Palma’s Top 10 Places to Indulge in Sweet Treats during PIBS

As it is the Palma International Boat Show this month, why not take the weight off your feet and treat yourself to something deliciously sweet? Here are our top 10 picks (in no particular order!)…

Bacan Bar Cafeteria

Just off of Avenida Jaime III, this cafe opened during the pandemic and quickly became a “go-to” place for coffee lovers. They make a perfect cortado and have some great brunch options – the acai bowl, hummus bowl or Turkish eggs are all excellent!

The ‘King of the House’ is their flat white – a double shot of espresso combined with creamy whole fresh milk or oat milk. Their main roaster is FRIEDHATS (Amsterdam) whose 65% Brazilian and 35% Ethiopian blend works like a charm.

Last season they launched their own ‘nitro cold brew’ and it was an instant hit. They infuse their 24-hour cold brew with nitrogen to create a super creamy ice-cold drink. Perfect for the 300+ sunny days available to enjoy on this wonderful island!

The Barn Berlin

This is mostly a takeaway place and is nestled in a cool little street just behind La Rambla. The Shakerato -a double espresso mixed with grapefruit juice, shaken and served over ice- is superb. If you fancy something sweet, they often have freshly baked cakes by the lovely Julia. The peanut butter and jam cookie is also delicious! Not only can you enjoy single-origin coffees here, but you can also purchase the roasted beans. The Kenyan blend offers wonderful acidity and rich berry flavours, whilst the Ethiopian Blend features floral notes coupled with refreshing peachy flavours.

Mistral Coffee House and Roastery

Nestled in a small square opposite the Teatro Principal, this coffee house is a great meeting place. Not only can you enjoy a ‘Brazil’ -their all-star classic espresso- but they also sell the beans to take home. They are just about to launch a new coffee label ‘Tramuntana’, which is very smooth with notes of dark chocolate, caramel and praline. Pick up a bag and try it for yourself!

Nanø Coffee Lab

What this tiny café lacks in size, it certainly makes up for with its continuously excellent coffee, impossible-to-resist ‘small bites’, and vegan snacks. It is hidden in a tiny alley off Avenida Jaime lll, but you will easily spot it by the crowd spilling out onto the street, coffees in hand. Their signature drink is the Cold Brew, brewed in their cold drip tower, which is, apparently, the only one on the island. The beverage is a very clean and juicy glass of cold coffee, perfect for those sunny days.

Surry Hills Coffee

This place has some incredibly tasty open sandwiches, while their cortado is as close to perfection as it gets. The cinnamon roll is also a must try! Their signature beverage is the ‘magic coffee’. Invented in Melbourne, Australia -where these guys learnt their trade before coming to Palma- it consists of a double ristretto with slightly foamed milk served in a 5oz cup. Apparently, the secret is the base -two sweet and delicate ristrettos- that make this coffee richer, stronger and more complex. It is perfect for those who enjoy all the flavour of a flat white with much less caffeine.

Ca’n de Paris

Moving on from coffee to cake, if you venture further uptown towards Plaҫa d’Espanya, you should stop by this French bakery. Their breakfast pastries and cakes are all as tasty as they are pretty – the almond croissant is to die for! The chocolaty and nutty Tarta Real is divine and the fruit-topped tarts are also excellent. This place is like a tiny slice of France in a lively Palma square in front of the Mercat de l’Olivar.

Narez y Cuart

Back to La Rambla and still on the subject of cakes, you have to pay a visit to Narez y Cuart. Looking like a posh store in Paris or London, this is a perfect place to pick up some tasty cakes, lush chocolates, and curiously flavoured nuts. They have a fruity cake with yuzu, a ‘dirty blonde’ white chocolate with a pinch of sea salt, and cashew nuts covered in passionfruit-flavoured chocolate brushed with gold dust!

Cachao

If you fancy a good, raw, organic (even vegan) chocolate treat, you will absolutely love Cachao in the Santa Catalina neighbourhood. Master Chocolatier Tino Wolter makes all of his chocolate by hand with the whole process taking four days. The results are incomparable to any commercial chocolate. Try the Apricot and Lavender for an unusual but exquisite match or the Orange Bar, which has gently dried and finely ground oranges delicately blended into expertly tempered chocolate, infusing it with a mellow citrus aroma. They use Sóller oranges – the best one can find on Mallorca!

Hotel Almudaina and Hotel Nakar

Last, but not least, for a truly decadent treat, there is nothing better than sitting on a terrace with a view and a glass of cold cava to watch the sun go down. There are countless places in Palma where you can do this, but firm favourites are the terraces of these two hotels on Avenida Jaime lll which have breathtaking views of the city, port and cathedral.

If you already live in Palma, raise a glass to yourself and thank your lucky stars. If you are just visiting –for the Palma International Boat Show or otherwise– you are sure to enjoy all that this fabulous city has to offer.