What a Party Weekend In Ibiza Taught Me About Food (And Friendship)
If you had told me a few months ago that I’d be crying over cheese at a breakfast buffet in Ibiza, I would’ve assumed the tears were due to a hangover. But no — they were tears of food joy.
Let’s talk about Ibizan food.
Because, as it turns out, even a weekend dedicated to parties, DJs, and questionable sleep schedules can transform into an emotional pilgrimage for a diehard food lover like me.
Once a food traveler, always a food traveler. Apparently it’s the only thing I know how to do. Even when the plan is to see David Guetta & Martin Garrix, fueled by nothing but cava and morning after ginger shots.
Spain, of course, is known for its divine gastronomy and an infinity of relatively affordable Michelin-starred gems.
But Ibiza? Let’s be honest — it’s more often associated with overpriced beach cocktails, €30 club sandwiches, and boho-chic party dresses (guilty!)
So when my friend Sam and I planned one last adventure to get high on life and say goodbye to summer, I didn’t pack my foodie hopes alongside my party outfits. I expected foam parties, not aqua faba foam emulsions.
But, oh, how wrong I was. Ibiza had a few surprises waiting for me — five to be exact — that changed how I’ll forever think about this storied island and its culinary scene.
Shout out to Sam for inspiring the concept of playlist creation as a form of creative expression – click on the links throughout the post to build a playlist 😉
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Ibizan Food – 5 Culinary surprises
1. Es Gerret: The Restaurant That Doesn’t Care About Stars (But Deserves Them All)
Es Gerret is one of those restaurants that should have a Michelin star but doesn’t seem to care. You can tell the team there doesn’t cook for accolades — they cook because they have to.
Because it’s their way of expressing love for the land, for tradition, for flavor. It’s their creative outlet. And it shows. If you’re looking for devotion, you’ll sure find it here.
The tomato salad with “un-tomatoes” was a full sensory prank. Heston Blumenthal meets Ferran Adrià’s gel olives. If you know, you know.
And as if the squid ink donut hadn’t blown our minds enough, the chicharrón tacos that followed were so conceptually complex that the chef himself had to emerge from the kitchen to explain the sorcery.
And then, of course, there was the shrimp and squid ink arroz — not technically a “paella,” as any self-respecting Spaniard will remind you, but a dish so good it could end international disputes.
Made with delicate Ibizan shrimp, this inky masterpiece was a love letter to Spain’s greatest talent: making humble rice transcend into art. Every grain told a story — of sea, soil, patience and pride — reminding us once again that Spain doesn’t just cook rice, it worships it.
For dessert came the creamy pistachio with frozen strawberry heart — a plate so beautiful and so creative it left us both speechless. I’m still dreaming about it a month later.
To top it all off, a bottle of house made hierbas ibicencas liquor appeared in front of us for an after dinner digestif. This literal liquid gold was so out-of-this-world amazing that even non-drinking Sam, well, drank.
A massive thank you to the team at Es Gerret for this unforgettable evening.
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2. Es Ventall: Where Tradition Wears Its Sunday Best
We celebrated Sam turning 28 in Ibiza, and Es Ventall was my culinary love letter to the occasion. Michelin-recommended, family-run, and blissfully tourist-free, this place is where time slows down.
The result of the constant and tenacious work of an entire family, Es Ventall was born more than 35 years ago. It’s the kind of place, so typical to Spain, where chefs and servers are proud not just of their land’s bounty, but also their careers.
Day after day, they make the mundane their masterpiece (you should’ve heard this track remixed by Guetta for a crowd 10,000 strong, I still have goosebumps!).
Under their watchful eye, and a centuries old oak tree in the backyard, we experienced the best the island cuisine has to offer.
On the menu: locally caught fish tiraditos, decadent shrimp croquetas, filet de ternera with roasted carrots and seasonal hazelnuts, a melt-in-your-mouth catch of the day, and a lineup of three different desserts that would make a dietician weep.
Every bite, every sip of the underrated mencía wine, was an ode to simplicity and authenticity. No theatrics, no fireworks. Just pure, honest cooking that whispers “bienvenidos.”
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3. Café del Mar: A Soundtrack Inpired By The Sea
If you’ve ever played a Café del Mar playlist at a dinner party, you’ve felt a bit of Ibiza in your living room. Maybe you’ve visited one of their several locations scattered around the globe.
But standing at the original 1980s spot in Sant Antoni de Portmany, soaking in the world famous tunes as the sun melts into the Mediterranean? It’s a bucket list experience that will help you understand the Café del Mar legacy.
Watching that sunset with Sam over a pre birthday dinner aperitif, I finally understood why those chillout tracks exist and why they have thrived for nearly five decades now.
They were conceived out of this view, this energy. A creative-turn-business venture born out of love for sunsets. Now every time I press play back home, I swear I can hear the waves crashing against the shore.
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4. Ushuaïa Breakfast Buffet: A 60 Euro Revelation
Okay, so hear me out. The Ushuaïa Hotel breakfast buffet might not sound like the place for a spiritual food awakening, but life is full of surprises.
Sure, there was a breakfast burrito station, a self-serve mimosa galore, a vegan table, every cold cut known to man, cooked-to-order Eggs Benedict, and a full English breakfast buffet centerpiece.
Oh, and Alice in Wonderland-style live entertainers, there to remind you that you don’t need no sleep, you’re already dreaming.
But hidden among the glitter of crêpes and waffles with every topping imaginable was a corner of true Iberian magic.
Think jamón de bellota carved to order, an olive tapenade so delicate it whispered “España,” artisan sourdough made with genuine masa madre, and a cheese station that stole my heart.
That’s where I met the “florist” — a true artisan carving literal flowers, or flores de queso, from a very special DOP Galician cheese I hadn’t tasted since my Camino de Santiago days.
Watching him work, so quietly devoted to his craft amid the chaos of a party hotel brunch glamour, hit me right in the soul. I cried. He smiled. We nodded in mutual cheese appreciation.
And just like that, with a single bite of the most delicate cheese petal, Ushuaïa became one of my favorite hotel breakfasts ever. And almost made me forget about the ungodly nightly rates.
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5. Hotel Vibra Yamm Sunset — Deconstructed Hangover Cure
After a night at UNVRS dancing within sweat distance of David Guetta, I found myself at our hotel’s breakfast buffet, clutching my coffee like a life raft.
And there it was: a made-to-order Spanish tortilla de patatas — but deconstructed. Layers of egg, potato, and magic stacked in harmony. It was unconventional, comforting, and disappeared before I even thought to take a photo.
My favorite dish in my favorite country, steps away from the OG Café del Mar? Maybe it was the breakfast tortilla, maybe it was the cava welcome on the rooftop infinity pool the evening before, but that was no ordinary morning.
It felt like a hug from Spain itself — warm, sincere, passionate, and quietly sparkling.
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We’ll carve our names… As the sun goes down
2025 was, for both Sam and me, a year of deep transitions — of heartbreak, change, hard decisions, and healing.
We came to Ibiza not just to party, but to celebrate what we’d learned along the way: to dance our lessons out, to express the seemingly inexpressible.
Two old souls seeking renewal, we found ourselves in the temple of music – and food – letting our hair down, feeling forever young, surrendering to the beat that promised to carry our worries away across the Mediterranean.
We came searching for inspiration — for where to settle, what to call home next, and what commitments awaited us on the horizon.
We skipped the Robin Schulz residency – three all-nighters in a row seemed too much for these old souls – but his tune echoed in my mind as the island sun dipped low:
Nothing’s ever what we expect
But they keep asking where we go next
All we’re chasing is the sunset…
Doesn’t matter where we are
If there’s a moment when it’s perfect
We’ll carve our names… as the sun goes down
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Ibiza Food – Final Thoughts
We may have partied at the world’s wildest nightclubs, and danced like summer would never end. But the memories that linger aren’t of the legendary DJs or dance floors.
They’re of delicate cherry “un-tomatoes” at Es Gerret, roasted carrots with hazelnuts at Es Ventall, Sam’s birthday dessert trilogy, and a cheese flower at Ushuaïa that made me cry happy tears.
Take that, Martin Garrix.
Settling down and making forced decisions for my business just because it’s expected? I’m good … and wherever it takes me, I’m down for the ride.
And Sam — where to next?
Images: Gaby Aziz & Sam Malik
How did you like Ibiza food? Did you have any outstanding meals while on the island? Let us know in the comments or tag @eightyflavors on socials!
OUR TRIED AND TESTED FOOD TRAVEL RESOURCES: Book a hotel with Booking.com. Search for the best flight deals on Skyscanner. Find the best local food tours on Viator. Browse curated conscious group trips with G Adventures. Get your travel insurance with World Nomads.
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