RE•TRO Ibiza

Located just steps from the promenade that links Ibiza town with the Marina and Talamanca, Marina Village is a relaxed yet chic enclave where cute boutiques and stylish eateries line leafy walkways and the gentle ambience is a welcome counterpoint to the bustle of the nearby port. In the heart of the jasmine-scented scenery sits RE•TRO Ibiza, a bright and casual Ibiza restaurant with a menu designed by the indomitable and well-respected chef David Reartes.

After dark, the RE•TRO Ibiza terrace is bathed in moonlight and the perfect spot for a romantic dinner or late-night get-together with friends. The menu is based on sharing plates and rooted in Reartes’ philosophy of good, honest food done well. Expect the traditional and the classic mixed with the innovative and unusual at this Ibiza restaurant. Sip on a glass of bubbles and an order of the piquant gildas, a dozen oysters and hand-filleted XL Cantabrian anchovies while perusing everything else on offer.

Start with something fresh and clean to prepare the palate for what’s to come. The little gem lettuce salad is scattered with black olives and local Ses Cabretes cheese; roasted eggplant and red pepper escalivada is a must-try and the tangy Russian salad is reimagined in the RE•TRO Ibiza style. While based on familiar Mediterranean flavours, this Ibiza restaurant isn’t afraid to surprise with unexpected combinations and creative interpretations. Adventurous diners will relish the more layered dishes, like the grilled porc negre sobrasada with fermented garlic honey; pickled beef tongue with mustard escabeche and smoked sardine; or an upside-down egg with creamy potato skin purée and optional caviar.

The culinary wonders continue as RE•TRO Ibiza channels the spirit of a typical Spanish eatery, filtered through a distinctly Ibiza lens. Fire plays a starring role in the kitchen, with charcoal grilling and traditional techniques bringing depth, texture and smoky flavour to many of the menu’s signature dishes. Seafood features heavily and plates include grilled razor clams with bay leaf butter; an Andalusian-style fried seafood platter; and juicy, tender Ibiza garlic prawns. Meat eaters can savour a smoky grilled sirloin topped with rich Café de Paris butter while the impressive Angus burger will leave guests salivating. The premium beef rib with a crunchy lettuce salad and fries is a soon-to-be classic at this Ibiza restaurant.

If you can bear to split desserts, it’s worth it just so you can try a little of everything. The homemade cream flan topped with whipped cream is almost as good as your Spanish grandmother’s while the warm almond cake offers the same comfort as a sweet hug, and the Ses Cabretes cheesecake boasts that perfect blend of sugary tang. Top it all off with a glass of dessert wine and a plate of delectable RE•TRO Ibiza chocolate truffles. This is the type of casual Ibiza restaurant where you can stop in for a beer and stay for dessert and chupitos. In a part of the island that’s constantly evolving, the welcoming casual eatery provides a laid-back refuge to recharge over good food, cold drinks and easy company.