Mallorca's coffee culture is often underestimated and barely noticed. We will introduce you to coffee in Mallorca and its specialities in more detail.

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks and is consumed in many countries. There are significant differences in habits from country to country. Many countries have their own coffee specialities. Coffee in Mallorca tastes different in Germany or other European countries. The islanders are less likely to drink European coffee specialities like cappuccino or latte macchiato. German filter coffee is mainly available in Mallorca for foreign residents and tourists.

Coffee in Mallorca – These specialities are available

Mallorca's coffee culture is as diverse as the Balearic island itself. In the following sections, we introduce you to the different coffee specialities.

Black coffee

Prepared like a classic espresso. Hot water is pressed with strong pressure through the freshly ground powder. The Café solo is the classic throughout Spain and serves as the staple on the Balearic Islands. Basic recipe for further specialities. Mallorcans drink their coffee in Mallorca with or without sugar.

Coffee with milk

Similar to a café solo, but prepared with double the amount of milk. Some cafés and bars use some extra foam. Despite their similar appearance, café con leche cannot be compared to latte macchiato.

Cortado

A café solo, either with some hot milk or with hot frothed milk is poured over.

Iced coffee

As a base recipe, a Café solo is used. Alternatively, a Café con leche or a Cortado can be used. If you order a Café con hielo, in most cases you will receive a freshly brewed coffee and an extra glass full of ice cubes. If necessary, the coffee is sweetened before the ice cubes are added to the "café solo".

Barraquito

A classic café solo, which refined with sweetened condensed milk will.

Americano coffee

This is either a classic Café solo, which is extended with hot water, or a filter coffee, which is rather untypical for Mallorca. The name originated because most Americans, similar to Germans, prefer classic filter coffee. The Mallorcans tend to drink Café Americano less. and prefer traditional Mallorcan coffee.

Decaffeinated coffee

One Decaffeinated version of coffee solos.

Café bombón

This coffee special is usually served in a larger glass and is a special form of a cortado. Visually, the café bombón is clearly different from a cortado, as two different colours are visible in the glass. The preparation is extremely simple: first, into the large glass of sweetened condensed milk given and then topped up with a café solo. Very few Mallorcans require additional sugar for this coffee speciality, as the condensed milk makes the café bombón more than sweet enough.

Carajillo

Is a traditional café solo with a shot of alcohol.Mallorcans most prefer to use Amazona (a high-proof rum liqueur) for this. Alternatively, brandy, rum or whisky can be used. The Carajillo is an extremely popular coffee in Mallorca, especially on cooler winter mornings. With a particularly well-made Carajillo, sugar and brandy are flambéed and then extinguished with Café solo.

This is how Mallorcans drink their coffee in Mallorca

Most Mallorcans behave in a typically Spanish way. In the morning, before work, they like to go to a café or a bar and start their day in a relaxed manner with a 'Milchkaffee' (milk coffee). This is mainly drunk in the morning, similar to the Italian cappuccino.

Mallorcans tend to drink fewer foreign coffee specialities and prefer their own coffee on Mallorca.In many hotels and bars in Mallorca, German filter coffee is available, but it is mainly intended for immigrants and tourists.

Coffee in Mallorca is drunk at almost any time of day. Besides breakfast, Majorcans enjoy their coffee specialities directly after lunch or in the late afternoon, often accompanied by something sweet.

Most Spaniards don't give up their coffee, even on particularly hot days. On Mallorca, they drink their coffee chilled on these days instead and simply order it with ice (con hielo).

What does typical Mallorcan coffee taste like?

In direct comparison to German and Italian coffee, Spanish coffee is noticeably stronger. The coffee beans are roasted in a different way, are darker and have a higher acidity. The proportion of robust beans is significantly higher as in other European countries. Coffee in Mallorca is mainly produced from Arabica beans. These give the coffee its strong and full-bodied flavour. The coffee beans do not only come from Mallorca (Rico). They also come from Ibiza (Cafés Ibiza or Gustabo), Barcelona (Marcilla Créme) and from other Balearic Islands (Cafés Molí).

To reduce the higher acidity content, the Spanish use a little sugar during roasting. This coats the beans during roasting. This allows the coffee beans to be roasted darker, stored for longer, and retain their aroma for longer. Filter coffee is prepared at home in Germany and served in numerous cafés and bars. Coffee in Mallorca is made almost exclusively with a commercial espresso machine. Spanish households use either a classic moka pot or a capsule machine. It is no coffee grown on Mallorca.Nevertheless, there are a few roasteries on the island, and at these you can purchase the typically local, freshly roasted coffee.

Helpful tips for coffee lovers

The café solo is the most popular and most commonly prepared coffee in Mallorca. Primarily, dark coffee beans of the rather bitter Robusta variety are used for this. In preparation, the beans are ground even finer than the classic coffee beans used in German filter coffee. Additionally, the hot water pressed through the ground powder at high pressure. For these reasons, one would confuse the traditional *café solo* in Germany with an espresso.

American and German tourists who want to drink their coffee in Mallorca much like they do at home typically order a Café Americano. The classic coffee machines that are mainly used in the USA and Germany are not available in most cafés on the island. Therefore, in most cases, the Café Americano turns out to be a traditional Café Largo. In detail, this involves for a classic café solo, which was diluted with hot water.

As a cappuccino lover, it's difficult on the Balearic island. If tourists order a cappuccino in a coffee shop on Mallorca, they are served it either "con nata" (with whipped cream) or "con espuma de leche" (with frothed milk).

In the pedestrian zone of the capital city Palm and the other finer cafés on the island, you can't simply order a Carajillo. This special coffee from Mallorca is more associated with simpler people and is simply not on the menu of these establishments. Guests who don't want to go without a coffee with a shot don't have to change cafés straight away. Instead, simply order an Irish Coffee. This hot drink consists of one-third coffee, one-third cream, and one-third whisky.

Ordering coffee in Mallorca – here's how

Coffee is enjoyed and drunk frequently on the Balearic island. If tourists order a Coffee in Mallorca in the National language, this is sure to bring a smile to the faces of the service staff.

Coffee with hot milk
Coffee with ice cubes – Café con hielo
Decaffeinated coffee
Espresso – Black Coffee
Espresso with hot milk – Cortado
Espresso with whisky, rum or brandy – Carajillo
Espresso with advocaat or condensed milk – Barraquito