Merlet Restaurant

By the Porta de Mallorca, the main gateway in Alcúdia's walls, this family restaurant, which signs itself 'the Merlet family', has a handful of tables inside and a quiet terrace facing the walls, lit up at night, with a small car park next door. What sets it apart from the many tapas bars of the old town is the care: a short menu, homemade dishes plated with attention and staff who explain everything and stop you over-ordering. Before anything else come bread baked that day, homemade aioli and olives. The dish that justifies the visit is the grilled octopus, tender to the point of melting, backed up by bravas with their own sauce and aubergine with goat's cheese and caramelised onion. Desserts are homemade, including a mojito ice cream they make themselves. It's especially good with children, who are treated with real care (they'll even make the bravas without chilli), and for anyone who prefers a calm table to a noisy bar.

Reviewed in November 2026