DAICA restaurant & turisme d'interior — Restaurant in Llubí

2025

An Unforgettable Michelin Experience in the Heart of Mallorca – Daica Restaurant

I had the pleasure of returning to Daica — a Michelin-recognized restaurant tucked away in the charming village of Llubí — and once again, it completely exceeded my expectations. I first stumbled upon this gem back in 2021 and was blown away by the surprise of such refined culinary excellence hidden in a quiet inland town. Visiting again in 2025 was not only a joy, but a reaffirmation that Daica is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever experienced.

🌿 Environment The atmosphere is elegant yet warm, carefully curated without being overly formal. It's peaceful and inviting — perhaps a bit warm on a July evening, but that’s the island. The space reflects the same thoughtful simplicity and depth as the cuisine itself.

🍽️ Food Quality This is where Daica shines the most. Every dish is a multi-sensory experience. The chefs (chefs who clearly love this island) craft their menus using mostly local, seasonal ingredients. Many of the flavors and ingredients are unique to Mallorca, which makes every bite not only delicious but also rooted in place.

We began with a creative cocktail, topped with a smoky foam that was unexpected and delightful — followed by a frozen amuse-bouche that set the tone for the evening. From there, the experience unfolded over 9 beautifully paced courses: olive oil transformed into a silky jelly, an unforgettable thyme crust, and a celebration of textures, colors, aromas, and evolving flavors. Each dish is a study in technique and elegance — yet never loses touch with simplicity.

What I love most about Daica is how it elevates humble ingredients into something truly remarkable. The menu changes often based on what’s available on the island, which shows a constant commitment to research, respect for the land, and culinary innovation.

🤝 Service Flawless, almost. We felt genuinely cared for — the staff was warm, present, knowledgeable, and attentive without ever being intrusive. Every question about the food was met with passion and precision, and this level of care made our nearly four-hour dinner flow beautifully and never feel too long. The only small note I would make is on the wine service: I had hoped for a more engaged and thoughtful discussion. I explained my taste and even gave an example of a wine I enjoy, but the suggestion I received was simply a confirmation of the same bottle. While it was a good choice, I would have appreciated a bit more curiosity and guidance in exploring something new. That said, it’s a very minor detail in what was an otherwise outstanding and memorable experience.

💶 Price For a tasting menu of this quality — 9 to 10 courses for around 100€ — Daica offers exceptional value. It’s not “cheap” in absolute terms, but for a Michelin-level restaurant with such attention to detail, creativity, and service, it’s an outstanding investment in quality and experience. With wine, the price can rise, but that’s expected — and worth it.

⭐ Final Thoughts Daica is not just a restaurant — it’s a tribute to Mallorca, to craftsmanship, and to the joy of slow, meaningful dining. If you love food, culture, and authenticity, skipping this place would be a missed opportunity. I recommend it to anyone visiting the island who is looking for a genuine culinary journey. Daica is a treasure.

2021

It’s a great experience Food is very good, all the dishes have a nice story, good and motivated selection of ingredients… and the tastes are great. Super service, always nice and well informed about all the details of wines and food. The lunch was joyful and tasteful Strongly recommended for the good food lover...

One-line summary: This place is astonishing value for money, for a fine dining restaurant. (Don't let the Michelin guide fool you: "Here, the focus is on cooking with a traditional feel", well, there are some nods to Mallorcan traditions perhaps, but this is a proper fine dining experience.)

There are two menus, 6 courses for €65 and 10 courses for €90. While we were exchanging e-mails to reserve, great care was taken to check for allergies. We reported a mild intolerance of hazelnuts and when our dessert arrived, one person's hazelnuts had been substituted. 👍

The food is superb, even if it is very slightly bonkers (in a good way!) in one or two places. Every dish was a delight. The other diners were also obviously having a great time.

The real source of the value for money, however, is in the drinks. We are accustomed to paying a premium for wine in top-class restaurants, but that was not the case here. We decided to have a glass of white and a glass of rosé each, with the intention of seeing how it went from there. Dai brought an unopened bottle for the white, so he poured a tasting drop for both of us (a very nice touch) and then what, at first sight, seemed like a modest glass. As he poured that, he said "We serve the wines by the glass in two stages here, so they stay fresh". I thought this was a little joke (referring to the tasting drop as the "first stage"), so when Dai came back and refilled our glasses without us ordering more, I said "I'd prefer the rosé next time", thinking he had failed to ask if I wanted more. (The white was good, the rosé was exceptional.) Except that he was indeed just providing the second half of what turned out to be a very generous glass, served in two parts (or three if you count the tasting drop...) sorry, Dai! 🙏 At the end of the meal our bill for wine was just €42, for three large glasses each (we had a glass of cava to start, and that was also generously filled).

We stayed overnight in one of the restaurant's simple, rustic, but comfortable rooms, at a sensible price. There is no breakfast service, but the bar-restaurant in the town square just up the hill has some good breakfast choices.

All in all this was a really great experience. I am really not sure what DaiCa would have to do to qualify for a Michelin star. Perhaps they should put up the price of...

We availed the ten-course dinner tasting menu (€90 per person) and ordered wine separately. We were satisfied with quality, freshness, and variety of local ingredients and produce showcased in every course. Also, we were pleased with plating and presentation of each course; all visually stimulating. But we had a varied take on the flavour profile. We were exceptionally satisfied with three (coca de xeixa with tomato and olive oil pearls/drops, eggplant in own conserve, and serviola fish in light pickle), yet underwhelmed with Arroz Negra with smoked eel and found the six other courses just average. We were pleased with the good selection of local wines and the effort of the inhouse sommelier in explaining the wine list. In terms of service, we’ve observed that only two servers were experienced and knowledgeable particularly in terms of explaining each course and responding more professionally to questions; there was one staff in-training. In terms of atmosphere, it was lacklustre. We were assigned to a table against a wall, next to a storage of cleaning stuff. And unfortunately, there was a strong and an unpleasant odour that would sporadically pop out of nowhere, then disappear, which we suspected was coming from the back of the male bathroom (our table was immediately next to the wall behind it). In terms of location, it is relatively a manageable, short drive from our base in Campanet. Street parking was also available. Despite some hiccups, this was a lovely experience and a good value for money overall. Kudos to the inhouse sommelier and his wife (also the chef!). Thank you for a...