Majorca Mallorca

Where should you eat in Mallorca when you want something better than the familiar tourist favourites?
Food journalist Mia Naprta joins Vicki McLeod and Oliver Neilson to share some of her latest discoveries, from excellent-value menús del día and properly prepared Valencian-style paella to brunch, Japanese pancakes and an extraordinary three-and-a-half-hour Michelin-starred tasting experience.
The conversation takes us from Palmanova to Selva and Palma’s old town, revealing why some of Mallorca’s most interesting restaurants are found beyond the island’s usual expat dining circuit.
Mia also explains what it is really like to review restaurants and bars for a living, including the unexpected confession that she is not particularly keen on alcohol, despite being paid to write about it.
Listen for plenty of recommendations, strong opinions and a lively debate about whether paella is a Spanish masterpiece or simply a glorified risotto.

Mia Naprta is a food journalist who writes in English for the Mallorca Bulletin. Her work takes her into restaurants, hotels and bars across the island, searching for interesting new openings, excellent-value menús del día and dining experiences worth recommending.
Show notes
In this episode:
Mia explains what a gastrojournalist actually does
The joys of discovering an excellent menú del día
Why affordable lunches can reveal more about Mallorca than expensive tourist restaurants
Exploring places outside Palma and the familiar expat areas
Beach dining in Palmanova
What makes an authentic Valencian-style paella
The case against paella, including Oliver’s “glorified risotto” verdict
Brunch culture and Japanese pancakes
Eating at Selvaj in Selva
Special-occasion dining at Zaranda in Palma
The theatre and attention to detail behind a Michelin-starred tasting menu
What it is like to spend three and a half hours over dinner
Why Mia drinks for work, despite not being a great fan of alcohol

Restaurants and places mentioned
Casa Chiringo, Palmanova
A relaxed beachside restaurant recommended for paella. Mia explains that the team learned from Valencian chefs and prepares its paella in the Valencian tradition.
The paellas discussed were priced at approximately €22 to €26, depending on the variety. Mia tried a mixed-style paella containing chicken, seafood and green beans.
Selvaj, Selva
One of the episode’s examples of the interesting restaurants that can be discovered by travelling beyond Palma and the island’s better-known international dining areas.
Zaranda, Palma
The Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef Fernando Pérez Arellano, located within the Es Princep hotel in Palma.
Mia describes an intricate, theatrical tasting experience lasting around three and a half hours, with show cooking, highly detailed presentation and a concept influenced by leather and the history of the building.

Vicki and Ollie discuss the Omega Loop heatwave gripping Spain and Europe, their neighbour's house catching fire from a short-circuiting electrical cable, the total solar eclipse coming to Mallorca on August 12 (where to watch, traffic chaos, boat safety, and why not to trust ChatGPT for viewing locations), fire safety warnings, Port Andratx fiestas including the boat procession of the Virgin Mary, Mallorca's fiesta culture, viral bars in Deya, a listener question about honeymoon spots (recommending Fornalutx and the Soller Valley), and a reminder for visitors to slow down.
Key takeaways
The August 12 eclipse requires a clear west-facing sea view, meaning only the Tramuntana coast, parts of Calvia (El Toro/Malgrat), and the south-east coast from Arenal to Campos will work. More info to come in a forthcoming episode with Nick Brown.
Roads will be closed or gridlocked; boat charters are selling at extreme premiums and many lack after-dark licences.
Mallorca is in maximum forest fire alert: no barbecues, no glass, no smoking in natural areas.
Port Andratx fiestas (Demonis, Nit de Cavalls, and the Virgin Mary boat procession) are a highlight of mid-July and showcase authentic Mallorcan culture tourists rarely see.
Deya is booming on social media (Barraco Bar, Nama restaurant, Korean tourist wave) but remains logistically tricky to access, especially at night.

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After a bit of a break, Vicki and Oliver are back behind the microphones.
In this episode they discuss the latest developments in Mallorca, including new direct flights from Canada and Abu Dhabi, why cycling tourism continues to be so important to the island, the evolution of Mallorca Live Festival, the upcoming San Juan celebrations, and the tragic fire at the Trianon 2 apartment block in Magaluf.
It's a relaxed catch-up covering life, tourism, events and current affairs on the island.
Topics covered include:
New direct flights to Mallorca
New routes from Montreal and Abu Dhabi
Growing long-haul connections to the island
How global events are influencing travel patterns
Why Mallorca continues to attract visitors from around the world

Cycling tourism
Why Mallorca remains one of the world's most popular cycling destinations
The economic impact of cycling tourism
How shoulder-season visitors help local businesses
The benefits and frustrations cyclists bring to the island

How Mallorca has changed over the last 20 years
A more international visitor profile
The rise of luxury tourism
New food and dining options
Why Mallorca now attracts some of the world's wealthiest visitors

The Trianon 2 fire in Magaluf
What happened at the apartment block in Torrenova
The impact on residents and families
Questions around building safety and fire prevention
Why the tragedy may prompt wider discussions about older residential buildings on the island

Mallorca Live Festival
First impressions of this year's event
Improvements to transport and organisation
Food, drinks and facilities
Upcoming concerts and summer events

San Juan
Mallorca's magical midsummer celebration
Night swimming, candles and traditions
Why it's one of the island's most unique nights of the year

Plus, a few celebrity sightings, a discussion about tourism trends, and a reminder of some of the fantastic guests already featured on the podcast.
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Gastro journalist Mia Naprta is back in studio (with a special guest appearance from Bert the dog) to tell us where she has been eating since we last saw her knee-deep in Restaurant Week. This episode covers the full spectrum of Mallorca's food scene: tapas at the two-Michelin-star Cap Vermell resort, a wine tasting at Richard Branson's Son Bunyola estate, Nikki Beach's season opening, and a data-driven marketing company that is changing how restaurants fill tables. But Mia's heart belongs to the village restaurants too: paella in Fornalutx for forty euros with mountain views, and lechona at a demon-themed spot in Algaida where they leave the bottle on the table. Plus: Palma Boat Show tips, what is coming up in May, and why Mia adopted herself out of corporate London.

Mia Naprta is a gastro journalist and food writer based in Mallorca. Originally from Croatia, she spent years in corporate London before moving to the island and building a career covering Mallorca's food and hospitality scene. She writes for local publications, is part of the Restaurant Week Mallorca team, and can be found on Instagram @mianaprta.

Restaurant Week Mallorca: 52 restaurants in 2026, plans for 40 next year, possible expansion to Ibiza and Barcelona
Anna Potus and Juan Fran: Restaurant Week co-organisers
Nelson (photographer) and Mars (social media): the RW team
DS Hospitality: Alex Czerveni and Alosha, data-driven restaurant marketing, 8-12x ROI
Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, Capdepera: Bravo tapas restaurant, Woro (2 Michelin stars)
Son Bunyola (Richard Branson): recovered Malvasia wine, 700 bottles first vintage
Castillo San Vida: new restaurant Esbalco opening
Nikki Beach Mallorca: chef Alex, pistachio cheesecake, Tattinger, Tricyclium bread, Trufad truffles
Esturo, Fornalutx: paella, fideua, trampo, flan, apple tart, 40 euros/person
Growing (Mesha) and Ritma by Marciano (Fricky Food) also in Fornalutx
Cal Dimoni, Algaida: lechona, gato de almendra, arros brut, Licor 43
Motorworld Palma, Cuber lakes drive
Palma Boat Show: Mark Fosh / Fosho Aces, Harlequin cocktails, Superyacht Charities fundraiser at Can Eduardo
Pura Beach Palma opening May 15
Jumeirah Soller event
Yala Magaluf: pistachio tiramisu
Europa restaurant Magaluf: cheap, cheerful, traditional
Steffi Schulz: Faces of Mallorca book


00:00 Intro / Where has Mia been?
01:15 Restaurant Week recap: 52 restaurants, what worked
03:25 Plans for next year: 40 restaurants, Ibiza, Barcelona
06:09 DS Hospitality: data-driven restaurant marketing
10:06 Cap Vermell / Bravo: elevated tapas at a Michelin resort
14:42 Son Bunyola: Branson, Malvasia, and a wish list interview
17:38 Castillo San Vida: Esbalco restaurant opening
21:50 Nikki Beach: oysters, truffles, and why the restaurant is the real draw
29:30 Esturo, Fornalutx: paella, views, and forty euros
35:57 Cal Dimoni, Algaida: demons, lechona, and a bottle left on the table
40:13 Palma Boat Show tips
47:23 What is coming up for Mia
48:23 Mia's story: London to Mallorca

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Oliver sits down with Steve Redfern, former Leicester, England and Sheffield Eagles prop, who seventeen years ago brought six teams to a beach in Mallorca and started what is now one of Europe's biggest beach rugby tournaments. This year's edition had 84 teams, six pitches, more women's teams than men's, and an estimated two million euros flowing into the Magaluf economy over one weekend. Steve talks about the pink card that stops fights, the German team that brings ham and flags, the referees who double as crowd entertainers, and why he has never introduced prize money. Plus: next year's dates are confirmed and bookings are already filling up.

Steve Redfern is a former professional rugby player (Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles) and the founder and organiser of Mallorca Beach Rugby, one of Europe's largest full-contact beach rugby tournaments. He has been running the event on Magaluf beach for 17 years.

Steve Redfern: Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles (late 70s/80s)
Retired from playing due to double retina detachment
Mallorca Beach Rugby: 17 years, started in Santa Ponza, moved to Magaluf year two
2026 edition: 84 teams (record), 6 pitches, 5,000-6,000 spectators
2027 dates: 1-2 May (opening party 30 April), first UK May bank holiday
Women's competition: now equal or more teams than men's
Vets tournament: 12 men's teams, 6 women's teams
Auburn: women's team from year two, still competing, won trophy this year
Bremen: German team, 12-13 years attending, tent/flags/ham tradition
Matthias: Bremen organiser
Pink card: players must kiss and hug to defuse tension
Roger Musi Memorial Trophy: named after late Mambo's DJ
Rules: 5-a-side, rolling subs, 4 mins each way, no scrums/line-outs
Sponsors: Tom Brown's, Blackbeard's, Crusoe's, Chili Lounge, the Square
Calvia Council support, Mayor (former Old Toro player) presents prizes
Pembroke: first team booked for 2027
Scottish national team once played under a fake name
Economic impact: estimated two million euros
Website: mallorcabeachrugby.com
Luna Radio: where Steve and Oliver first met

00:00 Intro / Steve's playing career (Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles)
01:40 The retina detachment that ended his playing days
02:28 How Mallorca Beach Rugby started (Italy trip, Magaluf boys' weekend)
03:17 Year one in Santa Ponza, year two in Magaluf
04:52 From 6 teams to 84: the growth
05:18 Rules of beach rugby explained
06:13 The social side: rugby players in Magaluf
08:27 The pink card: kiss and make up
09:04 Why there is no prize money
10:19 Women's teams: from one to majority
11:50 Vets tournament and diversity of players
13:01 Bremen: the German team that defines the spirit
14:15 Roger Musi Memorial Trophy
14:46 Next year: dates, bookings, and how to enter
15:56 Economic impact: 5,000 people, two million euros
17:05 Calvia Council and the Mayor
18:25 Biggest beach rugby tournament in Europe?
19:00 Come and watch: why non-rugby fans love it

https://www.majorcabeachrugby.co.uk/
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