Bodega Barahona – Casa Manolo

Juan Barahona and his wife Apolonia Vidal opened a small bodega in the centre of the village on 17 February 1945, selling wine from the barrel, vermouth and anís. Apolonia bought squid and anchovies from the passing fishmonger to serve as tapas, and couples soon came for tapas and wine.

Their son Manolo and his wife Margarita turned it into Casa Manolo. They stepped back in 2017, and their three children now run it, with Juan in the kitchen cooking his mother’s recipes. The family says its best reward is the loyalty of customers who come back generation after generation.

Two dishes built its name: the calamar de potera, line-caught squid, and the arroz de notari, one of the house rice dishes. The Guía Repsol also picks out the lobster caldereta. The rest of the menu follows the fish market, and staff will fillet your fish at the table. The wine list is long, with a good choice from the island, and the desserts are made by Juan’s wife.

Ses Salines has no harbour. The nearest berths are in the port of Colònia de Sant Jordi, about 6 km away, so come ashore there and take a short taxi ride up to the village. It is on Plaça de Sant Bartomeu, in the middle of Ses Salines.

The terrace is open all year, according to the Guía Repsol. The restaurant is very popular, so book ahead by phone, particularly for a table outside in summer. There is no website.