New discovery July 2025: El Clodenis

Ceviche Caribeño – one of four exciting ceviche creations on the menu at the newly opened El Clodenis in Sant Rafel. One of Ibiza’s most spectacular restaurant openings of 2025! (Photo: Marcel Brunnthaler)

There are places that surprise you. And there are places that captivate you. The El Clodenis restaurant in Sant Rafel is both – and much more. A 300-year-old finca, fascinating art installations, a hidden club room, and a mezcal laboratory. Welcome to one of Ibiza's most extraordinary restaurant openings of 2025.

More than just a dinner

As soon as you enter the romantic garden, it becomes clear: El Clodenis is not just a restaurant, but an experience. Sitting under ancient trees, overlooking the whitewashed village church, just a stone's throw from the mega-club UNVRS, you feel like you're in a tranquil village square – yet at the same time, in a setting that feels like an art project. The finca invites you to explore; there are small details to discover everywhere. And then there's this light installation: Video projections dance across one of the walls – artistic, hypnotic, unique.

The finca itself is a discovery in itself. Those who are curious will be rewarded: Inside, a surprising interplay of tradition and avant-garde reveals itself. There's a dedicated laboratory for mezcal experiments, a club room with a DJ booth, and a pool where regular events take place. It feels a bit like being part of a secret cultural project that also happens to serve sensationally good food.

A 300-year-old finca, fascinating art installations, a hidden club room, a mezcal laboratory: welcome to El Clodenis (Video: Marcel Brunnthaler)

People with vision

Behind El Clodenis is the creative mind of J. Castro , who has revived his iconic restaurant after a seven-year hiatus – inspired by Mexican paladares, where sharing, tasting, and meeting are the focus. Together with chef Jose Miguel Gonzales and mezcal aficionado Everardo Tejeda, Castro has created a place that combines cuisine, culture, and community.

The menu: Sharing is caring

The cuisine is a fusion of Mexican, Peruvian, Caribbean, and Mediterranean flavors. Tip: Be sure to order several small dishes to share on your first visit! This way, you'll get a true sense of the menu's diversity. My personal favorites: Tostada de blanca (15 euros) – a crispy Mexican corn tortilla with translucent white prawns, intensely and perfectly seasoned; Quesadilla de solomillo de pasto (28 euros) – a hearty quesadilla filled with buttery beef; Ceviche Caribeño (28 euros) – a fresh, fruity, slightly spicy corvina ceviche with mango, watermelon, and coconut-pitaya milk.

Add a drink from the in-house mezcalo tavern – the cocktails are exciting, complex, and absolutely unique. Whether mezcal with rosemary, fermented botanicals, or a smoky classic: every ingredient is served with passion. And a great treat for mezcal beginners: a mezcal tasting flight, which Everardo Tejeda tailors to your preferences. For each mezcal, he provides detailed information about its origins and the various production steps, from cooking the various agaves in earth or stone pits to fermentation and distillation.

The service? Simply top-notch. Super friendly, attentive, competent – and with genuine enthusiasm for what's served here. Anyone with questions gets stories. And those who ask for advice will be in for a culinary surprise.

My conclusion

El Clodenis is a place steeped in history – yet simultaneously firmly rooted in the present. A place to marvel, enjoy, and linger. For me, one of the most exciting new discoveries of this summer – and a restaurant that offers far more than just a good dinner. I'll be back very soon!

Tue to Sun from 8 pm, Plaza de la Iglesia S/N, Sant Rafel, Tel. +34 971 71 09 75, €€€