Several times last summer I tried to book a table for dinner at Ses Coves in the Campanet countryside. I’d read and heard a lot about the place so it was no surprise that it was always full when I tried to make a reservation. The answer? Eat out of season – which we did recently, booking our lunch only the day before we wanted to go.

Ses Coves – as the name suggests – is adjacent to the Caves of Campanet at the foot of the Puig Sant Miquel, overlooking a picturesque valley with extensive views. The location is fantastic but the main reason for the popularity of Ses Coves restaurant is its reputation for carefully sourced, high-quality meat and fish. And it’s all expertly cooked over the embers of an almond-wood fire in an open kitchen at the rear of the restaurant by chef Josep Joan Segura (his friends call him ‘Jota’ – the Spanish word for the letter ‘J’) who owns both businesses with his wife Paloma. Sustainability is a guiding principle for the couple, who source the wood and some of the produce they use from their land.

Quite a few stone steps take you from the car park up to the restaurant and the cave entrance. My delight at finally arriving here was enhanced by the sight of the finca’s two beautiful cats.

Before you reach the restaurant entrance, there’s a small terrace where visitors to the caves can enjoy a refreshment from the inevitable shop. On the other side of the restaurant is the large terrace with gorgeous views, where dinner is served during the warmer months.

The same views are available from the dining room, which seats around 30 people. The tables have linen cloths and napkins, and rustic-looking ceramics made by the über-talented Mallorcan chef and artist, Santi Taura (who, like several chefs from the island, likes to eat here). Motown tunes played in the background at a level that didn’t hinder conversation.

Ses Coves’s website does not show the menu – although there are tempting photos – so I should warn you that the high quality of the produce used here comes at a commensurate price. You can’t easily see what you’ll spend on a meat or fish dish because the prices are shown on the menu by weight (by 100g for fish and by the kilo for meat). The drinks, starters, and desserts are not expensive for the quality of the place, but main course prices may surprise you.

Let me say that the quality of the meat and fish and the expert grilling over the embers of an almond wood fire result in a memorable foodie experience. Keen carnivores will appreciate the dry-aged Galician beef chops from Cárnicas LyO, a company that supplies meat to some of Spain’s top restaurants. You’ll probably pay upwards of 98€ per kilo, depending on your choice of meat.

What We Ate at Ses Coves

We started our lunch with good, warm bread – from a bakery in nearby Búger – with delicious smoked butter (EVOO was also an option).

From the eight shareable starters (three of which featured Mallorcan red prawns), we shared a tasty dish of mixed mushrooms, charcoal-grilled aubergine, grilled pork belly, and Joselito jowl (24,10€).

We weren’t quite hungry enough for a large beef chop, but prefer fish anyway. The Boss ordered yellow grouper from Mallorca (9€ per 100g). I had ‘virrey’ – a deep-water fish from Galicia (16€ per 100g). Both were cooked to perfection and enjoyed with a shared, heaping plate of French fries (9,50€). 

We ended with almond ice cream and, for me, a delicious almond coulant with a perfect oozing centre that I’d love to recreate at home.

The wine list has a good choice of Mallorcan, national, and international wines at a broad range of prices, with some by the glass. We paid 5€ for a generous glass of Sincronia from Mesquida Mora, and 4,70€ for the young wine, Eloi, from Toni Gelabert. 

Verdict

A memorable and delicious lunch in a beautiful location, at a cost that exceeded our usual eating-out budget. For us, this means our next visit will be for a special occasion. And will be booked well in advance.

Good to Know

Ses Coves has a Solete in the Guía Repsol.

Opening hours are currently Wednesday to Saturday from 1pm to 3.30pm. In summer, Ses Coves opens for dinner only from Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30pm.

The fascinating caves were discovered by accident in 1945, and are worth a visit. The old steps within can be slippery so appropriate footwear is recommended.

If you book online, the Ses Coves reservation form will request your card details, as protection against a possible ‘no show’. This requirement is becoming more common in Mallorca but money is not taken at the time of booking.

Jan Edwards @2024