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Ibiza foodies

Family matters

Family fun beach days at Chiringuito Blue

Ibiza beach restaurant Chiringuito Blue ticks all right family holiday boxes – great food, delicious cocktails, sea views and a dedicated kids’ zone. Oh, and ice-cream…

Kids on holiday don’t need much to be made happy. A beach, a bucket, lunch and most importantly – ice-cream. As for parents on holiday? Well, in order for mums and dads to be happy, they need to ensure their kids are entertained, fed and happy before thinking about themselves. Stylish beachfront restaurant Chiringuito Blue ticks all the right family-on-holiday boxes so everyone can be happy all at once. From fantastic food and drinks with sea views, sunbeds (from May 1) and sand at your feet to a super cool kids’ club the little ones will never want to leave – family holidays in Santa Eulalia have never looked so good.

Start your experience with a freshly brewed coffee while gazing out over the tranquil beach. Follow up with a lazy dip in the sea, luxuriating in the gentle lapping of the glistening Mediterranean. If you’ve got little ones you might build a sand castle and beachcomb for shells. Take advantage of this quiet moment with your kids because when the effervescent and endlessly fun team from Kids In Ibiza arrive at Chiringuito Blue at 1pm (on weekends), you probably won’t see your offspring again until the sun goes down. To a frazzled parent on a beach holiday, it’s the very definition of bliss.

Chiringuito Blue is not like other Ibiza beach clubs. There are no hoards of fluoro-garbed clubbers at the bar and there’s definitely no techno floating over the airwaves. Nestled into the south end of Santa Eulalia beach, there’s a sophisticated yet casual vibe here – it’s all about taking your time, enjoying your family, eating well and basking lazily in the Ibiza sunshine. At Chiringuito Blue, time slips away in a haze of holiday indulgence. The staff are friendly and attentive, the DJ is in tune with the waves and the food is simply divine. Don’t forget to pack that book you’ve been meaning to read, because it’s entirely possible to spend all day here. Then again, you could always just make the most of the quiet time and catch up on some rest…

The biggest difficulty arises when it comes to choosing between a table with a view, a sofa with a view or a sunbed with a view. First things first: get the kids settled in with a starter of cauliflower popcorn, soon to be followed by a choice of mini burgers, penne with red sauce, basmati with carrots and zucchini, chicken schnitzel with potatoes or fish fingers with chips. The Chiringuito Blue kids’ menu is almost enough to make the grown-ups mouths water – until they see the options on offer for adults, that is. With a menu crossing the Mediterranean all the way to the Middle East and back, capturing those holiday flavours is easy. Sharing is encouraged – basically because it’s going to be hard to keep your fork to yourself once the food arrives on the table.

As a starter, the chargrilled aubergine is subtly smoky with a smooth, creamy texture best matched with a plate of Nablus-style tabbouleh and a bowl of Greek tzatziki – you’ve just imbibed the taste of the Eastern Mediterranean. Mains  at Chiringuito Blue consist of myriad choices from tantalising sharing plates such as raw red shrimp with citrus aioli and spicy chilli sauce to a herbaceous ceviche, crispy calamari, clams marinera, grilled octopus and the not-to-be-missed araies – charcoaled pita bread stuffed with minced lamb, herbs and spices.

Naturally, with such proximity to the sea, seafood takes a star turn on the menu and the catch of the day, either grilled or salt baked, is a traditional Spanish lunch offering. However, there are days when a classic burger is essential to one’s wellbeing and the Chiringuito Blue burger is really a sight to behold. Even the most burger-centric of diners in your family will be pleased with its soft bun encasing a 100% Galician beef patty dressed with lettuce, tomato and shallots and served up with a robust side of French fries. Repeat visits to Chiringuito Blue might be a necessary addition to your Ibiza holiday itinerary, if just to sample the grilled free-range chicken, chargrilled squid and the linguini seafood pasta with tarragon. Decisions, decisions…

All parents know ice-cream is crucial to a successful day at the beach. The Chiringuito Blue ice-cream counter is stocked with everyone’s favourite flavours plus a few exciting specials to pique the interest of ice-cream loving adults too. Be sure to sample the tahini olive oil ice-cream – it’s dairy and gluten-free and an unexpected taste sensation. Within the dessert menu is a lovely lavender frozen yoghurt, an aromatic and cooling option topped with crushed pistachios and homemade Orgeat almond syrup that would go well with a handful of spoons if you were willing to share.

Everyone needs a lie-down after such a satisfying meal. Back to the beach it is then, for more sunbathing, chatting and zoning out. Kids In Ibiza has all the little people’s needs covered in the shaded kids’ area. Games, face-painting, arts and crafts and general hullabaloo in addition to oversized beach-friendly versions of Connect Four, giant Lego and turn ball plus a selection of architecturally approved sand castle building tools mean that, for grown-ups, the rest of the day is a breeze filled with cocktails and sunshine. As the sun finally descends, leaving a trail of outrageous pinks and reds across the sky, thoughts might turn to dinner and before you know it you’ll be perusing the menu once again. Even though Chiringuito Blue is the definition of a family beach day, upon seeing it under a star-filled sky might have you thinking of date night. Call in the babysitters…