Dining Out Tips

Dining out is definitely one of the greatest aspects of Menorcan lifestyle. We are spoilt for choice here with wonderful restaurants, the only hard work is choosing what you would like to eat and where you would like to go. Some of the best restaurants are overlooking the sea, and some are hidden gems of small family run establishments in old houses in the backstreets of the towns. How to choose?

Here are some of our tips for dining out in Menorca

1. Ask the locals for recommendations in your area
   Whether you are staying in a hotel or a villa ask someone who lives where you are staying where they would recommed you go and any speciality you should try. Also ask for recommendations if you are going to the nearest town, you can’t get better advice than asking someone where they eat themselves!
2. Take a stroll round the local area
   Get to know where you are staying, see what sort of people are eating inside and what the restaurant recommends. Have a look at their specials or menu of the day and their prices. By having a look at the same items on seveal menus you will get to know what the average price is and be able to choose from there.
3. Ask the waiter for the speciality dishes
   This has always been a winner, the waiters will always recommend the star plate of the restauant and if you have a query about the menu, don’t be a fraid to ask either. It is common to ask them if the meat or fish you are intersted in is fresh from today, they will tell you or recommend an alternative.
4. Order your meal in Spanish!
   Okay so you may not be fluent or even a bit rough, perhaps your spanish only amounts to hola, adios and gracias. But we are in Spain, so give it a go! Browse the menu in English, then flip to the Spanish pages and order your meal in Spanish. Don’t be shy or worried about your pronounciation, just don’t take yourself seriously and take a sincere stab at it. The waiter will appreciate your attempt and when he/she repeats it back to you, you can perfect it.
5. Leave a tip – Everyone loves ‘propina!
   Waiters are some of the hardest working people, working long hours and take pride in what the do. A tip (called propina or bote) of anywhere between 5 – 10% is normal and always very much appreciated.
6. Don’t drink and drive 
   Fortunately most restaurants are in walking distance of hotels and villas, or a short taxi ride home from the nearest town. There are the guardia civil traffic police who regularly patrol the main roads and central roundabouts in the evening with breathalyzers. It only takes a couple of glasses of vino tinto to put you over the limit, so stick to one early on or none.

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