Three Food Markets in Palma not to Miss

By Nev :

FOOD MARKETS IN PALMA

life is too short to eat anything less than delicious.”

Spain is famous for its food, and it all starts right here at the food markets. Great produce makes great food. Right? Right.

Fortunately for you Palma has some great food markets to visit, this is where the magic of Mallorcan cuisine all starts.

I just love visiting these food markets, if you’re not inspired to cook that day when you go, then you sure are when you leave.

You can help but be inspired amidst all the brilliant produce on display. It’s a sensual tsunami of sound, aromas and bright, brilliant colours. 

You’re swimming in the Mediterranean, it’s all around you and it feels great. 


On your food market visit keep an eye out for the delicacies only found in Mallorca. Try the emblematic Ensaimada or Coca de Patata with your morning coffee.

Brunch on Tumbet or Sopes Mallorquines. You wont be sorry you did,.Yummy.

A lot more on Mallorquin foods to savour later in my article, first lets take a look at some food markets………

Bodega Ribas 
MERCAO OKIVAR PALMA MARKET

Mercat de l’Olivar  

The really vibrant Olivar Market is the biggest of the indoor food market in Palma. Just walk up the famous shopping street San Miguel from Plaza Major and you’ll easily find it. 

If you’re looking for the essence of Mallorcan life and cuisine then you’re in for a treat.

As soon as you enter you’ll feel the buzz. The colors, sights, sounds, and scents hit you straight away. 

OLIVAR MARKET PALMA

Bustling aisles full of stalls literally overflowing with varieties of plump tomatoes, fragrant herbs, glistening olives and artisan cheeses. Just colors galore. Wow!!

You’ll pass by vibrant stalls displaying all kinds of citrus fruits, red peppers and hanging Mallorquin ramallet tomatoes.

Walking around you’ll be hit by the heady aroma of spices, mingling with the salty tang of cured meats, sobrasada sausages and olives in brine. If you’re early enough the scent of freshly baking bread too.

There’s a large fishmongers section in the market selling many locally caught seafood delicacies. Anything from a sardine or shrimp to sea bass and tuna fish steaks. 

Plenty of shellfish here too, there is even a champagne and oyster bar to sample them with a glass of bubbly!!

MERCAO OLIVAR PALMA MARKET OYSTERS

You’re definitely going to need some refreshments on your market tour. Don’t worry the ’Olivar Market has got you covered. There are plenty of cafes and wine bars where you can sit down and enjoy some local tapas snacks or something larger too. Fancy a sushi? Well there’s a great Sushi bar in the fish section. You can hardly get fresher fish in your Nigiri .

There’s a feeling of warmth, passion and hospitality in the market, Ask, and the vendors are eager to share their knowledge and passion for their produce. If you are a Spanish speaker you’ll hear the locals exchange recipes and cooking tips. 

Spend an hour or two here and you’ll glad you didn’t miss out on this experience on your travel itinerary. 

Macia Batle
SANT CATALINA PALMA MARKET

Mercat de Santa Catalina

The Santa Catalina Market is the pulse of the Santa Catalina area of Palma. Unlike its more bustling market cousins, this market is a more laid back experience.

In the last 15 years or so Santa Catalina has experienced a real renaissance,  it’s now a trendy barrio during the day and has a pulsing night life after dark.

After a fairly big renovation years ago the Mercat de Santa Catalina is now more of a gourmet market mixed in with traditional stalls selling great farm produce. 

SANT CATALINA PALMA MARKET GUIDE WIMES

You’ll find an excellent and varied selection of stalls selling local produce there are plenty of specialists vendors selling things like fine wines, organic foods and meats, flowers and artisan handicrafts.

Mercat de Santa Catalina is really is more of a gourmet market mixed in with traditional stalls selling great farm produce. 

There are a number of great charcuteries to selling cured meats, hams and the famous Mallorca Sobrasada blood sausage in the market.

Not into meat? No problem. There are plenty of fruits, vegetables, dried seeds, pulses and delicious artisan cheese to be found in the market. 

There are organic options available all over the market too. If you’re looking for dried products then A Granel has you covered. 

SANT CATALINA PALMA MARKET

It’s not a huge market but there’s still a lot to see and enjoy both inside and outside. There plenty of boutique style shops to browse in the adjacent streets.

The highlight of any visit to this market are the cafe bars inside selling local dishes and tapas. 

My particular favourite is Bar Joan Frau a family run bar the serves the most authentic and delicious Mallorquin food I’ve ever tasted outside of Mallorcan friends homes. The Frau family prepares a cornucopia of traditional recipes fresh every day.

Perhaps the most enchanting about the market is the definite sense of community after all it’s right in the center of it.

lIf you love of good food, good company, and the simple slow living pleasures of life visit to Santa Catalina is a must.

Bodegas Jose L Ferrer
MERCAO PERE GARAU MARKET

Mercat Pere Garau

Established in 1931 in Binissalem, Bodegas Jose L Ferrer is a leading producer of Binissalem Mallorca DO wines.

Tour visitors to Bodegas Jose L Ferrer are greeted with a lovely inviting ambiance and quite stunning surroundings. These are great tours taking visitors on a fascinating journey through the winemaking process, literally from vine to bottle. 

The vineyard also has a charming café where visitors can enjoy a glass of wine perhaps paired with a local snack delicacy.

Jose L Ferrer is a large wine producer with 60 hectares (148 acres) of vineyards cultivating native grapes like MantoNegro and Moll..

An long ageing process in oak casks creates rich and complex flavors. The vineyard produces an estimated 500,000 bottles annually.

Visitors can discover their wines and vineyards at Carrer del Conquistador, 103 07350 Binissalem Illes Balears

Foods to try on your Market Visit

So you’re in Mallorca and you’re visiting a Palma market don’t just enjoy the ambience dig in and taste a little local cuisine. It’s great. 

Here’s some dishes and pastries you wont find anywhere else in the world. Keep an eye out for them and sample a few.

  • Ensaimada: The most famous pastry of Mallorca. It’s a spiral-shaped flakey pastry dusted with powdered sugar and often filled with cream, chocolate, or other ingredients. Dangerously delicious.
  • Sobrassada: A soft, spreadable cured sausage made from well ground pork, lots of paprika, and other spices. Local folk enjoy it spread on rustic bread as a mid-morning snack.
  • Pa amb oli: Simple is often times the best. This delicious dish uses rustic bread ( pan moreno ) rubbed with ripe ramallet tomatoes and garlic, olive oil, and salt. It’s a go to i Mallorcan lunch time snack or occasionally an appetiser.,
  • Frito Mallorquín: Another emblematic dish you’ll see as a tapas.  Hearty and flavorful, it’s made using a combination of fried meats such as lamb, pork, or liver, along with potatoes, green peppers, onions, and sometimes peas. Not my fav, but could be yours.
  • Tumbet: A traditional island vegetable dish, a distant relative of ratatouille. Tumbet features layers of sliced potatoes, eggplant, and red bell peppers, all baked together with fresh tomato sauce and olive oil. Yummy.
  • Arroz brut: A rustic rice dish cooked with various meats such as rabbit, chicken or pork, traditionally just what was available. vegetables, saffron, and other spices are added, resulting in a rich and flavorful one-pot rice dish.
  • Sopes Mallorquines: A hearty soup made with old bread, vegetables, broth, and often can be flavored with a dash saffron or other spices. It’s a warming dish, especially popular during the cooler months. Although it’s called a soup it’s actually not a liquid dish.
  • Crespells: Traditional Mallorcan cookies. Made during festive occasions such as Easter and Christmas. They’re almond flavored and crumbly typically shaped like flowers or stars.
  • Coca de Trampó: Looks a little like pizza but it’s nothing to do with its Italian cousin. Coca de trampó features a vert thin crust pastry topped with a colorful melange of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and sometimes anchovies as well. Right up my street I must say!!
  • Coca de Patata: A sweet pastry made with potatoes flour, sugar, and olive oil, flavored with lemon zest or anise. It’s often enjoyed with coffee or hot chocolate as a snack or dessert.

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