Restaurante d’Eliss, Vilafranca de Bonany

The Mallorcan town of Vilafranca de Bonany is the home of the annual melon fair, and the melon, in different varieties, is an important crop in the surrounding countryside. Vilafranca is less famous for its restaurants and, until recently, I’d never eaten out in the town.

I spotted Restaurante D’Eliss on a late-night ride home on the A42 airport bus, which takes a route through Vilafranca on its way to Manacor and the east coast. A brief glimpse of the busy interior prompted me to eat there soon.

Bolivian owners Elvis and his wife Jhenny opened their Restaurante D’Eliss – named after their young daughter – in October 2025. Two months ago, Peruvian chef Celso Incio joined them to lead the kitchen, and a new menu soon followed.

You enter an attractive, large dining room with tiled floors and wooden ceiling beams. The place has a traditional but updated style. Various cabinets and shelves display the wines available. At the back, there’s a garden terrace, but we craved air conditioning for our first visit.

The à la carte menu is described as a culinary journey in which Mallorcan produce meets the high plains of Bolivia and the Peruvian Pacific coast. So, a fusion.

We shared squid rings coated in panko, served with a zingy yuzu emulsion, and a dish named ‘Ebi Furai’ – coated jumbo prawns served on a bed of silky pureed sweet potato with an oriental reduction. The latter was different and very tasty.

Of course, you’ll find a ceviche – of wild corvina – and dishes such as ‘causa’, and beef ‘anticuchos’. There are Nikkei dishes, wok dishes, and even gyozas with a Mallorcan tumbet filling.

I opted for the oriental tuna wok dish, with a choice of Yakisoba or Udon noodles – a generous bowlful that I enjoyed. From the chef’s signature dishes, my husband had the skewer of Balfegó tuna, served with a smoky ‘anticuchera’ sauce and smooth yuca purée.

Meat lovers will find some premium beef (including Irish Black Angus) cooked over fire. A couple of dishes are designed for children under 13.

We had no space for one of the three home-made desserts, but I’ve earmarked the baked cheesecake with a home-made jam of Vilafranca melon and ginger for next time.

The menu has pages of drinks options, including three Latin soft drinks Inca Kola, Pony Malta, and La Nuestra Colombiana. I had an alcohol-free beer (2,90€) and my husband, a glass of house ‘rosado’ (3,50€). It’s worth browsing the shelves for the interesting choice of wines by the bottle.

Restaurante d’Eliss’s owners Elvis and Jhenny are very welcoming, and chef Celso – whom we discovered we’d met at the place where he previously worked – came out of the kitchen to say hello. This restaurant’s friendliness and good food are sure to bring more people to eat out in Vilafranca de Bonany.

Photos: Jan Edwards