Pastis is a French bistro a few steps off Plaza del Parque in Ibiza Town, and the first thing to say about it is the size. There are around ten tables on a chequered tile floor, with the kitchen open to the room behind them.
It is run as a bistro rather than as a dining room: short menu, classic French cooking, no theatre. On an island that does a great deal of theatre, the plainness is the appeal.
The food
French, and traditional rather than reinvented. Lamb and fish are the dishes people come back for, cooked straightforwardly and sent out from a kitchen you can watch from your table.
The menu stays short. In a room this small that is the only way it works, and it means what arrives has been cooked to order rather than held.
The room
Low, tiled and busy, with the tables close together. Conversation carries, which some people enjoy and others do not.
Because there are so few seats, a reservation is not a formality. Walking in on a summer evening and getting a table would be luck rather than planning.
Where it sits
Plaza del Parque is the square at the foot of the walls of Dalt Vila, a few minutes from the port and from the old town gate. It is one of the more pleasant corners of the town to sit out in before dinner.
That position makes Pastis easy to build an evening around: a drink on the square, dinner, then the walk up into the old town afterwards.
When to come
Ibiza Town is at its best out of high season, and so is a room this size. Spring and autumn are the easiest months to get in.
Opening days have varied between years, so our team can confirm what it is doing in the week you are staying.
Quick answers
Where is Pastis? Just off Plaza del Parque in Ibiza Town.
How big is it? Around ten tables, with an open kitchen.
What kind of food? Classic French bistro cooking, with a short menu.
Do you need to book? Yes. There are very few tables.
Is it good for a group? Better for two or four than for a large table.
Is it near Dalt Vila? Yes, a few minutes below the walls.