• Can Can Alimentación – Open in winter

All good Italian love stories should start with food and this one is no exception. Giulio Baroni and Melania Pintori met and fell in love in Milan and chose the Mediterranean island of Ibiza as their nest. In 2023, they moved to the island permanently to open their delectable Italian eatery, Can Can Alimentación, set on a sun-dappled corner of Santa Gertrudis, bursting with flavour and charm. In Italy, a place like this is called a pizzicagnolo. While there is no direct translation, it refers to a store that sells delicatessen-style products and at this one, you can also order at the counter or sit and have a glass of wine or a cocktail too.

On arrival at the Ibiza restaurant, it’s recommended you take a tour of the glass display case, overflowing with salami, prosciutto crudo Sant’Ilario, bresaola, pistachio or truffle mortadella, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano, taleggio, scamorza and more. Shelves are packed with wines, pasta, sauces and tinned goodies, while dishes of marinated artichokes and anchoas from Santoña vie for space with olives of all kinds and in oil jars. Can Can Alimentación is, quite literally, a gourmand’s paradise.

The Ibiza restaurant walls are patchworked with images by photographer Stefano Ortega – taken from his latest project, ‘Palme Blu’ – along with mementoes, memories and a blackboard sporting the unofficial Can Can Alimentación motto: come y bebe, que la vida es breve (eat and drink, life is short). Sit at the bar or on the terrace and share a focaccia, with cute names like the ‘Renee’ and ‘Pupa and Cocca’ – a tasty combo of roast beef, smoked provola, tabasco and caramelised onion – or opt for bruschetta classica with tomato and basil, or the timeless vitello tonnato.

The personal touch continues in the bar, where a refined selection of natural wines from Italy, France and Spain – hand-chosen by Giulio and Melania, after visiting the wineries of friends and fellow aficionados – are on offer. Classic cocktails are also a specialty at the Ibiza restaurant, making Can Can Alimentación ideal for a happy hour aperitivo after an early evening passeggiata through the village.

Special events pop up on the regular, with previous collabs including oyster and champagne tastings with Ibiza restaurant Casa Lhasa, a fashion t-shirt launch promoted by NSS Edicola and produced by Pompeii Madrid, or gourmet get-togethers celebrating Champagne Cohésion – all enhanced by good music and DJ sets.

While Giulio and Melania are the masterminds behind the food and the vibe, it’s actually Paco and Renee who call the shots. These two tearaway rescue mutts with Husky overtones were adopted by the couple at five months old and have become Can Can Alimentación’s mascots and – in all honesty – the real bosses, paving the way for this Ibiza restaurant to be a pet-friendly addition to the island’s food scene.