Six Ibiza restaurants with open fires for Christmas
Cosy up this festive season in these atmospheric island eateries
Bar Costa
One of Ibiza’s most emblematic locales, Bar Costa has been at the heart of Santa Gertrudis’ social scene for over 100 years. Outside you’ll find low tables peppering the sun-soaked pavement, packed with people enjoying the bar’s famous tostadas – traditional sandwiches of toasted rustic bread topped with melted cheese and serrano ham. Indoors, however, is a different story, as cosy tables cluster around a vast, central fireplace beneath walls hung with an impressive mid-century art collection – donated by artists in lieu of payment over the years. On cold winter days, there’s no better place to hole up with a bottle of wine and a set of dominoes.
Ca Na Pepeta
Locals’ fave Cana Pepeta is in a converted finca on the fabled San Juan road. The laidback, linen-clad dining room is open to the elements in summer. In winter, glass walls and a welcoming fireplace give the whole room a luminous, light-filled appeal that’s the perfect foil to Ibiza’s crisp winter days. Cana Pepeta’s menu is defiantly local, bringing sustainable ingredients to the fore and celebrating the traditional charcoal cooking fire.
Juntos House
The newest string in the bow of Juntos, the regenerative farming mini-empire, Juntos House is a delightful farm-to-table restaurant in the dreamy northern hamlet of San Mateo. With a focus on KM0 food, low-impact production and community values, Juntos House has been the runaway hit of summer. The winter season sees the opening of the indoor dining room – complete with open fireplace – and a quirky, cosy, candlelit cocktail bar upstairs.
Cas Pagés
A rustic and romantic spot near San Carlos that has attracted a devoted folowing for almost 50 years. The open grill is the star of the show, cooking local meats and barbecued vegetables in a manner unchanged for decades. In summer, the flower-filled garden is the place to be, but in winter the action moves indoors, to a low-ceilinged, candlelit dining room that’s about as atmospheric as it gets.
Wild Beets
THE hip hangout of Santa Gertrudis, contemporary vegan restaurant Wild Beets does what it does to perfection. The colourful, creative menu is committed to optimising the nutritional content of each dish and is dedicated to fresh, organic, seasonal products. We love the warming lentil and lime soup and the protein bowl – packed with quinoa and hempseed tabbouleh, marinated tempeh, activated almonds, peas, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts and spicy kale. A central glass firepit keeps things cosy come winter.
Finca La Plaza.
This charming renovated finca has had a glorious year thanks to its adoption into the peerless Island Hospitality stable (Beachouse, Mikasa, Club Chinois). The sun-splashed garden plays host to music-fuelled Sunday lunches in winter, while the cosy indoors rooms are heated by an atmospheric open fire. Book ahead and soak up the off-season island vibes
