San Sebastian has long been Spain's undisputed food pilgrimage site — nine Michelin-starred restaurants packing 16 stars into a 25km radius. But a growing case is being made for Ciutadella, the low-key old capital on the western edge of Menorca, where the dining scene runs deep and the crowds don't.
The city has three restaurants in the Michelin Guide — Smoix, Godai and Aquiara — with Ca Na Pilar, Torralbenc, Santa Mariana and Es Cranc nearby. What ties them together is a serious kilometre-zero ethos. Ciutadella takes part in Menorca's Custòdia Agrària land stewardship scheme, which supports local farms in cutting the environmental impact of agriculture and links producers directly with restaurants across the island.
The port-side Aquarium restaurant shows how far that goes: seafood comes from Ciutadella's own fishermen, and almost nothing is wasted. One lobster might stretch across several dishes, including caldereta, Menorca's traditional seafood stew. Its red tuna japo taco — crisp shell, rich bluefin, guacamole and Japanese spice — won best bluefin tuna tapa at Spain's national GourmeTapa competition in 2023. And yes, there's Basque cheesecake, but with a Menorcan twist: it's made with protected Queso Mahón, from local cow's milk, rather than standard cream cheese.
Beyond that, the eating is varied and inventive. Fang i Aram, a vegetarian and vegan spot near the waterfront, turns out dishes like aubergine cannelloni with sweet potato sauce and courgette ravioli in cauliflower sauce. Katú de Smoix, from the chef behind Smoix, fuses Mexican and Mediterranean cooking — think corn fritters, signature fish ceviche and tres leches cake on a six-dish chef's-choice set menu. Tapas rival Pampa draws a lively evening crowd nearby.
Part of the appeal is what's missing: the crush. The old town still moves at local pace — friends over coffee and tortilla at pavement tables, day-trippers wandering between the 14th-century Gothic Cathedral Basilica of Santa María (built on the site of a former mosque) and the 17th-century Castell de Sant Nicolau watchtower. A short walk takes you to Sa Farola Lighthouse, looking out across the sea towards Mallorca.
Practically, it's straightforward. Direct flights reach Mahón from London from £41 return with easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, British Airways and TUI, plus a long list of regional UK airports (many routes seasonal). From Mahón airport, the number 10 bus connects to the city's bus station (€2.80), then the L01 to Ciutadella (€5.75) — around 90 minutes in total. A prebooked private transfer costs roughly €57 and takes about 50 minutes. Beds are affordable too: deluxe doubles at S'Enclova Petit Hotel start from £61 a night, while the five-room Hotel Los 5 Sentidos B&B has standards from £110 including breakfast.
For anyone who loves San Sebastian's food but has grown weary of jostling for a stool at a pintxos bar, Ciutadella makes a persuasive alternative — one writer was so convinced she returned twice within months and is eyeing a third trip.
