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Food tours in Mallorca: what to eat and which tour to book
Mallorcan food is Catalan-speaking island cooking, quite different from mainland Spanish tapas. The basics are pa amb oli (country bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil, topped with ham or cheese), sobrassada (a soft, spreadable cured pork sausage with paprika), and the ensaïmada, a coiled pastry made with lard and dusted with sugar. Home cooking is based on vegetables, pork and rice: tumbet (layered fried vegetables), frit mallorquí (fried offal or lamb with potatoes and peppers), and arròs brut, a 'dirty' rice soup with meat and spices. Palma has the covered markets of l'Olivar and Santa Catalina, and the inland towns keep weekly markets, the best known being Sineu on Wednesdays.
Use this page to know what to order and where on the island, with rough 2026 prices in euros. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price and meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Mallorca
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ensaïmada | Light, spiral-shaped pastry made with lard (saïm) and dusted with icing sugar, plain or filled with pumpkin jam (cabell d'àngel) or cream. 'Ensaïmada de Mallorca' is a protected (IGP) product. | Bakeries (forns) across the island and historic cafés in Palma's old town; large boxed ones are sold to take home. | roughly €1.80–3.50 for an individual one |
| Bread with tomato and oil pa amb oli | Thick slices of Mallorcan bread rubbed with ramallet tomato and olive oil, served with cured ham, cheese, olives and pickled samphire (fonoll marí). | Village bars and cafés everywhere; a classic lunch or supper. | roughly €8–14 a plate |
| Spreadable cured sausage sobrassada | Soft cured pork sausage coloured with paprika, spread on bread or cooked; often eaten warm with honey. 'Sobrassada de Mallorca' (IGP) uses local pork, and the version made from the black Mallorcan pig (porc negre) is the premium one. | Market stalls and delis in Palma's markets; tapas bars and village bars. | roughly €4–8 as a tapa |
| Layered vegetables tumbet | Layers of fried potato, aubergine and red pepper baked with tomato sauce; served alone or alongside fish or meat. | Traditional restaurants (cellers) and village restaurants. | roughly €10–15 a plate |
| Mallorcan fry-up frit mallorquí | Diced lamb or pork offal (sometimes meat) fried with potatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and fennel. A traditional market-day dish. | Old-style bars and restaurants in Palma and the inland towns, especially on market days. | roughly €10–15 a plate |
| 'Dirty' rice arròs brut | Soupy rice with pork, chicken or rabbit, vegetables and spices that colour the broth dark. A winter and Sunday dish, different from paella. | Traditional restaurants, especially inland. | roughly €13–20 a plate |
| Coca de trempó | Thin flatbread topped with trempó, a salad of tomato, green pepper and onion; a summer snack from bakeries. | Bakeries across the island, mainly in summer. | roughly €2–4 a slice |
| Herb liqueur and almond cake herbes de Mallorca / gató d'ametlla | Herbes is an anise-based herbal liqueur, dry or sweet, drunk after meals; gató is a moist almond sponge often served with almond ice cream. | Bars and restaurants across the island. | roughly €2–4 a glass of herbes; €5–7 a slice of gató |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Mercat de l'Olivar, Palma
Palma's main covered market, with fish, meat, charcuterie, cheese, produce and small tapas and oyster bars inside where you can eat at the counter.
Mercat de Santa Catalina and the Santa Catalina neighbourhood
Neighbourhood market west of the old town with bar counters serving breakfast and tapas, surrounded by one of Palma's busiest restaurant districts.
Palma old town
Historic cafés for ensaïmada and hot chocolate, tapas bars around the La Llonja area and the streets near Plaça Major. The cathedral area is the most tourist-heavy.
Sineu Wednesday market
The island's oldest weekly market, held in the inland town of Sineu since the 14th century, with produce, livestock, local products and bars serving frit and pa amb oli.
Inland towns: Inca and Sóller
Inca has a large Thursday market and traditional cellers (old cellar restaurants); Sóller in the Tramuntana mountains is known for oranges, juice and orange ice cream.
Food tours in Mallorca compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mallorca: Paella Cooking Class in the Tramuntana Mountains | 3.5 hours | from €80 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Palma de Mallorca: Foodie Walking Tour of the Old Town | 3 hours | from €65 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Palma: Culinary Tapas Tour of the Old Town | 3 - 3.5 hours | from €165 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Mallorca: Local Wines & Foods Tasting | 1 hour | from €43 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Mallorca: Market Visit and Traditional Cooking Workshop | 4 hours | from €145 per person | max 8 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Palma de Mallorca: 10 Tastings Private Food Tour | 3 hours | from €142 per person | private | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
Mallorca: Paella Cooking Class in the Tramuntana Mountains
On GetYourGuide · run by Terra Savia Experiences
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €80 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 128 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Paella cooking class Mallorcan appetizers Wine Meal in a natural environment
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- Once you reach the cemetery, walk for 10 minutes along the dead-end path. Walk straight for 5 minutes along the concrete path. Where it ends, a hiking trail begins. Continue straight along the trail for 5 minutes. You will reach about 20 steps. At the top, you will see a metal gate marked Sóller. Do not cross it. On your right, there is a wooden gate with a small stone house. Open and close the gate, then walk past the stone house to the next gate. I will be waiting for you. Call me if you have any questions.
Palma de Mallorca: Foodie Walking Tour of the Old Town
On GetYourGuide · run by Nofrills Excursions
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €65 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 641 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Palma: Culinary Tapas Tour of the Old Town
On GetYourGuide · run by Elysee Tours GmbH
- Length
- 3 - 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €165 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 124 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Depends on the selected option
Mallorca: Local Wines & Foods Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by RANXO SES ROQUES
- Length
- 1 hour
- Price
- from €43 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 69 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- in Alcudia or Playa de Muro (if option selected) Tastings of local products Pickup outside the north of Mallorca
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Please make your way directly to the meeting point.
Mallorca: Market Visit and Traditional Cooking Workshop
On GetYourGuide · run by Forn de sa Llotgeta
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €145 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 35 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- 1 hour market tour, including tasting of local delicacies (e.g. ham) - evenings: Aperitif 1 Vermut and Banderilla Ingredients, materials and recipes Guided hands-on workshop 4-course lunch based on the elaborations Tw…
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- El darrer vestit a l'ampla (Tomàs Vila)
Palma de Mallorca: 10 Tastings Private Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Withlocals
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €142 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 32 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Included
- Private guide 10 Food & Drink Tastings Vegetarian alternatives available Hotel pick-up and drop-off Additional tastings
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Meet your host at the entrance of Hotel Hostal Cuba
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Mallorca has little street food. The quick local options are bakery items (ensaïmadas, cocas, empanadas and robiols), bar-counter tapas in the markets, and a bocadillo or pa amb oli at a village bar.
Sit-down meals
Traditional restaurants and cellers serve tumbet, frit, arròs brut, roast suckling pig (porcella) and fish. Many offer a weekday menú del día at lunch. Lunch is around 13:30–15:30 and dinner from about 20:30. Resort strips such as Magaluf and El Arenal are dominated by international menus; inland towns and Palma's neighbourhoods are more local.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Palma and at country estates (fincas) typically include a market visit to l'Olivar or Santa Catalina and dishes such as tumbet, pa amb oli or paella, followed by lunch with wine. Check whether the market visit is included and avoid Sundays, when the markets are closed.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €30–45 (bakery breakfast, menú del día lunch, tapas or pa amb oli in the evening) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €60–90 (two sit-down meals with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €150+ (a gastronomic restaurant in Palma or a seafood dinner) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable: tumbet, pa amb oli with cheese, coca de trempó, salads, vegetable cocas and pastries are meat-free, but check whether ensaïmadas (made with lard) or stews contain pork. Palma has plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Halal: Halal food is limited, mainly kebab shops and Moroccan restaurants in Palma. Pork and lard are everywhere in traditional cooking, including in pastries, so ask.
Gluten-free: Spain has good coeliac awareness and many restaurants mark gluten-free (sin gluten / sense gluten) dishes. Rice and grilled fish are safe bets; bread, cocas and ensaïmadas are not, although some bakeries make gluten-free ensaïmadas.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Seafront paella restaurants with photo menus serving frozen or reheated paella, especially in resort strips. Good paella is made to order and takes 20–30 minutes, often for a minimum of two people; be wary of paella available instantly at any hour.
- Women near Palma Cathedral offering a sprig of rosemary 'for luck', then demanding money or reading your palm. Do not accept the rosemary; keep walking.
- Industrial ensaïmadas and sobrassada sold in souvenir shops as 'traditional'. Buy from bakeries and market stalls and look for the IGP labels (Ensaïmada de Mallorca, Sobrassada de Mallorca).
- Bread, aioli and olives brought to the table and added to the bill. This is common and legal if listed; say no if you don't want them, and check the bill.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Mallorca?
Tipping is not required in Spain. Rounding up or leaving about 5–10% in a restaurant for good service is appreciated, and in bars and cafés small change is enough. Cash tips are more likely to reach staff. On food tours, a tip for a good guide is optional.
When are Palma's markets open?
Mercat de l'Olivar and Mercat de Santa Catalina are open Monday to Saturday from early morning until early afternoon, and closed on Sunday and public holidays. Some bars inside l'Olivar stay open later. Go before midday for the most activity. Check current hours, especially in winter and around holidays.
Where is the best ensaïmada?
Any good local bakery (forn) makes them fresh in the morning; the historic cafés in Palma's old town are the classic place to sit down with one and a hot chocolate. If you are taking one home, buy a boxed ensaïmada from a bakery on your last day; airlines are used to the large round boxes.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a budget, about €30–45 a day covers a bakery breakfast, a weekday menú del día and tapas or pa amb oli in the evening. Two sit-down meals with wine come to roughly €60–90. Gastronomic restaurants in Palma and on the coast start around €80–120 per person before wine.
Which weekly markets are worth visiting?
Sineu on Wednesday is the oldest and most traditional, with produce and local products; Inca on Thursday is one of the largest. Many other towns have a weekly market day. Markets run in the morning and get busy with coach tours by mid-morning, so arrive early. Check days with the local town hall or tourist office.
What time do people eat in Mallorca?
Lunch is the main meal, from about 13:30 to 15:30, and dinner starts around 20:30–21:00. In resorts, restaurants serve earlier for visitors. Many traditional restaurants close between lunch and dinner, and some close one day a week, often Sunday evening or Monday.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.