Where to go on this Balearic Island around Ciutadella, western Menorca, for top dining-spots:

While staying at Hotel Vestige Son Vell near Ciutadella in western Menorca, my husband and I checked out the local (Michelin/Repsol) gourmet dining scene. One cannot claim that this Balearic island is a heaven for a fine-dining afficionado, but it has some really good restaurants. We limited ourselves to Menorca’s west (less than half-an-hour drive from our hotel). Theoretically, it is possible to head to Menorca’s eastern part (around Mahón) from here for a dinner too. To do this, you need to drive for roughly an hour. Back to where we went, find in the following details to four of the best fine-dining restaurants in western Menorca. It is about two spots around Ciutadella and two more in the heart of this beautiful town.

1. Restaurant Vermell at Hotel Vestige Son Vell (south of Ciutadella)

(Guía Repsol Recommended)

About

Here at this restaurant,

located at Hotel Vestige Son Vell (see my post about staying here),

Joan Bagur has been responsible as executive chef since early 2023. He is not unknown in Menorca. After some jobs outside this Balearic Island, Joan Bagur returned home to start as chef at Hotel Morvedra Nou in 2012. From 2015 on, he cooked at his own place, Restaurant Rels (temporarily closed) in Ciutadella. And there he was able to get a listing in the Michelin guide. He is considered as pioneer of the new Menorca cuisine, fusing traditional recipes with modern influences.

The dining-spot is called Vermell, which means “Red”. This name is a nod to the island’s culinary heritage and the rich colors that are associated with it. You get at this restaurant, which you reach in a 16-minute drive from Ciutadella heading south, a cuisine that is deeply rooted in the territory. Certain dishes however are slightly refined to meet guests’ palates from abroad too. But the chef never abandons their essence.

How was it?

My husband and I had three dinners here as we stayed at the hotel. All of them were enjoyable. On our first evening, we had the tasting menu (80€).

All the six courses were excellent, and they came elaborately presented. My favorites were the Carabinero Prawn Cocktail and the Suckling Pig. When having dinner at Vermell the second time, we went for à la carte and indulged in the Carabinero Rice.

And on our third dinner, we opted again for the (same) tasting menu. This because it was so good the first time we had it. At our request, they exchanged the suckling pig with the lamb from the à la carte menu.

Service was always amiable and professional. The setting is nice, the dining room

and the generous outdoor area

area kept in a chic rustic style.

What I did not really like, were the table runners. They looked like they had been treated with a plastic coating. And I found the pricing at Vermell a bit steep. While I considered the tasting menu as reasonably priced, the à la carte dishes were quite expensive (starters: 24 to 34€, mains 28 to 43€, desserts 14€). Said that Restaurant Vermell is without any doubt among the best fine-dining restaurants in Menorca.

2. Restaurant Smoix at Hotel Sant Ignasi (north of Ciutadella)

(1 Sol Guía Repsol)

About

The chef at Restaurant Smoix is Miquel Sànchez, yet another trailblazer of the new Menorcan cuisine. The Menorcan from Catalunia started his dining-spot back in 2011. In 2016, he transferred Smoix to Ciutadella. And yet another move happened in 2024, when it became a hotel restaurant in this town’s rural outskirts.

Namely, it came under the wing of Hotel Sant Ignasi, which is a 12-minute drive away from Ciutadella. As to Smoix’s rewards, it used to be a Michelin Bib Gourmand place for some years. But it is not listed in the 2025 guide anymore.

The chef is committed to local produce and offers an honest yet refined cuisine. As his wife Vianey is Mexican, he also is said to incorporate Mexican along with Menorcan and Catalan influences in his cooking. On offer here is either an à la carte menu or a tasting menu (six courses at 82.50€). As to the former, there is a list of dishes where there is no distinction between starters and mains. Twelve dishes are available. Pricewise, it starts with the Croquette of the Day for 3.25€ and ends with Fish Loin for 29.50€. I thought that this was very good value.

How was it at Smoix?

When entering the premises, you follow the sign to the restaurant, which is in a separate building. You come to a bar first before there is a dining room (with white table cloths),

followed by some kind of winter garden with bare wooden tables.

I found the latter very atmospheric as it was in the midst of trees. In my opinion, everything at Smoix is a bit less sophisticated than it is at Vermell. This concerns the setting and the service – it was reserved and a bit indifferent with host Vianey not present – but also the cuisine.

As to the food, my husband and I opted for the tasting menu

as we wanted to see what the chef had in store for us. While all the offerings were of good quality and carefully prepared, they lacked maybe sometimes a bit of finesse. The highlight for me was the fish course (Seabass)

and the dessert trio, consisting of Lemon Pie, Chocolate Cake and Strawberry Sorbet. And I did not notice any Mexican impact on the chef’s cuisine. This might be for a reason, which you will learn about in the next section.

3. Restaurant Katú by Smoix in Ciutadella, one the best fine-dining restaurants Menorca

(Guía Repsol Recommended)

About

When Miquel Sànchez moved his Restaurant Smoix from Ciutadella in its surrounding in 2024, he did not leave the town without a mark. While settling down with his original place in the countryside, he opened a new dining-spot in Ciutadella. And this was Katú by Smoix, featuring Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. It is a cool, hip eatery, located on a tree-lined avenue just outside Ciutadella’s historic center.

Its premises are divided into three parts, the dining room, the bar area

and a small outdoor patio.

The menu at Katú by Smoix features a list of 15 items without differentiation in starters and mains. The price range of the dishes – which can be shared – is between 2.90€ for the Croquette of the day per piece and 36€ for a 450 gr/16 oz Beef Shortrib. You get here Mexican food just as taco, tostada or chilaquiles but also more European ones like salad our soup. And the presence of a bar reveals it, there are drinks available, which are inventive and mezcal- or tequila-based.

How was it?

My husband and I had a reservation here just at opening time. When we arrived onsite and found the door still closed five minutes after the scheduled time, we wondered. But then we heard steps and a dark-haired man – the host as we assumed – opened it and was very apologetic about the mistake. He ushered us to our table, handed out the menu and explained the concept to us. And he did all this in a smooth yet proficient manner. We felt very welcome, and this was so the whole time we spent in here. When doing the research for this post, I concluded that this must have been Iván Fernando Ángeles, the brother of the chef’s wife (Vianey). He truly is the most perfect host!

To start the meal we ordered a Margarita Salvaje, which was excellent. The same is true for the rest we had, all Mexican dishes. We ordered five of them, Red Tuna Tostada, Aguachile, Celery Tacos, Chilaquiles and Pork Confit Tacos. And we had bread too. After the savory part, Iván informed us about the sweet options. We decided on Tres Leches and Lemon Pie, which were both persuasive.

We thoroughly loved our experience at Katú by Smoix, be it in terms of food (delicious), service (immaculate) and vibe (relaxed and super cool).

4. Restaurant Es Tast de Na Sílvia in Ciutadella

(Guía Repsol Recommended)

About

You find the cozy restaurant of Sílvia Anglada (chef) and Toni Tarragó (host) in the heart of the historic center of Ciutadella.

After years of working in a place outside of town, the couple decided to move the dining spot there in 2018. It is the only Slow Food Km0 dining-spot on the island. With this label, it is all about sourcing local and seasonal produce, favouring organic one, and using good practises in order to achieve its maximum flavor. A commitment to sustainability and saving energy is also part of it. In addition, the chef uses traditional Menorcan recipes that she interprets in her own way.

The menu’s headline is “This Week we Have Cooked …”. On our dinner, the starters comprised of vegetables only, often in combination with cheese (9.50€ to 15€). As to the mains, think of Beef Steak Tartare, Cannelloni with Meat or Suckling Pig 1(7.50€ to 25.50€.) In terms of desserts, they served Warm Chocolate Bomb, Seasonal Fruit Tart Tatin or Crème Brûlée (6€ to 10€).

How was it at Es Tast de Na Sílvia?

The place – a former chapel – is rather small and comes with an open cuisine where the chef was busy among her tools.

Later on, just before we left, she was joined by a helper. The decor at Es Tast de Na Sílvia is retro chic with lots of white. On our arrival, the restaurant was already quite busy. But that was no problem as they are well organized in here. Service was attentive and helpful.

My husband and I started the meal with the Carrots and the Artichokes, followed by a local Rice Dish and the Catch of the Day. For desserts, we had the Crispy Meringue and the Tart Tatin.

Everything we had was well prepared and tasty. There was nothing to complain, maybe the main dishes were a bit on the small side. I would have liked to have two more prawns – mine were tiny – on my rice.

Yet you should not be picky, you get really good value for money here. But bring cash with you, they do not accept credit cards.

Looking back to my Menorca content

This post about some of the best fine-dining restaurants in (western) Menorca was the last of my reporting on this Balearic island.

The one before went into a top luxury hotel – Vestige Son Vell – to stay when visiting Menorca. And I started this mini series with a blogpost about where to go in Madrid for a conveniently located high-end hotel and nearby Michelin (starred) dining spots. This because my husband and I found that Spain’s capital is an ideal stopover destination for Menorca.

Date of stay: May 2025

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