As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to Formentera, Rhiannon Batten features a range of places to eat and drink on this beautiful island, from lounge bars and seafood cafes to inland wineries and vegetarian restaurants.
Places to eat and drink in Formentera
Chezz Gerdi
From Easter to October visitors to Es Pujols can escape from the midday sun at this buzzy lounge bar and restaurant, just back from the waves. Especially popular as the sun sets, when its cocktail list comes into its own and an upbeat, clubby scene picks up pace, you know you’ve arrived when you spot the cheerful red-and-white VW van parked at its entrance. Winner of an Ibiza Spotlight eco award for its sustainable approach to sourcing, the Italian-Spanish menu sticks to traditional crowd-pleasers; think clam pasta, lobster paella and made-to-order pizzas. chezzgerdi.com
Caterina Formentera
Owned by Italian brothers, this popular restaurant outside Es Calò is big on rustic charm. White-painted wooden tables are set on a series of outdoor terraces, interwoven by olive trees and illuminated by candles and hanging lanterns. While local seafood is a focus, the influence is more Italian than Balearic, with typical dishes ranging from the traditional (ricotta gnudi with tomato sauce and basil oil, or tiramisu) to the more adventurous (shrimp and artichoke rolls with walnut sauce, or little towers of squid and avocado). The homemade bread is a highlight. facebook.com/caterina.formentera
Terramoll Vineyard
On the island’s eastern plateau, La Mola, Terramoll is an organic winery producing 20,000 bottles a year. These are largely autochthonous wines such as Monastrell and Malvasía, though Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are produced too. In operation for over two decades, and now covering 12 hectares, sustainability is at the heart of the vineyard’s mission. Vines are tended according to a low-impact philosophy; chemical products, herbicides and mineral fertilisers are avoided and harvesting is done by hand. Widely available in the island’s restaurants, the wines can also be tried at the vineyard, in tastings paired with Balearic aperitivos. terramoll.es
A Mi Manera
The menu may sound international at this upmarket garden restaurant in the centre of the island but many of the ingredients are as local as you can get; seasonal vegetables and herbs are grown organically and served straight from plot to plate while meat and fish are sourced from trusted local suppliers. With tables set up within and around the vegetable garden, it’s an atmospheric spot for dinner al fresco. Typical dishes include ricotta-stuffed courgettes, spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and burrata and Formentera ceviche with celery and spring onion, marinated in orange and tomato. amimaneraformentera.com
Casanita Cantina y Pescado
Unpretentious though the surroundings might be, this traditional Es Pujols restaurant serves a sophisticated menu. With roots in Italian cooking but an eye on the local fishing boats, dishes range from salads topped with fried baby squid to seared octopus with creamed potato, paprika oil and chorizo crumble, homemade potato ravioli with prawn ragout, artichokes, basil and Pata Negra ham and sea bream fillet with baby spinach, burrata cream and Cantabrian anchovies. Make sure you save space for dessert: the tiramisu is a long-standing favourite among regulars but more unusual choices, such as ricotta and local fig mousse with almond biscuit, hit the sweet spot too. casanita.net
Es Calo
Five minutes’ walk from the beach of the same name, this fish-focused restaurant is worth seeking out. From grilled local prawns to fish of the day (perhaps grilled bream or baked sea bass, depending on what the boats have brought in), a whole choice of paellas or local favourites such as sautéed squid with sobrasada and caramelised onions, there’s something for all pescatarians here. Carnivores too: baked chicken or grilled steaks can also be ordered. As can greixonera, a typical Balearic dessert that’s rather like a citrus-laced cousin of bread-and-butter pudding and named after the earthenware baking dish it is made in. restauranteescalocarta.com
Can Rafalet
If you like to dine with a view this seafood restaurant on the east of the island’s north coast stands out. Run by the same family since the 19th century, when it operated as a shipping office for produce coming and going between Ibiza and Formentera, the restaurant looks out directly over the white sand coves that fringe it. As well as views of the cliffs at La Mola, beady-eyed diners can gaze out over turquoise water all the way to neighbouring Ibiza. As you’d expect of its fishing village location the menu swings more to surf than turf; typical dishes include fried local squid, paella with Formentera-caught fish and a gorgeously rich fish stew. restaurantcanrafalet.com
El Mirador
The name is a giveaway at this culinary stalwart. Perched among pine trees, at the highest point of the island, the restaurant’s sun-dappled terrace enjoys panoramic views right over the island’s north and south coasts, including the great arcs of sand at Migjorn and Tramuntana beaches. In operation since the 1960s, the restaurant’s philosophy is to celebrate the traditional cuisine of Formentera, an approach showcased in dishes such as octopus on a bed of baked potatoes, Andaluz-style fried baby squid and Iberian pork with goat cheese and caramelised onion. It’s also an excellent place to try wines from neighbouring vineyard, Terramoll. elmiradorformentera.com
Peixsec
A payesa (country-style) salad is one of the most traditional dishes in Formentera, found on menus throughout the island. Made with tomatoes, onions, peppers, potatoes and baked bread its star ingredient is peix sec, a salted fish that’s been hung in the sun and the sea breeze to dry, then toasted and shredded (you’ll sometimes see it being used to add extra depth to local wood-fired pizzas too). If you’re keen to take some home with you to recreate a flavour of Formentera in your own kitchen, it’s now also available in jars, preserved in nothing but olive oil. peixsec.com
La Cava Formentera
If the Little Mermaid was to go on holiday to Formentera she would surely hang out in this desert island- style bar and restaurant in Es Pujols. Fishing nets dangle from the ceiling and a flotsam-like shield of upcycled shutters marks the entrance while bright tablecloths and pastel-coloured storm lanterns set a fun tone for diners. Whether sitting inside, or out on the shorefront terrace, La Cava is a laid-back, joyful place serving simple, home-cooked island staples at affordable prices; think paella, grilled octopus or sea bream, and slow-cooked crema Catalan. facebook.com/formenteralacava
S'Averadero
The fact there’s no website for this Es Pujols restaurant speaks volumes. Word of mouth brings diners to its door, eager to try its menu of island classics, on tables dressed with white linen tablecloths. From seafood platters to squid ink paella, all the usual surf-centred favourites are on offer here but meats grilled over coals are a definite highlight. The views aren’t bad either; try to bag a table on the balcony and watch the sun set over a swathe of aquamarine water as you finish your meal with a plate of local sheep’s cheese drizzled with honey. @savaradero_formentera
Integral Formentera
Island kitchens often focus on the bounty that lies off their shorelines but this one is a little different. A vegetarian restaurant in Es Pujols, with plenty of vegan options too, it serves bowls of creamy pumpkin soup, ratatouille with baked potatoes, local cheeses and veg-based dips. Homemade apricot mousse and a “nocheese” spin on the island’s famous minted cheesecake are favourites with regulars but it’s also a popular place for coffee and brunch, with açai bowls, granola, vegan muffins and avocado toast on offer as well as lunches and dinners. Perennially popular, it’s worth booking ahead to make sure of a table, especially in the evening. integralformentera.business.site
Local flavours
From grocery stores selling Formentera lamb and cheese to stalls stacked with locally-grown olive oil, tomatoes and apricots, bakery counters lined with slices of the island’s much-loved mint-flecked cheesecake or wineries producing smoky reds and fruity whites, food shopping in Formentera draws on the best of both sea and land. Whether you’re looking for ingredients to rustle up an island-inspired fish stew, planning a sun-down cheese and wine-pairing or looking for culinary souvenirs to take home with you, make sure you download a copy of Formentera’s Slow Food map to track down the island’s culinary treasures.
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The google map below shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby attractions and activities in our Green Traveller's Guide to Formentera:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Local food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
