What to eat in Ibiza

Ibiza’s traditional cuisine is varied, Mediterranean, original and exquisite. Its gastronomy is the perfect reflection of the culture and history of Ibiza. For this reason, its recipes are heavily influenced by raw produce such as fish and seafood. This relationship is due to the great link between the island of Ibiza and the sea.

Before recommending you any typically Ibizan dishes, there are various side dishes that are typical of the island. Any meal in Ibiza should come with a good pan payés (rustic bread), ailoli and olivas trencades (olives marinated in fennel), plus samphire, capers and other pickles, although they are less common.

Along with your meal, a nice side dish to order is cocas (flatbreads), like those made with peppers or gató (fish), or salads, which are also very important in Ibizan cuisine. Salads usually have few ingredients and their bases tend to be made from onion, tomato, green pepper, oil and salt. Sometimes a little boiled potato is added to them.

Empanades are a type of round pasty, normally filled with peppers, beef or fish and the cocarrois are crescent-shaped pasties and are filled with vegetables. We also recommend you eat Spanish omelette in Ibiza, to which wild asparagus, onion or sobrasada (raw, cured sausage) is usually added.

On the other hand, the most typical dishes are burrida de ratjada (baked ray) with chopped almonds, Ibizan lobster stewed with squid and herb liqueur or the guisat de marisc, a delicious fish and seafood stew. The arroz de matanzas should also be highlighted. It is a creamy rice made with produce derived from the well-known slaughter and is very spicy and the Sofrit Pagés, a festive meal made with meat, butifarró sausage and potatoes - classic products are used in the cuisine of Ibiza and Formentera.

 The Bullit de peix is one of the top dishes in Ibizan cuisine and possibly one of the ones that will most surprise you. In Spanish it means "boiled fish" and it is served with potatoes and a garlic sauce that gives it a surprising touch but does not mask the flavour of the fish.

If you prefer simple dishes, Pa amb oli is an option: toast with tomato, oil and salt, which is usually served with all kinds of cold meats and cheeses. In terms of its Catalan version, the difference is found in the type of bread and amount of tomato used.

Ibizan pastries are also extremely diverse. The sweets par excellence are Flaó, a cheesecake with herbs, Orelletes (fried pastry sprinkled with sugar) and buñuelos (fried dough balls), without forgetting the tasty Greixonera, made with ensaimadas (spiral-shaped puffed pastry) and milk.

Ibiza also boasts a long tradition of liqueur. Frígola, Hierbas Ibicencas and Palo are made with a base of local herbs marinated in anise, resulting in a sweet liqueur with a herbal aroma. Traditionally, these herbs are considered as digestive drinks and are taken after eating. You can drink them cold, with ice or at room temperature.

And this is our selection from the wealth of Ibizan cuisine. We hope it will be useful on your visit to the island, and, above all, that you try some of the dishes we’ve selected for you.

What to eat in Ibiza

Ibiza’s traditional cuisine is varied, Mediterranean, original and exquisite. Its gastronomy is the perfect reflection of the culture and history of Ibiza. For this reason, its recipes are heavily influenced by raw produce such as fish and seafood. This relationship is due to the great link between the island of Ibiza and the sea.

Before recommending you any typically Ibizan dishes, there are various side dishes that are typical of the island. Any meal in Ibiza should come with a good pan payés (rustic bread), ailoli and olivas trencades (olives marinated in fennel), plus samphire, capers and other pickles, although they are less common.

Along with your meal, a nice side dish to order is cocas (flatbreads), like those made with peppers or gató (fish), or salads, which are also very important in Ibizan cuisine. Salads usually have few ingredients and their bases tend to be made from onion, tomato, green pepper, oil and salt. Sometimes a little boiled potato is added to them.

Empanades are a type of round pasty, normally filled with peppers, beef or fish and the cocarrois are crescent-shaped pasties and are filled with vegetables. We also recommend you eat Spanish omelette in Ibiza, to which wild asparagus, onion or sobrasada (raw, cured sausage) is usually added.

On the other hand, the most typical dishes are burrida de ratjada (baked ray) with chopped almonds, Ibizan lobster stewed with squid and herb liqueur or the guisat de marisc, a delicious fish and seafood stew. The arroz de matanzas should also be highlighted. It is a creamy rice made with produce derived from the well-known slaughter and is very spicy and the Sofrit Pagés, a festive meal made with meat, butifarró sausage and potatoes - classic products are used in the cuisine of Ibiza and Formentera.

The Bullit de peix is one of the top dishes in Ibizan cuisine and possibly one of the ones that will most surprise you. In Spanish it means "boiled fish" and it is served with potatoes and a garlic sauce that gives it a surprising touch but does not mask the flavour of the fish.

If you prefer simple dishes, Pa amb oli is an option: toast with tomato, oil and salt, which is usually served with all kinds of cold meats and cheeses. In terms of its Catalan version, the difference is found in the type of bread and amount of tomato used.

Ibizan pastries are also extremely diverse. The sweets par excellence are Flaó, a cheesecake with herbs, Orelletes (fried pastry sprinkled with sugar) and buñuelos (fried dough balls), without forgetting the tasty Greixonera, made with ensaimadas (spiral-shaped puffed pastry) and milk.

Ibiza also boasts a long tradition of liqueur. Frígola, Hierbas Ibicencas and Palo are made with a base of local herbs marinated in anise, resulting in a sweet liqueur with a herbal aroma. Traditionally, these herbs are considered as digestive drinks and are taken after eating. You can drink them cold, with ice or at room temperature.

And this is our selection from the wealth of Ibizan cuisine. We hope it will be useful on your visit to the island, and, above all, that you try some of the dishes we’ve selected for you.