Daniel Lloyd
There are some flavours in Ibiza have survived the passage of time, eternal summers and changes of generation. One of them is served—by spatula and by memory—at Los Valencianos, the ice cream parlour that since 1930 occupies a place of its own on the island’s map of emotions. Today, that map is being redrawn by Daniel Lloyd, the fifth generation at the helm of the family business.
Far from limiting himself to guarding recipes from the past, Lloyd has brought with him a whole new vision: to turn Los Valencianos into a culinary project deeply rooted in the island. "It’s not enough to just make good ice cream”, he says, “it has to make sense here, now and with what surrounds us”. And that “here” is Ibiza. Its land, its produce and its people.
Under his direction, the ice cream parlour has begun a process of transformation where local produce does not just bring added value but is the starting point for everything. Fresh fruit comes from nearby orchards, milk is purchased from local farms and traditional flavours are reinterpreted from a conscious point of view. The organic strawberry sorbet with local sparkling wine is a clear example: at first glance it may seem like a simple recipe, but behind it is a collaboration with farmers from Sant Joan. “We want our ice cream to be a reflection of Ibiza, not a replica of what is made elsewhere”, says Lloyd.
This approach has led to synergies with local producers and artisans, strengthening a circular economy model that nurtures both the produce and the island’s business fabric. One particularly important example is their collaboration with the historical Marí Mayans distillery, with whom they have developed an ice cream based on Ibizan herb liqueur. The idea came naturally: to unite two century-old businesses that share deep roots on the island and a philosophy based on respect for tradition.
“We wanted to capture the flavour of herb liqueur in an ice cream version. Together we adjusted the recipe until we found something that would work cold and respect its essence”, says Daniel. The result is an intense, aromatic and completely Ibizan flavour, which transcends the anecdotal to become a tribute to one of the emblems of local culture. Options such as this give Los Valencianos’ menu an identity of its own that changes with the seasons and is in constant dialogue with its surroundings.
That same connection with the seasons is also reflected in the new winter shop, which, instead of closing its doors, is transformed to produce handmade turrones, a type of festive nougat. By doing so, family tradition is kept alive, rounding up the year with products that have the very same connection to the history and taste of the past.
