The weather was hot, the morning had been busy with appointments, and we were in the southwest of Mallorca – killing time before a mid-afternoon appointment in Port Calanova. Lunch would be the perfect time-filler.

But where to go? Neither of us fancied a busy resort eatery that day. And eating al fresco in 35+ degrees Celsius was definitely not on.

‘Somewhere rural,’ The Boss said, leaving it to me to choose where we’d have lunch. That’s quite a tall order in the southwest, where the coast is a string of popular holiday resorts – especially when time constraints mean you can’t travel too far.

I instantly thought of Olivera, one of the two restaurants at the countryside 5-star hotel Castell Son Claret. But there wasn’t time to get there and back and enjoy a leisurely lunch in its beautiful courtyard. Another time.

Then I remembered Lume & Co – a restaurant we ate in last year but hadn’t yet been back to. And it fitted the ‘rural’ request perfectly.

Lume & Co is located just outside the village of Genova, near Palma, yet feels a world away from urban life. It’s on a large site with ample parking and a rural feel. The building housing the restaurant is said to date back to the 15th century, which adds to its appeal.

We climbed the steps at the side of the building to enter via the courtyard where we’d eaten before. It’s an attractive, large space where we’d happily eat in slightly cooler weather. On this particular day we ate indoors in a beamed hall combining traditional Mallorcan architecture – wooden beams, terracotta ceilings, and stone walls – with attractive Scandi-style interior design. And the essential air conditioning.

Meat is the Speciality

Lume & Co is known best for its high-quality beef dishes – including Galician, Black Angus, and Wagyu. Speciality cuts (for sharing) here are chateaubriand, T-bone, and tomahawk – making it a go-to place for meat lovers.

Four other individual meat dishes include boned-out beef ribs, and pork ribs with home-made BBQ sauce.

Other Dishes too

The menu offers a good choice of starters to share and we opted for crunchy prawn rolls with a spicy sweet sauce of mandarin and tamarind (pictured).

Neither of us eat much meat and we both chose fish mains. The Boss had turbot with potato ragout, green olives, and dill beurre blanc – which he enjoyed. I had tuna tartare in a cucumber and padrón gazpacho, scattered with pistachios. In my opinion it was perfect for a hot day – both refreshing and satisfying. I wish I was having it for my lunch today.

Short of time, we skipped dessert and coffee to scurry off to our next appointment. That lunch at Lume & Co, a short drive from Palma, was the highlight of a busy and hot day out.

Good to Know

• Lume & Co has its current menu (and prices) on its website. I wish a lot more restaurants did this as it avoids any unwelcome surprises when visiting.
• This restaurant has a fireplace, which would further ramp up its appeal in winter.
• Children are welcome and have a choice of three-main course dishes for kids.
• The restaurant offers gluten-free bread on request, which makes me feel that the kitchen understands coeliacs. You’ll also find some vegetarian options.
• Lume & Co is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Check times during the summer months, as these may vary.
• Lume & Co is the perfect place to escape the bustle and heat of Palma de Mallorca – yet is only a short drive away with no parking hassle. Business lunch anyone?

©Jan Edwards 2022