Sa Bàscula Bistró Mallorquí, Artà

Tucked away in one of Artà’s back streets, off the usual tourist route, is the local Co-operative’s old building, where farmers used to bring and weigh their carobs and almonds. In October 2024, the Co-operative transformed this space into a bistro and a shop as an outlet for the produce of its members and other local growers. Named after the old agricultural weighing scale, Sa Bàscula is a farm-to-table experience of Mallorcan food and drink.

The bistro features an indoor dining area and a spacious, covered terrace. I imagine the latter would be attractive in the evening, with its festoon lights, ceiling fans, and outdoor curtains billowing in a breeze. However, the fans were fighting against 40 degrees Celsius when we went for lunch, so we ate indoors.

One wall of the dining room has shelves displaying wines and other drinks. All the wines offered, including sparkling, are Mallorcan.

Decorative features include paintings and small, stone and metal sculptures. Tables indoors are topped with blue ceramic tiles.

Sa Bàscula’s seasonal à la carte menu consists of starters, mains, and desserts.  We shared two starters: a crispy Xeixa-wheat coca with a generous topping of red pepper, onion, aubergine, and romesco sauce (15€), and mandolin-sliced tomato carpaccio with black olives, smoked cheese cubes, and pine nuts, accompanied by a centrepiece ball of delicious basil ice cream (15€); this was a delightfully refreshing dish on a hot day.

It was evident that a good chef was at work in the kitchen. And how surprised we were when we saw it was Joan Galmés Miquel, whose creative cuisine we’d eaten many times at the former Es Torrent de Son Carrió. Joan works at Sa Bàscula for the lunch service.

Seven main courses are on the seasonal menu. My companion and I both chose John Dory with a light escabeche of seasonal fruit and vegetables. With heat-depleted appetites, a lighter dish appealed (26€). The generous portion of fish was perfectly cooked and the escabeche was refreshing.

Dessert was shared: a Greek yogurt and white-chocolate panna cotta with strawberry sauce (7,50€).

My companion drank a glass of house ‘rosado’ (4,50€), and I drank two bottles of Font Major sparkling water (3,20€ a bottle).

We really enjoyed our lunch and the friendly service, and will visit again. But I also love the concept of the Artà Co-operative supporting those who work in all weathers – yes, even 40 degrees – to provide Mallorca with local food produce and drinks.

** See their projects too at Sa Duaia and s’Ermita de Betlem; details on the website.

Photos: Jan Edwards 

Prices correct at time of writing.