Victoria Grand Café, Palma
If you’re someone who likes to eat and drink in iconic places, the newly opened Victoria Grand Café at the Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá could be for you, as it’s inspired by the golden years of this hotel.
Its history makes this a special place to visit. In the 1920s, the hotel was known as the Villa Victoria and was an extension of Palma’s modernist Gran Hotel (today the home of the CaixaForum cultural centre) – presumably for those who liked a sea view.
With its extensive views of Palma’s waterfront and the Cathedral, the Villa Victoria was a social and cultural hub for Mallorcan society – and famous foreign visitors. Guests over the years have included Joan Miró, José Carrera, Montserrat Caballé, Omar Sharif, John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, Van Morrison, and Tom Jones.
The Hotel Victoria Gran Melia reopened this spring after a €12 million makeover and the launch of Victoria Grand Café was part of this. With an all-day gastronomic menu, you can sit indoors or on the renovated terrace with its enviable, spectacular views.
Executive chef Leonel Lovrincevich is responsible for the Victoria Grand Café’s all-day gastronomic menu, comprising dishes made mostly from high-quality local products (our burrata was, of course, imported from Italy).
In the mornings and afternoons, you can choose lighter dishes such as eggs Benedict (14€), smoked salmon bagel (14€), classic French croque-monsieur (15€), and toasted multi-cereal bread with avocado and poached egg (14€).
The main part of the menu features starters, raw dishes, salads, rice and pasta, and main course dishes ‘from the fish market’ and ‘from the field’. The menu has several Grand Café Classics, including Iberian ham croquetas, a smash burger (made from halal beef), and burrata and mortadella focaccia.
We started with the salad of burrata, pesto, and pistachio on organic tomatoes (23€) which was a deliciously fresh summer dish that I’d happily eat again
If you’re sitting gazing out to the harbour, fish may seem an appropriate option. Victoria Grand Café is a good place for two to share a sea bass baked in a salt crust, or indulge in a plate of grilled king prawns – the must-have Mediterranean holiday dish for some. We had perfectly cooked sea bass served with vegetables on a parsnip purée.
Desserts here are traditional but well-made and we appreciated our rich, baked chocolate cheesecake with red fruits. Crowd-pleasers such as warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream (7€) and the Mallorcan almond ‘gató’ (8€) are included. Those who prefer a savoury ending can indulge in the selection of Menorcan and Spanish cheese, served with nuts and home-made marmalade (14€).
Victoria Grand Café may be new, but it offers a taste of Palma’s golden age of café culture – and elevated views you’ll find hard to beat in an eatery in Palma.
Photos: Jan Edwards
Prices correct at time of writing.