A foodie hub – Stevie Alla Bottega
This buzzing little restaurant in the village of Santa Gertrudis, run by New Yorker-turned-islander Stevie Benanty, is the must-visit gastronomic hotspot in 2026.
There’s a whole lot of buzz about a certain little pocket of Santa Gertrudis right now – a buzz that any bona fide foodie will agree is well-deserved. The petite pocket in question is on the very edge of the village, shrouded by tall plants yet instantly recognisable by its bright cobalt doors, shutters and signage. Eagle-eyed visitors will have noted a recent amendment to the aforementioned signage – the restaurant formerly known as Bottega Il Buco has now been officially declared Stevie Alla Bottega. That’s right, dear readers, there’s a new restaurateur in town and she’s taken over the Bottega (with the blessing of renowned former proprietor, Donna Lennard of Il Buco) and made it her own.
Stevie Benanty was born and raised in Brooklyn Heights in New York City, opposite the bright lights of Manhattan, growing up in a typical Italian American household, where mealtimes played a significant part in daily life. Coming together around a table with family and friends from all walks of life, sharing great homemade food and interesting conversations, making connections and long-lasting memories is part of what makes her tick. Hospitality and entertainment are also in her DNA – Stevie’s father and grandfather launched and ran Soundworks, the recording studios located in Studio 54’s basement and later on, her dad opened the legendary New York nightclub Shelter. In her household, creativity, curiosity and open-mindedness was encouraged – an ethos she brings into Stevie Alla Bottega on a nightly basis.
New York, nightlife and music dominated Stevie’s formative years and after years spent running clubs and working closely with DJs who are now household names, Stevie sought a change of pace. London was calling and in 2014, she and her husband, Dan Miller, made the transatlantic crossing to their new home base. Life as they knew it transformed with the arrival of their two children, however one thing remained the same: food, nourishment and entertaining were central to the family’s happiness. Ibiza, naturally, was on Stevie’s radar given her background and connections in the music industry and soon, the island became a cherished holiday destination – ultimately enticing the family to make the move to the Med in 2025. “The more time we spent in Ibiza, the more we fell in love with it,” Stevie explains of her next sea change. “Eventually, we just decided to take a chance on it.”
While in the thick of packing up life in London, Stevie harboured dreams of opening a little Italian deli on the white isle. Nothing fancy. Not hosting anyone, not a restaurant, not open at night – just a good old-fashioned deli, like the ones she’d grown up visiting with her grandmother. “I grew up in such a food-focused family, we were the kind of people that – every Saturday – would go to 12 different little shops in order to buy the best food just for one meal,” she explains. “So, I’d always had this little dream of opening my own deli. Something I could run while my kids were in school, so that life would still feel really balanced.” The idea was put on the backburner however – first and foremost, the family needed to find a home in Ibiza and get settled.
When Stevie mentioned her ‘little deli’ idea to a friend who lived in Ibiza, he asked if she’d heard of Bottega Il Buco – the Santa Gertrudis restaurant under the stewardship of New York restaurant titan Donna Lennard. Stevie’s inner New Yorker instantly reared up. “Il Buco? I’m from New York City!” she laughs. “I grew up going to Il Buco. Donna’s cooking and her restaurants have always been a big inspiration of mine.” Donna was looking for someone to pass the Ibiza baton to – but for Stevie, no matter how appealing the concept, the timing just wasn’t right. The seedling of an idea had been sown, however, so she met with Donna eventually, the two quickly discovering they had many things in common. Many conversations – and even a family holiday together in the Hamptons – later, Stevie’s arm was twisted.
For Stevie, the appeal of Bottega Il Buco was in its Alimentari (deli) and focacceria and she imagined herself expanding that side of the business. “I was really going to focus on the deli aspect,” she says. “We were just going to open in the daytime and see how it went. We had no plans to open at night, at all.” Enlisting former Bottega Il Buco chef Tiago Borges to help with baking focaccia was the first step. At the same time, Stevie had invited Chad Robertson, owner and founder of Tartine Bakery (arguably the best bakery in the USA) to stay with her family for the month of September, during which time he taught Dan to bake the sourdough loaves that later on went on to become a Stevie Alla Bottega staple. But more on that later…
“I was always told that Ibiza forces you to do the things you resist the hardest,” Stevie reflects. “That’s definitely been true for me. While we were setting up, it quickly became apparent just how many people loved eating here at night or stopping in for a drink. We hosted a mezcal event just before our official opening in 2025 – the music was good, it was a great crowd, and people kept saying it was the best vibe of the summer. There was something about it and in the end, we opened as a night restaurant before we even got started with the bakery or deli. Stevie Alla Bottega ended up being completely different to the idea I had in my head, but by not insisting on the original vision, it’s allowed us to move around, listen to what people want, what they want to taste, and where they want to be. It’s been a great experience.”
Today, Stevie Alla Bottega (quite literally translating to ‘Stevie at the Bottega’ because it’s where you’ll find her) is a beloved hangout for locals and those who simply love good food and authentic Ibiza vibes. “It makes me happy when I see friends coming here often, but we’re just as welcoming to every new person,” says Stevie. “To get the right vibe you need a great mix of people – not just a conservative crowd, only locals, or young party people. Bottega is like my dining room – it’s how I love to entertain. I talk to everyone; I love introducing people to one another. On a busy night here, there’s all kinds of people, but they all love good food, drinks and music. For me, that’s what’s really special about this place.”
Today, Stevie Alla Bottega (quite literally translating to ‘Stevie at the Bottega’ because it’s where you’ll find her) is a beloved hangout for locals and those who simply love good food and authentic Ibiza vibes. “It makes me happy when I see friends coming here often, but we’re just as welcoming to every new person,” says Stevie. “To get the right vibe you need a great mix of people – not just a conservative crowd, only locals, or young party people. Bottega is like my dining room – it’s how I love to entertain. I talk to everyone; I love introducing people to one another. On a busy night here, there’s all kinds of people, but they all love good food, drinks and music. For me, that’s what’s really special about this place.”
In keeping with Stevie’s own ethos of using only the best, freshest, organic, seasonal produce, ingredients are sourced locally where possible – much of it from the nearby Juntos Farm – so the menu is constantly evolving with the seasons (read more about the menu concept here). Other key artisanal products are brought in direct from Italy (such as Sicilian flour for the focaccia) or the mainland (Spanish flour for sourdough) when needed. Speaking of the famous Stevie Alla Bottega sourdough, the restaurant takes orders up to 24 hours before the daily bake, which sells out each and every day – without fail, thanks to the little black book of loyal customers who simply can’t go a day without it.
Whether you call it Stevie’s, the Bottega, Il Buco or just that cool little place you love in Santa G, Stevie Alla Bottega is without a doubt one of the island’s coolest dining destinations in 2026. On any given night, you’ll catch Stevie herself in the moment: flitting between tables, conversing with her team, catching up with friends old and connecting new ones, and even tucking into her own favourite dishes when she manages to catch a dinner break. And the momentum just keeps building – recently, Stevie opened her brand-new, late-night, speakeasy-style bar and restaurant, Mira Lounge, just a little further up the road in San Miguel. In the case of Stevie Benanty, it seems you can take the girl out of nightlife, but you can’t take the nightlife out of the girl…
The beloved home-style restaurant, bakery and Italian deli in the heart of Santa Gertrudis, helmed by New Yorker turned island resident Stevie Benanty.
The laid-back and stylish lounge bar and restaurant hidden away in the side of streets of San Miguel, run with fun and flair by hospitality expert Stevie Benanty.
