6 Best Coffee Shops in Palma de Mallorca, Spain

La Molienda is not the only café to claim they serve the best coffee in Palma, but in this case it is probably justified. Not only do they serve great coffee in a stylish but unpretentious environment, but the food is fresh, organic and delicious, the staff friendly and the WiFi fast and free. Slightly off the beaten track but still close enough to the centre of town, this is the closest Palma gets to a ‘hipster’ coffee shop. And a firm favourite in our book.

A family-run café that’s been around since the 1930s, Café Can Martí is a real local’s haunt and serves great (and very cheap) coffee, good pastries and the traditional Mallorcan breakfast fare – pan con tomate (bread with tomato) with freshly squeezed orange juice and a café con leche. They also do a decent menu del día at lunchtime. Buzzing pretty much from the minute it opens, there are a few small tables outside but it’s inside, by the bar, that has all the atmosphere, with groups of locals catching up over coffee.

Serving healthy food, smoothies, juices and great coffee, the Simple Smart Food Bar is located in the trendy Santa Catalina neighbourhood, and a welcome addition to Palma’s café scene. The space is fairly small but with large windows and neutral contemporary decor, it feels bright and airy and even has a small play area for kids. The coffee is excellent, WiFi is free and there are lots of power sockets – what more could you want?

An easy walk from La Rambla, the Rosevelvet Bakery is small but perfectly formed, with simple contemporary styling and a tantalising array of cakes on display at the counter. The service is not always speedy but the coffee is very good, the savoury food delicious, and the sweet delights are sublime. An added bonus is the very pretty courtyard at the back.

For the ultimate traditional café experience, it is worth taking a trip to C’an Joan de S’Aigo, in Palma’s old town. This café and ice cream parlour dates back to 1700, and is decked out with beautiful original tiling, plenty of mood dark wood, and vintage clocks and lighting. Not only is their coffee good, but their ensaïmadas (a traditional Mallorcan pastry) and thick hot chocolate (for dunking said pastry) are excellent.

While a relative newbie in Palma, Arabay are certainly not new to coffee – they’ve been roasters since 1952 and have run cafés in other parts of Mallorca since then. The closest to a Starbucks-style coffee shop in Palma (only with table service) this café is right next to Plaza Mayor and also has an onsite roastery and store, as well as an academy training baristas and roasters. It’s also the only coffee shop where you can chose how your beverage is brewed, from cafetière and aeropress to good old-fashioned filter.