Can Pilot — Restaurant in Sant Antoni de Portmany

Can P'ilot: A Cozy Culinary Gem in San Rafael

Located on the bustling main street of the modern village of San Rafael, Can P'ilot has truly become a beloved culinary destination. While finding parking on the main street may be challenging, there's a conveniently located, large dustbowl carpark just a short walk away. Trust me, it's worth the extra effort.

Upon entering Can P'ilot, the first thing you'll notice is its impressive size. The outdoor dining area gives way to an extensive curved bar, followed by a massive dining area, complete with an open-fire grill where the chefs work their magic.

In the summertime, the sides of the restaurant open up, transforming the space into a grand terrace with traditional wooden tables and charming Ibicenc chairs.

Warm and friendly, Can P'ilot's atmosphere is always buzzing with excitement. It's a testament to the restaurant's popularity that a reservation is an absolute must. As you might expect from such a lively place, the clientele is diverse, with locals and tourists of all ages finding a home at this well-established island eatery.

Can P'ilot's claim to fame is its open-fire grilled meat dishes, complemented by a delectable array of traditional side dishes. Start your meal with the scrumptious Roast Camembert or Mixed Sausage Skewer, and let your taste buds rejoice as you indulge in their mouthwatering main courses. The wine list, once curated by the owner, Carmen, remains thoughtful and well-suited to the menu.

While Can P'ilot may not be a cocktail bar, it offers an impressive range of hard liquor in addition to its wine selection. And for dessert, treat yourself to one of their homemade local specialties. You won't be disappointed!

The staff, while many are new for 2023, are gradually settling in under the watchful eye of Juanito, Carmen's son. They are well-versed in restaurant policies, but are still learning to recognize local patrons.

Value for money at Can P'ilot is excellent, especially considering the quality of the dining experience.

An added bonus is the spacious upper mezzanine, perfect for hosting a large private party. And whatever you do, don't miss out on their signature Cafe Caleta variation – a warm, brandy and coffee-based beverage infused with local herbs and spices. It's the perfect way to cap off an exceptional dining experience...

Let me just say the meat is as good as it gets and in our case, it was cooked absolutely perfect, if anything I would have preferred to salt it to my liking, seen as I normally do not use salt at all, it had loads when it arrived but it could be just my preference.. . Note that we have been to several 3* Michelin restaurants, some of the best out there, so I do have plenty experience, also I am a happy amateur cook who cooks dinner every day. Big credit to the chef(s) for the precise cooking of the meat. We arrived early to go to the local market, not realising we then arrived late to the dinner due to the time difference between the UK and Spain. Our mistake. However we got a table and it all worked out. Service was pretty efficient but unlike all other restaurants we have been to on our trip (including NOBU and a few other top tier restaurants) it seemed to us we were a bit of a bother, I was missing the smile and a genuinely friendly attitude. Yes it was packed, but then it’s up to the manager to get enough people in to do their job and make you feel really welcome. Or perhaps they are on (auto)Pilot because they can do no wrong and people keep coming due to the reputation of the place. I’m not sure. What I am sure about is that it’s a dangerous path to take to show a bit of arrogance, it only takes some poor reviews today to start going downwards. Would like to come back again to see if it was just an average day here or if this is how you get served every time. Thanks for a great meal with potential to improve the customer...

Can Pilot...almost a legend on Ibiza. Located in the little village of San Rafael, just few minutes from Ibiza centre, this restaurant is recommended for its delicious meat. Pork, chicken, rabbit and of course beef and calf. You can try it in different cooking way but the best choice, in my opinion, is the Barbacoa meat. You can do your Barbacoa by your own. They serve you the fresh meat you want (as shown in the photos attached) and in few seconds you can cook your meat on "brasa". So you can decide your favourite cooking point. We tried Catalan sausages and chorizo too. While Catalan sausages were very well cooked and flavoured I don't appreciate to much the Chorizo 'cause for me it was too tough. As side dish I took potatoes with peperoni and garlic, and I love it. No problem for the garlic...if you don't eat it you don't have problem with your breath 😂.

Wine... The red one that came with our dishes was perfect. I'm not used to drink a lot but I drink well and this wine found out my preferences.

Staff: kind, respectful, very careful. We've been served by Ilaria (in reality not only by her) and she was very clear with us and she suggested us the dishes combinations.

Location: I've been in Can Pilot different times and I can tell you I sit both inside and "outside". Atmosphere is great. Clean restaurant.

What else? Prices are regular as in the photo...