Do you want to find the best-quality restaurants in Mallorca? And in her sister islands of Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera? The Transfer Class by Chefs(in) Guide 2025-2026 was launched last week at Palma’s Theatre Mar i Terra (Santa Catalina) and features almost 70 establishments at the higher end of the Balearics’ gastronomic offering. Four cocktail bars are also included.

An audience of 150 people attended the event, which filled the intimate theatre space. Among those attending were more than 50 chefs from the islands, and I was fascinated to see so many younger chefs making their mark on the Balearic restaurant scene – as well as the familiar faces of chefs whose cuisine I’ve experienced during my years of living, eating out, and reviewing restaurants in Mallorca. Guests also included local dignitaries.

Of the 68 references in the fifth edition of the Transfer Class by Chefs(in) Guide, eight are included for the first time. The chefs from each establishment were invited to the stage for recognition. The new inclusions are:

• Aquiara (Ciutadella) – chef José María Borrás (one to watch, IMHO)
• L’ Àtic (Palma) – chef Juan Pinel
• Little Jarana (Palma) – chef Abraham Artigas
• Ocre (Santanyí) – chefs Àlvar Albadelejo & Carlos García
• Óseo (Palma) – chef David Morillas
• Pez Limón (Ciutadella) – chefs Elenga Angosto & Héctor Gallego
• Quadrat (Palma) – chefs Àlvar Albadelejo & Carles Forteza
• Saba (Santa Ponsa) – chef Juan Carlos González

100 Years of Can March

The awards evening included an homage to the Manacor restaurant, Can March, which opened its doors as Fonda Ca’n March a century ago. Chef Miquel Gelabert received a special award to mark Can March’s one-hundredth anniversary. If you’re visiting Mallorca and haven’t yet eaten at Can March, I urge you to try this restaurant.

What’s in the Guide?

Each of the featured restaurants has a double-page spread in the Guide, including a photo, full contact details, the name of the chef, and a brief summary sentence, as well as a paragraph about the place. The texts are in Spanish and English.

At the back of the Guide, there’s a table of more specific information about each restaurant. Here you’ll find out whether there’s a chef’s table, if the bread and desserts are made on the premises, the number of wine references (for each colour wine), names of the sommelier and maître d’, languages spoken, whether children are accepted, availability of tasting menu, average prices, and much more. It’s a very comprehensive set of details and must have taken a lot of research.

Serious foodies will also find a section where they can note the date they ate in specific restaurants, with space for personal notes about the experience. I’m looking forward to trying some of the restaurants I still haven’t visited.

Peccata Minuta

After the awards were presented and the musical entertainment concluded, guests were treated to a special edition of Peccata Minute, with small-plate dishes offered by chefs from Marc Fosh, Pleta de Mar, Fontsanta Hotel, and Hotel Can Simoneta.

Good to Know

Find out more about the Transfer Class by Chefs(in) Guide 2025/26 here.

Transfer Class is the leading company of limousine and bus services in the premium sector, established in 2002.

Chefs(in) works to spread the word about the Balearics’ gastronomic culture, to ensure it becomes one of the islands’ main assets.

Jan Edwards ©2025