Andana – Palma
If eating out in a building with a history appeals, Andana fits the bill. This restaurant, next to the entrance to Palma’s bustling public transport hub, the Estación Intermodal, is housed in Mallorca’s first railway station building, dating from the late 19th century.
History aside, Andana is a modern Mediterranean restaurant where you can enjoy traditional Mallorcan cuisine with a modern twist from the highly respected and multi-award-winning female chef, Maca de Castro, whose acclaimed seasonal restaurant in Port d’Alcúdia has held a Michelin star since 2012. Andana is a hotspot for locals and one of the few good restaurants in Palma open all day from 13h until 23h.
Maca opened Andana in 2020 to offer more affordable and simpler cuisine year-round, but still based on the high-quality fresh produce sustainably grown on her family’s land in Sa Pobla.
The attractive restaurant has an open kitchen at one end, a high-beamed ceiling with large fans, and plenty of natural light. Outside, terrace tables sit alongside a length of the original railway track.
From the well-laid-out menu, we were tempted by the vegetable dishes cooked in the Kamado BBQ to start our lunch, but the cocas at Andana are excellent, so we shared the popular one with ‘Trempó’ al fuego (17,50€). Heaped with tasty veggies and pieces of pink tomato, it arrived cut into four pieces, making it an easy dish to share.
I chose one of the menu’s traditional spoon dishes for my main course: vegetable cannelloni with a delicious spinach sauce (16,50€). It’s one of several dishes at Andana suitable for vegetarians, and is the perfect comfort food – as well as being healthy.
My companion enjoyed one of the three fish dishes: grilled sea bass with oven-roasted confit tomatoes, with lime, and ginger (22€), accompanied by a side of French fries (5€).
Desserts include ice creams and sorbets from the charitable organisation Esment Alimentació, but we opted for the cheesecake with jam (8€) and the chocolate cup with cream and carob biscuit (7€). My cheesecake was not like any other I’d had, being deconstructed and served in a ramekin with a crumble topping, but it was silky, rich, and moreish.
The menu lists some 20 wines available by the glass at fair prices, but a separate list of wines by the bottle is available. Sweet wines and sherries by the glass, and a few cocktails are also offered.
For tasty Mallorcan cuisine, made with love and expertise from the freshest produce, efficient service, and a vibrant ambience in an attractive setting, station yourself at Andana in Palma.
Prices correct at time of writing.