Cantina Panzà, Palma

Palma offers a fantastic choice of cuisines but if eating authentic Spanish food in a cosy, unpretentious ambience is what you’re craving, Cantina Panzà ticks that box … and others. Located along the iconic Paseo de la Rambla – home of the scented, colourful flower stalls – Cantina Panzà offers tapas, sharing plates, and a weekday ‘menú del día’.

Cantina Panzà is the creation of two chefs with an excellent reputation in Mallorca: Madrid-born Fernando Pérez Arellano – best known for his Michelin-star restaurant Zaranda – and his friend, kitchen colleague for many years, and business partner, Javier Gardonio, who’s at the stoves here.

Peer through the glass of the green-painted door and you could be forgiven for thinking this was only a small tapas bar. You can, of course, enjoy tapas and a drink at the counter in the traditional Spanish way, but Cantina Panzà has more to offer.

Turn the corner at the end of the counter and you’ll see the open kitchen and find a couple of cute, small dining rooms decorated with wall-mounted potted plants – reminding me of visits to southern Spain. In fine weather, you can also eat on the terrace in the middle of the Rambla. Cantina Panzà has about 40 covers.

Four of us (one, an acclaimed private chef) went for lunch, agreeing to share a good selection of dishes and split the bill between us. We’ll return sometime to try the ‘menú del día’ (19€ for three courses, bread and aioli, and water). On Fridays, the main course is the hearty Spanish stew known as ‘cocido’.

We shared: vitello ‘Tomato’ (9€); lettuce hearts with anchovy vinaigrette (6€); croquettes (6€), waffle topped with San Simón cheese and basil with confit tomatoes and olives (7€); ‘Espinagada’ of pork loin and vegetables, disguised as empanadillas (8€); Andalusian fried squid with saffon and lemon aioli (12€); four different ‘cocas’ (4€-5€), and oxtail cannelloni with a velouté of Jerusalem artichoke (17€).

These dishes were all tasty and I particularly recommend the waffle, ‘Espinagada’, the ‘cocas’, and the squid. Four desserts are on the menu, but we’d eaten enough for this visit. Cava was 5€ a glass, and the draft Cerveza 1906 cost 2,80€ for a quarter of a litre.

For the quality of the ingredients, the Michelin culinary expertise of Fernando and Javier, and the authenticity of the Spanish cuisine and the place, I’d say this is good-value eating out in Palma.

Cantina Panzà is recommended by the Guía Repsol … and me.

Photos: Jan Edwards

Prices correct at time of writing.