LA TERRETA TAPAS Y MÁS La Terreta is a true hidden gem in San Antonio, Ibiza, and we arrived with very few expectations. This spot is a relatively recent addition to Sant Antoni’s traditional tapas scene. The small neighbourhood bar was already established by 2023 and is run by Lorena and her husband Marco, who does the cooking. Rather than following the increasingly fashionable style of many Ibiza restaurants, they have kept things simple, concentrating on traditional Spanis

I wanted to explore Sant Antoni de Portmany’s traditional breakfast cafés to find the current cost of a basic breakfast. These establishments are primarily popular with locals, along with a few tourists. We ordered the same food and drinks at each location for comparison. Zumo de naranja recién exprimido (freshly squeezed orange juice). Café con leche (coffee with milk). Tostada con tomate, aceite de oliva y sal (toast with tomato, olive oil and salt). CAFETERÍA EL RINCONCITO

RESTAURANTE ES CUCÓ This restaurant is located on the outskirts of Cala de Bou, heading inland. It is an excellent place to stop for a drink or some reasonably priced food. Es Cucó Ibiza began as a family business in the 1960s, founded by Vicent Marí and Pepa de Can Garxò des Pou. Originally a traditional local shop with a small bar attached, it became a popular meeting place for locals and workers from the area’s developing hotels. In 1977, the shop and bar were separated, a

RESTAURANT SA CALETA UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2026: The beach opposite the restaurant, Es Bol Nou, is now closed for safety reasons. This also applies to the viewing tunnel to the left of the beach. The restaurant remains open. In October 2026, we returned to an old favourite Restaurant Sa Caleta. The restaurant is situated between the airport and Cala Jondal. Just before you turn off for Cala Jondal, you will see a sign for the restaurant on the left. Drive down the dusty camino, wh

CASA LABRA Casa Labra Madrid dates back to 1860. History was made at this bar on 2 May 1879, when the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party) was formed. When you walk in, it feels as though you’ve stepped back to 1879, as not much seems to have changed since then! The picture below shows old prices. Current prices (2026) Cod croqueta: €1.70 each Tuna pickled banderilla: €2.25 Tortilla: €6.90 Tajadas de bacalao: €2.30 It is a fantastic traditional bar. It is famous for its croquetas d

LA CASA DEL ABUELO We returned to one of our favourite bars on our recent trip to Madrid. The original tavern opened on Calle Victoria in 1906 as La Alicantina. During the 1920s and ’30s it became famous for its sandwiches, at one point selling more than 1,500 a day. Following the Civil War, when bread became scarce and was remarkably more expensive than prawns, the family began serving prawns instead. They proved so popular that they became the speciality of the house, a tra

MESÓN TXISTU Mesón Txistu is a little off the beaten track in Madrid. Pedro Abrego Velasco, a Navarrese restaurateur who grew up in San Sebastián, founded it in 1972. After spending ten years in Venezuela, Abrego returned to Spain and eventually settled in Madrid. Following the success of his first restaurant, El Caserío, he opened Mesón Txistu, bringing traditional Basque cooking to the capital. More than 50 years later, it remains resolutely traditional, specialising in exc

LA VENENCIA The fabulous La Venencia Madrid is like stepping back into an Andalusian sherry bar from the 1920s or ’30s. The bar has a fascinating history; many believe anti-Franco supporters met here during the Spanish Civil War. It is doubtful the place has changed much over the years, with its unassuming sign above the door, dusty old sherry bottles behind the bar, and vintage posters on the walls, all giving it great character. This refreshingly unmodernised, quirky old ba

EL BIGOTES The Fish Shack at Cala Mastella is also known as El Bigotes Ibiza, which translates to “The Moustache”, a nod to the proprietor’s distinctive whiskers. El Bigotes will be remembered for sitting at his table every lunchtime while enjoying a flagon of his favourite red wine with his fish and rice. Sadly, he passed away in 2025 at nearly 100. His funeral was massive on the island, with everyone paying their respects. Rest in peace, El Bigotes, and thank you for your i

ASADOR CAN PILOT We returned to Restaurante Asador Can Pilot Ibiza, which has been part of Sant Rafel since 1949, when Joan Ramon Boned built the original Taberna Can Pilot himself. One of the village’s first bars, it became a popular meeting place for locals and, in 1961, even acquired what is remembered as Sant Rafel’s first television. The original bar closed in 1970, and Boned’s son, Joan Ramon Serra, reopened it with his wife, Carmen Ribas, in 1989. What began again as a