An island-to-table eatery that cares about the attention to the finer details.
Tasting menus are a tried and tested format that are commonplace on the White Isle. So when it comes to standing out amongst the crowd, a restaurant has to go the extra mile to impress a community of food lovers. Santa Eulalia’s Pepita has not only gone the extra mile, but they have also quickly established themselves to excite Ibiza patrons for the long run.
Located in an east coast Ibizan town that is fast becoming the gastronomic capital of the island, Pepita is the brainchild of English Chef, Dave Bone. After working his way up the kitchen brigade ranks in London’s culinary scene, he went on to win the Netflix Show, My Million Pound Menu. With the investment prize, he and his partners set up the Spanish influenced Pilgrim in Liverpool.
Following on from this success, he brings the same passion and innovation to his new restaurant start-up in Ibiza. ‘The Art of Dining’ is the restaurant’s principle mantra, a mission to make fine dining accessible for everyone. They’ve successfully implemented this idea by offering the clientele not only fantastic food but a new way of thinking about what’s on the plate.
Encouraging food education, the five-course menu allows guests to learn about new flavour combinations, surprising the palate with every fresh dish. This tasting experience focuses importance on savouring each mouthful, whilst gaining knowledge about the culture that influenced its creation.
At the very core of Pepita’s ethos is an island-to-table concept that showcases locally sourced ingredients straight from the Balearic Islands. To accentuate the fresh produce, each dish is perfectly paired with a selection of wines, all of which are either natural, organic and biodynamic.
Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll notice that the artistry extends beyond the food and into the decor. Doubling as a gallery space, the walls are adorned in vibrant art pieces all created by local artists. Pepita’s goal is to keep rotating the artwork monthly so that they can create a community of featured artists.
One of the restaurants top priorities is sustainability and carbon sensitivity, so throughout you’ll find up-cycled furniture and elements of restored interior design. This aesthetic adds a homely feel to the location, like eating at an old friends house.
An evening begins with the waitress explaining the finer details of the menu, whilst you sip on a glass of Cava from South Barcelona to enliven your tastebuds. A very light and delicately seasoned Red Mullet with fennel and salsa verde is presented next as the first course. The salsa compliments the Red Mullet without overpowering it so that you can taste every flavour on the fork.
Spending time at Pepita is partly about trying something that you wouldn’t usually order. This sentiment comes through in the second serving; baby beetroot, leek and smoked aubergine. Not your average salad starter, but the smokiness of the aubergine and colourful farm-fresh vegetables make this a pleasant favourite amongst the set menu.
Sliced in a Japanese style and coupled with courgette and shellfish sauce, torched squid follows for course number three. It makes for a full-flavoured inclusion that will hit the right notes with seafood lovers but maybe too strong for some. An inspired recipe nonetheless.
The most popular dish by far at Pepita is the pluma steak, with the meat again locally sourced from the Iberian black pig. As the fourth and last main course, it doesn’t fail to impress as it’s deliciously tender, rivalling some of the best steakhouses in Ibiza. The wine pairing, El Chaparral, is a barrel-aged red from Navarra (North Spain) is nothing but elegant.
Portions are controlled carefully throughout the meal so that you can see the experience through to the end. Especially as you wouldn’t want to miss out on the dessert finale, which comes in the form of a chocolate mousse. Infused with carob bean and olive oil and topped with thyme, the sprinkling of the herb is a welcome surprise and matches the Ibizan influenced menu.
Making a mark in Ibiza is no small order. It requires time, passion and skill to truly put yourself on the island map and proudly announce you are here to stay. Pepita is more than just a business and community, it represents fantastic culinary ideas that everyone can get behind. With those defining hallmarks, we do not doubt that this excellent establishment will be serving food to open the minds and warm the hearts of attendees for many years to come.
