La Bodeguilla
Before the Amida Group became a gastronomic empire, a first stone was laid. La Bodeguilla is the heart of honest cooking in Palma, a haven where the finest local produce is expertly prepared, the wine list is bursting with over 400 labels, and, thankfully, fleeting trends are left at the door. Come in, uncork and taste the living history of the city.
It was 1986 when the former Mesón Salamanca opened its doors on Calle San Jaime. What we now recognise as the flagship and birthplace of the Amida Group began as a family project that fate placed in the hands of a young man barely 21 years old. That forced generational handover sowed the seed of what is now a gastronomic institution in Palma. It was then that wine ceased to be a mere accompaniment stored in boxes to become the soul of the establishment, inaugurating the city’s first climate-controlled wine cellar.
Today, crossing the threshold of La Bodeguilla is to make a pact with time. The space has an elegant rustic charm, combining wood and stone. At the helm of this fine-tuned machine is Rafa Perelló, the group’s executive chef, a man who understands that sometimes the greatest innovation lies in leaving untouched what is already perfect.
"La Bodeguilla is our most traditional establishment," explains Perelló. "We focus on the produce, treating it with great care, without too much fuss. It’s a traditional, classic style of cooking... a homely restaurant, gently brought up to date". And it’s precisely that "lack of pretension" that makes it so compelling. Rafa is clear on this: "La Bodeguilla isn’t an Instagram restaurant, it’s a place where flavour takes precedence over aesthetics".
La Bodeguilla’s menu is a map of unwavering loyalties. The ham, hand-carved to order (a luxurious visual and taste sensation increasingly hard to find), comes directly from Guijuelo. It’s the perfect prologue to a menu that pays homage to traditional cuisine.
The array of iconic dishes is a feast for the true food lover. The pork shoulder and the suckling pig are the undisputed stars of the show. The latter, made from Mallorcan black pig and sourced from Can Company, is the jewel in the crown. It’s a bite that encapsulates the essence of the island: crisp skin, meltingly tender meat and a flavour that honours its origins.
But this restaurant isn’t all about meat. Perelló and La Bodeguilla’s head chef, Emiliano Monje, introduce subtle Mediterranean touches that bring freshness to the menu. Surf-and-turf dishes, such as meatballs with cuttlefish or squid, sit alongside the freshness of artichokes or mushrooms. It’s an evolving menu that changes by barely 10% each season, just enough so that regulars can always find their go-to dishes, while newcomers discover that seasonality here is sacred. "We love La Bodeguilla and we can’t change it," says Rafa.
We love La Bodeguilla and we can’t change it
If produce is the body of La Bodeguilla, wine is its undisputed soul. What began with bottles stacked on a staircase is now one of the most coveted and extensive wine cellars in Palma. With around 400 meticulously selected labels, the wine list represents a journey from untouchable Spanish classics to international bottles for more adventurous palates.
In this restaurant, wine is experienced, discussed and enjoyed under the guidance of a team that understands that every dish deserves its liquid counterpart. It’s a haven for those who take pleasure in fine drinking, surrounded by an atmosphere that invites the uncorking of one bottle after another as conversation flows without watching the clock.
The origin of an empire
It’s impossible to understand the scale and success of the Amida Group without looking back to those lamb chops and Angus steaks that paved the way. La Bodeguilla is the mother of all the group’s projects, the place where the philosophy of honesty was forged. It’s an iconic restaurant that has aged with the grace of a fine vintage: gaining structure, complexity and a loyal following who know that, whatever happens in the world outside, there will always be a table waiting on Calle San Jaime, set with the very best ingredients.
For those in search of the real thing, for those who shy away from gimmicks and for those who know that true happiness often takes the form of a traditional stew or a perfect Iberian pork "pluma" cut, La Bodeguilla remains the ultimate destination. Because, as Rafa Perelló aptly puts it, it’s a place "to go and enjoy, for proper food lovers".
