Advice on restaurants in Pollensa Old Town please

[CharlieV]

We'll be having our usual evening out to the old town in a couple of weeks. I love the atmosphere around the square, but never know which restaurant to choose? Anyone got any favourites?
Thanks as always.

 

[lovemallorca]

The square in Pollensa town is one of my favourite places. I just love the atmosphere on busy summer evenings.
Can I suggest one that is not in the main square though? Sa Trencadora on Carrer de Raymond Llull?
Link to Streetview here;
http://goo.gl/maps/oxsoO
Traditional Italian restaurant that has a lovely garden, just two minutes walk off the main square. It gets busy with locals and visitors, so well worth calling in or sending an email to reserve a table outside. There have been some great reviews on here too.
I would suggest dining there, and then walking to the square for post-meal drinks.
If you are still hungry, Valls' ice-cream counter is temptingly open until around 11.00pm....

 

[rioja]

The square in Pollensa town is one of my favourite places. I just love the atmosphere on busy summer evenings.
Can I suggest one that is not in the main square though? Sa Trencadora on Carrer de Raymond Llull?
Link to Streetview here;
http://goo.gl/maps/oxsoO
Traditional Italian restaurant that has a lovely garden, just two minutes walk off the main square. It gets busy with locals and visitors, so well worth calling in or sending an email to reserve a table outside. There have been some great reviews on here too.
I would suggest dining there, and then walking to the square for post-meal drinks.
If you are still hungry, Valls' ice-cream counter is temptingly open until around 11.00pm....

This is good and a lot better value than many in the square, many of which serve very average food for above average prices. Ochoa is about the best of the bunch actually in the square followed by can Teresa. Just around the corner, bar Nou and eu centric are good

 

[kate1]

I would agree about Trencadora, especially at lunchtime if you can grab an outside table - it's good quality and excellent value. We've also had good meals at La Fonda (their tapas are v. tasty) and can thoroughly recommend Spira - which is opposite the old bus station. One evening I had the best steak I have ever had there - and they also do a menu del dia at lunchtime which was great. Of course you don't have the buzz of the square…. but like Rioja I have found some of the restaurants in the square to be a little disappointing (though I've never eaten at Numero Ocho and always thought the menu there looked very tempting). We tend to have a drink in the square before eating in one of the side streets - to get the best of both worlds!

 

[Jonsey]

Couldn't agree more with both 'rioja' and 'kate'! Trencadora has never disappointed, and has a beautiful courtyard. As a result, you will have to book a table if want to eat outside, and I'm sure you will at this time of year. Having stayed in the old town for the last ten years we have we do tend to have our faves, which obviously we go back to year after year. However, this year we tried a few 'new' places to us. Numero Ocho (in the square next to Hotel Juma) was one of them, and was superb. In the past we'd always visited Il Giardino at least once during a holiday. This year we found it very disappointing, and Ocho got our vote! We also ate at Can Teresa (in the square, next to Can Moixet), which got gold stars in our opinion (never seen so much meat on a shoulder of lamb!), as did Cantonet, an Italian restaurant situated off the square, not far from the Calvario steps.
So then, CharlieV, what's it gonna be? I'd go for a pre-dinner drink, or two, at Can Moixet (by far the most popular bar, with the most fantastic, speedy waiters!), meal at Numero Ocho or Can Teresa, followed by an ice cream from the kiosk in the bottom corner of the square! Oh dear, I wish I was there right now!

 

[varsp]

We went to C'an Teresa a couple of weeks ago, the first night there were eight of us and had a great meal and wine, the second week only four of us and the meal was a disappointment but, the wine was great. Will probably go again, just to see if as good as first visit.

 

[kate1]

I think I heard that Il Giardino is no longer run by the same people - certainly haven't seen them around for a while, and they used to be ever-present - which may explain the decline in standards. What a pity - but hopefully it will improve again, as it has such a dominant position on the square - it definitely wasn't as busy in April

 

[sws97sdg]

The younger guy who has been there for years who runs front of house was there in June, and lots of the same staff as well, we know them from the port, didn't eat there , ate in Can Olesa which was excellent as usual.
Agree about Trencadora, wonderful restaurant, the square can be too busy in high season, they seem to have squeezed even more tables in, the garden at Trencadora is an oasis of serenity

 

[Teen]

Never really rated il giardino......I love the food at Clivia but it is expensive and lacks ambience.....very much enjoyed Spira during our last two visits. We had a great wine/tapas lunch on the square last visit, but I stupidly can't recall the name of the place! They offered (I think) 6 or 9 tapas and a bottle of house wine amongst other choices. Lots of other nice restaurants though! I hope we get there (Pollensa) as this year we had to change our villa due to the Villa Parade debacle, and will, for the first time, be Port based.
The 'big ladies' holiday,well over 20 years worth, goes on! We are all looking forward to it!

 

[roig cat]

Went to Cantonet a couple of nights ago, lovely terrace setting with a cooling breeze and food was super. I love Trencadora too but found the heat stifling in the courtyard and the chairs were small and very uncomfortable, best to ask fir a table in the garden area as opposed to the courtyard at the back.

 

[sws97sdg]

Always thought the food at il Giardino was a very high standard, if it's good enough for John Torode its good enough for me!

 

[Sparky]

Never really rated il giardino......I love the food at Clivia but it is expensive and lacks ambience.....very much enjoyed Spira during our last two visits. We had a great wine/tapas lunch on the square last visit, but I stupidly can't recall the name of the place! They offered (I think) 6 or 9 tapas and a bottle of house wine amongst other choices. Lots of other nice restaurants though! I hope we get there (Pollensa) as this year we had to change our villa due to the Villa Parade debacle, and will, for the first time, be Port based.
The 'big ladies' holiday,well over 20 years worth, goes on! We are all looking forward to it!

Teen was this place called "Manzanzas y Peras" ?.

 

[Teen]

No, isn't M and P at the foot of the calvario steps? Nice lunches there too!

When we arrive at the start of October, I'd love to come to the meet up....tried last year and failed!....how do I know who people are? Do you all wear carnations or something!?

 

[Teen]

Might be numero ocho....

 

[CharlieV]

Thanks everyone for your really helpful replies as always. Mmm spoilt for choice - might have to have two visits to the old town this year! Will let you know how we get on in my trip report. Only 10 more sleeps