Romancing the sea – Marea Ibiza Club

Walk along the promenade encircling Ibiza’s old marina and you’ll notice remnants of the small fishing community that once lived, worked and played along the docks. It was from this very port that the fishermen of Ibiza town would set off in the early hours on their traditional llaüts, returning to shore many hours later with their daily catch in handmade baskets. These days their former whitewashed homes still look out across the water, having been transformed into rows of chic restaurants and bars catering to discerning tourists rather than fishmongers and housewives going about their business. Perched at the end of the port is one of today’s most outstanding establishments of all, Marea Ibiza Club. 

The romance of Marea Ibiza Club – now in its second summer season – is enhanced by views of the glittering harbour, the gentle clink of yachts at anchor and the historic walls of Dalt Vila rising behind its rustic wood tables scattered across a stone terrace. The alfresco ambience is saturated with a welcoming warmth; a reflection of the owners’ Argentine roots, where providing food and drink is considered the ultimate form of love. As the name would suggest, Marea Ibiza Club is more than a restaurant, it’s a place to spend some time, connect with friends and indulge in the finest fish and seafood in Ibiza. Forget velvet ropes or snobbish maître d’, here, the dedicated team employ the highest level of service while ensuring the ambience is welcoming and inclusive of all.

Award-winning chef Patricio Negro brings his signature style – honed at some of Argentina’s finest restaurants, including his own celebrated eatery, Sarasanegro in Mar del Plata – to Marea Ibiza Club, with menus based on sustainably sourced seafood and fish. Transferring his knowledge, flair and understanding of seafood to Ibiza’s shores was easy. The island, and indeed, the portside location, long known for its seafaring traditions has welcomed Negro’s innovative outlook, precise techniques and talent for choosing the very best ingredients – local wherever possible. 

As dusk begins to fall over the port, and the superyachts return to their moorings from days at sea, the clink of ice in glass and the sound of drink shakers become the soundtrack at Marea Ibiza Club, where all good evenings start with a cocktail. The list features an array of international and bespoke cocktails, all created using premium liquors, top shelf spirits and the world’s finest tipples. Local ingredients. are combined, stirred and shaken into delectable creations perfectly matched to the menu’s ‘warm-ups’. Choose from the classic anchovies with butter or the tapas special of the day to get your palate in the mood, then take your time to peruse the rest of the offerings as you watch the world go by. 

Working with fish and seafood is Negro’s speciality and drawing on decades of perfecting his skills, dishes at Marea Ibiza Club rely heavily on the master chef’s instinct, sensitivity and a meticulous preparation process that allows the natural flavours of the produce to shine. Featuring a broad selection of raw fish, ceviche and tiraditos, Negro’s unique method fixates less on fancy technologies than it does on capturing the essential aromas and tastes of the sea. In many of his plates, the cuts have been matured in controlled temperatures for seven days, a process that intensifies the flavour and improves texture, creating a richer culinary experience. 

Starters are designed to share and include delicious morsels such as amberjack tiradito and snapper ceviche. The tuna tartare with pistachio and egg yolk is perfectly matched with the sea bass carpaccio served with generously buttered brioche. Salicornia, which grows profusely on Ibiza’s coastline, is presented with boletus, shimeji, truffle oil and almond praline. Olive and garlic prawns are an indulgent take on a classic dish, and the green salad with anchovy dressing is already a Marea Ibiza Club classic. A glass or bottle of wine provides the perfect accompaniment and the menu of rosés, whites and reds traverse the globe with significant representation from Argentina (naturally!), while a generous inventory of bubbles covers champagne, cava and prosecco.

Celebrated for his creamy rices, Negro’s offering at Marea Ibiza Club is superb. Rich, velvety rice – not quite a risotto, nor a paella, but delectably in between – is joined by any number of delicious ingredients infused with subtle flavourings from sea and land. Choose from grilled octopus and smoked paprika with truffle oil; gravlax prawns with gorgonzola cheese and lemon zest; or rice with ossobuco, a meat lover’s dream. The catch-of-the-day special is always dictated by what’s freshest at the market, aged and then grilled to perfection, served with simple-yet-delicious buttery potatoes and tomato sofrito. For those craving something juicier, a sensational rib-eye steak is drizzled in jus, complemented with sweet potatoes, mushrooms and seasonal vegetables.

The humble roots of the old Ibiza port are reflected throughout the exquisite menu, which ends on a sweet note with pineapple marinated in white wine, a divine crème brûlée and the signature warm chocolate mousse with pistachio crumble. As the star’s reflections glitter in the bay and people stroll up and down the esplanade – some of the best people-watching in Ibiza takes place here – next comes a round of coffee, or perhaps more cocktails (espresso martinis, anyone?). The hum of late night conversations fills the air before diners disperse into the Ibiza night, onto adventures unknown. In the days and weeks to come, they’ll return to do it all again, this time bringing new friends – for one night at Marea Ibiza Club is never enough.