La Cava, is one of the cooler Ibiza restaurants located on Vara del Rey, bang in the middle of the capital city of Ibiza. It´s the large ´plaza' or square behind the port, with a pedestrianized centre, busily lined with shops and cafes. It´s a great spot for watching the world go by and locally, the meeting point for all manner of social encounters. The locals love it.
Why? Because you can sit outside on the restaurant's pavement terrace and sip a cool drink and watch the endlessly amusing comings and goings of colourful, cosmopolitan Ibiza. Because this Ibiza restaurant´s food is good quality, the prices are great value and there´s free wi-fi. Because the service is swift and attentive. Read on!
Your intrepid Ibiza Spotlight reviewers sailed in one sunny, sultry afternoon for a spot of lunch. Parking is ferociously competitive in high season and meters only allow two hours parking. Parking attendants are extremely active around Vara del Rey too, so my advice? Go for the public car park behind the port. No driving round in circles and unlimited time to just chill in the restaurant.
We were received swiftly and charmingly, in perfect English, by our smartly uniformed server, Alvaro. Unsure of what to drink, Alvaro immediately suggested a litre of sangria made rather decadently with cava, stuffed with fruit accompanied by two glasses with ice. The man was clearly a genius. I wish more Ibiza restaurants had staff even half as helpful!
We perused the attractively priced and delicious sounding menu offering a wide selection of Mediterranean fusion dishes. We were struggling to decide between various, delectable sounding options.
You know it's kind of nice sometimes, to not have to make decisions? Well that´s what happened to me in La Cava, Ibiza that day. I decided to leave it all to our server extraordinaire, Alvaro. “What´s your recommendation from the menu?” I asked, happily sipping my delicious sangria. Without hesitation, the reply “ Why not try a selection of 6 ‘pinchos' (that´s toasted baguette with various toppings), would you like me to bring you a selection?”
Why not indeed! Feeling like Star Trek´s Captain Janeway having completed an important consultation with her closest commander, I accepted the expertise of my server and waited, with some excitement I must confess, for my surprise, decision free lunch.
My companion opted for ´menu del dia' (a choice of 2 or 3 courses, either starter and mains, or mains and dessert, or all three, as you prefer). Warming to the decision free theme, she too requested Alvaro´s recommendations from the ample choice provided. “My pleasure,” he smiled, pleased with the responsibility. And he was off, but not before refilling our glasses liberally.
In less than 5 minutes he was back with the goods. My 6 pinchos were like mini works of art, all beautifully presented morsels of oral delight. Featuring a selection including creamy goat´s cheese with figs, sautéed potato topped with a tiny, delicate quail´s egg, to deep fried brie with Serrano ham and fresh asparagus. They were fantastic. Actually with the exception of one which was topped with baby eels. I just couldn´t. When Alvaro came to check back on us, I admitted that baby eels were not my cup of tea. To his eternal credit, they was whisked away swiftly and replaced with creamy, baked brie topped with tangy cranberries and strawberries. Much better!
My companion's starter of Asian prawn noodles with crunchy, fresh vegetables in a sweet chilli sauce was delicious with a nice, spicy kick. Her ‘segundo plato' or main dish of baked cod, complimented perfectly with the traditionally northern Spanish accompaniment of sautéed spinach with toasted pine nuts and walnuts, was tender, moist and wholesome.
We contentedly polished off the lot. We even found space for a shared dessert of mixed, Mediterranean fruits with creamy, chilled, English custard whilst checking our emails. Bravo! La Cava is now firmly on my list of favourite, great value Ibiza restaurants.
A splendid lunch was had, dear readers. Service was excellent, the food was great and the bill was very reasonable. There are lots of veggie options and the disabled facilities are excellent. Ibiza Spotlight enthusiastically recommends this popular Ibiza bar and restaurant. Perfect for soaking up the ambience of metropolitan Ibiza and close to both the old town and the new, take a seat. Relax. You´re in Ibiza.
Editors Note:
I've since popped back and enjoyed breakfast at La Cava and am extremely pleased to be able to recommend it - the menu was comprehensive and I finally settled on a delicious scrambled eggs and salmon, fresh coffee and a freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning light - a superb way to start off my day.
To Book
Although booking isn't always necessary, the restaurant can be busy in the high season - please see La Cava Restaurant for map and contact details
Quick Facts
What? La Cava bar and restaurant
Where? Vara del Rey, Ibiza
When? Breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday all year round
Why? Good quality food, great value, cool location, swift and attentive service.
Average spend per head? It´s just €11.50 for menu del dia. Add sangria and you're looking at around a very reasonable €20 per head.
Veggie Options? Yes.
Disabled Facilities? Excellent.
Top tips? Try the pincho selection, a typical snack served in many Ibiza restaurants. They´re great!
Room for Improvement? The tables on the street terrace are quite close together and it can feel a bit cramped when it's busy.
