic restaurant Terrae, set in the idyllic seaside town of Port de Pollença. A mix of foraged and locally sourced ingredients form avant-garde dishes like marinated squid with fennel and parsley mayo; leek croquettes in cauliflower cream; and French toast with marinated fruit and goat cheese foam. [$$$]

Rays of sunlight slip through the bamboo roof and play across your table as you tuck into colorful plates of fresh food at Patiki Beach. Despite looking like a typical Spanish chiringuito, or beach bar, this laid-back spot is a far cry from the tourist traps farther down the beach in busy Port de Sóller. Embodying Mallorca’s barefoot, bohemian vibes, British chef Grace Berrow serves up an ever-changing menu of whatever is in season and can be sourced on the day. [$$]

You cannot talk about Mallorcan slow food without mentioning Ca na Toneta and its pioneering chef, Maria Solivellas. Today, she can be found running the family restaurant in the tiny town of Caimari alongside her sisters Teresa and Cati. The chef works with carefully selected Mallorcan producers and strictly uses seasonal ingredients that are almost exclusively organic, so you can be sure every bite of Solivellas’s tasting menu will be packed with flavor and color. Her tomatoes taste like sunshine, and the crispy pork belly literally melts in the mouth. [$$$$]

This artisanal ice cream shop in the medieval town of Sóller uses locally grown organic fruit for its legendary orange and lemon sorbets. The town is set at the foot of the stunning Tramuntana mountain range in a region famous for its citrus farming. The company collaborates with local growers and unemployment offices to promote fair employment practices. Not into sorbet? Not a problem. Sa Fàbrica de Gelats also offers around 40 ice cream flavors, all locally made. [$]

Restaurants don’t get more scenic than Ca’s Patró March. Balanced perilously over the postcard-perfect rocky cove at Cala Deià, the restaurant looks as if it might tumble into the crystalline water at any moment. Fans are grateful it hasn’t so they can continue to gorge themselves on giant plates of freshly caught fish and other seafood, accompanied by crisp, local white wine. Tables are often fully booked weeks in advance; get in early and don’t forget to ask for a table en la primera linea (right next to the sea). [$$$]

The hillside town of Valldemossa is like something out of a medieval fairy tale with its labyrinth of rickety cobbled lanes and stone houses with bottle-green shutters. Just off the main road you might spot an Argentinian-born chef lovingly tending his organic vegetable garden. His name is Nico Gago Aubert, and he runs a slow food emporium set in a converted automotive workshop (es taller translates to “the workshop”). His hearty, healthy dishes range from pad thai and green curry with duck to Peruvian causas and Argentinian “gaucho-style” beef pasties. [$$]

Opened in 2018 in the sleepy town of Llubí, deep in the Mallorcan heartland, tiny Brut is able to accommodate only 12 lucky diners at a time. Using local, fresh, and seasonal produce from small-scale farmers, the kitchen designs tasting menus that combine ancient Balearic techniques with modern flavors and pairs the dishes with natural wines, craft beers, and kombucha. The result is a dining experience that is colorful, unexpected, and achingly contemporary.  [$$$$]

Don’t let Es Rebost’s fast-food appearance put you off. With four outlets in Palma (including one at the airport), it’s a Mallorca institution. The chain works exclusively with local farmers and artisans so every ingredient can be traced back to its origins — from the Son Vives Mahonés cheese to the Can Company charcuteries and the carob syrup and flour from Es Garrover. Since the motto is “fast slow food,” keep things simple with the tumbet (Mallorcan veggie gratin) and a burger d’aqui made from beef mixed with sobrassada and garnished with Mahonés cheese. [$$]

Ignasi Coli takes the revival of down-home cooking to a whole new level at Ca n’Ignasi (Ignasi’s house). In unfussy, rustic surroundings, Coli re-creates the recipes that have been enjoyed in Mallorcan homes for centuries (and often serves them himself). Concoctions include local fishermen’s favorite stew, bullit de peix, and rice with rabbit and snails. Bottles of wine start from 9 euros, and a four-course tasting menu will set you back 35. [$$$]

Purists may not approve of Fera’s brand of Mediterranean-Asian fusion, but local food lovers can’t get enough of it. Opened in Palma in 2017 under the watchful eye of Austrian chef Simon Petutschnig, Fera is hidden down a cobbled street in the center of town in a restored mansion just off busy Jaume III. The chef uses first-rate ingredients like Wagyu beef, raised in Teruel, Spain, and combines them with artisanal Mallorcan produce like Son Naava’s biodynamic Demeter oils and wines, all turned up with Asian spices. [$$$$]

You can’t swing a bottle of malbec without hitting an Argentinian chef in Mallorca. It’s true at Vandal, though chef Bernabé Caravotta and sommelier Sebastián Perez probably wouldn’t let you swing any bottles around. The team at this trendy urban haunt in hip Santa Catalina pair modern Latin American and Asian-inspired bites with signature cocktails. A ceviche cone with coconut foam is served with a Vino Sour 2.0 of white wine, lemon, and ceviche syrup, while the Patagonian black hake with Jerusalem artichokes, sea urchin, almonds, and garlic comes with a tangy tequila-based Red Patrón.  [$$$]

“Green is the new sexy” reads the tagline for this plant-forward restaurant set along the ground floor and leafy patio of the superb Can Bordoy boutique hotel. Palma-born chef Andrés Benítez takes inspiration for his dishes and spices from all over: Vietnam, China, Thailand, the Middle East, Mexico, India. And while plants are the main protagonists, the menu also makes space for meat and fish options that adhere to the locavore, zero-kilometer philosophy. Top choices include the candied leek with truffle hollandaise and the lettuce tacos with grilled octopus. [$$$]

It came as no surprise earlier this year when Dins Santi Taura was voted the best restaurant in Mallorca in a poll of the island’s chefs. The ever-smiling chef, who lends his name to the restaurant, won a Michelin star in late 2020, too. Set in the chic El Llorenç Parc de la Mar hotel, Dins is the place to discover contemporary takes on classic Balearic recipes, such as rockfish panada (pastry) and the classic trampó salad served with salted sardines. Book a seat at the chef’s counter and prepare to be blown away. [$$$$]