Arrive by boat, arrive by car, swim, hike, snorkel if you must – in the words of the famous song ‘I don’t care how you get here, get here if you can.’ Such is the appeal of the near-mythical beach club in Cala Molí that has revolutionised beach dining in Ibiza in just two short years. The driftwood-chic chiringuito, designed by Mallorquin architecture studio Moredesign, is a vision of blonde wood, swaying rattan shades and buttery soft linen. By midday the first guests appear, baskets slung over tanned shoulders, faces framed by oversized Celine shades, bare feet upon the sand. It’s this kind of laid-back, stealth-luxe crowd who have found a new home at El Silencio, a superlative beach restaurant where dining, art and music combine.
Created by the American filmmaker David Lynch, founder of Paris’ fabled El Silencio nightclub, the beach restaurant is a collaboration with Mauro Colagreco, the Michelin-starred Argentine chef, patron of the French Riviera’s fabled Restaurant Mirazur and self-styled ‘gardener in a chef’s jacket.’ It’s precisely Colagreco’s impeccable respect for provenance that has informed an earthy, colourful day-time menu of delights such as local tuna belly tartare and Oscietre caviar, giant burrata from Puglia and organic, truffle chicken, raised here on the island. There’s a veritable bounty of salads – the kind of vivid, vibrant, market-fresh dishes found so readily in the South of France – and many dishes are made for sharing, Mediterranean style. Colagreco’s rootsy Argentine upbringing comes through in his use of cooking over hot coals, lending dishes such as grilled lobster and king crab legs a distinctly smoky appeal. By night, the kitchen is transformed into one of the island’s finest Japanese restaurants, serving a seven-course omakase menu to just 30 guests in an homage to the birthplace of sushi.
Designed in keeping with Cala Molí’s raw natural beauty, El Silencio has four distinct areas - the luxurious, laidback beach restaurant, a swimming pool with an airy tapas and cocktail bar, a sand-floored chillout and a private dining area. A cultural programme keeps art and music at the forefront of the programme – this summer sees Ibiza-based DJ Dan Ghenacia’s visionary Alphawave Experience, an immersive, unprecedented work that encourages an inner journey, featuring lamps inspired by the Dreamachine. This luminous installation was conceived by Bryon Gysin, a Beat generation luminary, in the 1960s and designed by Isern Serra (AD 100 Selection - 2023). With a pop-up shop, a postcard-pretty beach and even an ‘office corner’ for digital nomads, El Silencio might just be the hottest ticket of summer.
