Your Guide to La Residencia’s Restaurants: El Olivo and Cafe Miró

If you’ve been doing any social media searches of Mallorca, you have likely come across the stunning videos of La Residencia’s restaurants located in Deià, Mallorca. This is arguably the most famous fine dining place to eat at in Mallorca with reservations getting booked nearly immediately. This is my honest experience of the restaurant, with no affiliate relationship. I also checked out another top Mallorca restaurant, Ca’s Patró March, in Deià where you can read my honest review here.

Continue reading for more information as to the differences between El Olivo and Cafe Miró which are two different restaurants at the hotel, what to expect for food and pricing, and my personal review.

My Overall Review

I genuinely recommend coming here full heartedly. This dinner sits rent-free in my brain as one of the best experiences in all my years of travel. It was everything you could ask for – breathtaking patio views of the mountains, a quiet atmosphere with soft live music, high quality food coming directly from their gardens, and the friendliest waiting staff. And watching the sunset over the Tramuntana Mountains is something you should not miss on your visit to Mallorca, Spain.

Location

Town: Deià, Mallorca

This slow-paced town has a lot of boutique hotels and is one of the more popular cities to stop by in Mallorca. We personally did a day trip here, which we paired with Sóller which felt like the right amount of time given how small it is – you can walk through the whole city within 1 to 2 hours. The real joy comes from seeing the landscapes here and enjoying a meal or glass of wine in the city.

Hotel: La Residencia

Both of these restaurants are located at the La Residentia hotel which is nestled into the small, mountianous town of Deia. The hotel itself is 5-stars and over $1000/night to stay so the property is as beautiful as you might imagine. There is a stunning driveway you’ll walk up to get to the restaurants, a beautiful garden, and terrace.

El Olivo vs. Cafe Miró

El Olivo and Cafe Miró are two distinct dining experiences at La Residencia, each offering something unique to guests. El Olivo, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is exclusively available to only hotel residents to ensure a more private dining experience. They do open up reservations to non-residents, space permitting, 7 days prior which you can always check. This restaurant is more upscale in regards to ambiance and food.

Cafe Miró is a second restaurant at the hotel which is open to non-hotel guests who have reservations. While they state this is a more causal dining experience, this is also very much fine dining in regards to the atmosphere, service, food, and pricing. I was initially hesitant that all of the online hype for this restaurant was just meant for El Olivo, but don’t let this sway you. We ate at Cafe Miró which was truly one of the highlights of a three-week vacation. The outdoor patio is nearly identical for both El Olivo and Cafe Miró – El Olivo is just further in the back towards the hotel’s garden.

Cafe Miró does also have a more casual area for tapas and drinks if you are looking for something more casual! The view on this side doesn’t have

Atmosphere and Service

Both El Olivo and Cafe Miró have breathtaking views of the Tramuntana Mountains and the surrounding landscape of Deià. The ambiance is refined and romantic, with soft live music on either the guitar or grand piano. The dress code is on the fancier side – think traditional upscale restaurant attire. Note that if you’re looking for a more casual flare, I recommend going during lunch time as their dinner service is a bit more upscale.

Post sunset, the restaurant is solely lit with candles and lanterns throughout the patio. I did find it to get a bit cold after sunset so I recommend bringing a jacket or requesting a blanket which they will provide upon request. Of note, the service here is INCREDIBLE. These were the kindest waitstaff I’ve ever experienced, with them carefully explaining each meal coming to the table and checking in to refill water and ensure everything is to your liking.

Pricing

The La Residencia hotel is a 5-star hotel with entry-level rooms costing upwards of $1000/night so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the pricing is on the higher end at both El Olivo and Cafe Miró. They do have a €75 per person minimum you must hit which for better or for worse is quite easy to hit with a drink, appetizer, and entree. While the hotel promotes Cafe Miró as a more casual flare, do not expect this to be reflected in pricing which I saw as a surprise to many visitors.

Food

Both El Olivo and Cafe Miró serve award-winning Mediterranean dishes with a lot of ingredients sourced from their very own garden on the property. As a result, the food is incredibly fresh and light. They also have an extensive fine wine list to either buy a bottle or glass from. We had ordered a few tapas to start, along with a steak and pasta dish for our entrees.

From my experience, I found the appetizers to be the true highlight of the food so I would not skimp here. The steak was cooked a bit mediocre in my opinion so I would stay away from this on the menu for the price they are charging. The meal concludes with a complementary sample of desserts they bring out with a shot of aperitif.

Making a Reservation

Given the popularity of both restaurants, you will need a reservation well in advance, especially if you’re visiting during peak seasons. You can make reservations directly through the hotel’s website or by contacting the concierge. Reservations will open up a couple months prior so be sure to set a reminder on your phone! I highly encourage you to make a reservation for about an hour before sunset to enjoy golden hour and watch the sunset while eating.

To conclude, be sure to visit here if you can fit it into your Mallorca vacation! This hotel and restaurant truly doesn’t disappoint.