Nobu Ibiza Bay

The black cod arrives lacquered in Den miso aged three days, broiled until the top caramelises and the flesh slides off the chopstick. This is the dish Nobu Matsuhisa built an empire on, and at Nobu Ibiza Bay it is served a few metres from the water at Talamanca, the calm bay just north of Ibiza Town. Executive chef Enrico Maimonte runs the kitchen here, splicing the global Nobu canon with Formentera red prawns and Ibizan citrus. The omakase starts around €150. Come for the food; stay because the sun sets straight down the bay.

The Kitchen

Nobu Ibiza Bay opened with the Nobu Hotel on Talamanca Bay in 2017, one of more than fifty Nobu rooms worldwide and the brand's Balearic flagship. The kitchen follows the template Nobu Matsuhisa built in the 1990s, the Japanese-Peruvian hybrid he worked out during his years cooking in Lima. Executive chef Enrico Maimonte runs the Ibiza pass and threads island produce through the canon. The signatures are present and non-negotiable: black cod miso, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, tiradito, and the new-style salmon seared with hot sesame oil. Around them sit dishes built for here, Formentera red prawns and sea herbs pulled from coves down the coast. The seven-course omakase runs about €190 per person before drinks, the shorter omakase around €150, and a full a la carte dinner lands between €120 and €260 depending on how much toro and wagyu you order. The sake list is deep and the cocktail program leans yuzu and shiso. Order the black cod, the yellowtail jalapeño, and one omakase round, then let the kitchen drive from there.

The Room

The room opens straight onto Talamanca, all pale wood, linen and glass with the bay filling the far wall. Lighting is low and warm after dark, candle-bright at the tables, with the open sushi counter lit brighter at the back. Sound sits at an easy hum at dinner and climbs on weekend nights when the bar fills. Tables are generously spaced on the terrace and tighter inside; the terrace two-tops facing the water are the seats to request. Dress is resort-smart, the Ibiza version of it: linen, good sandals, no jackets required and no athletic wear. The restaurant seats around 120 across the terrace and inner room, and a sunset booking in July needs to go in well ahead.

Best for Impressing Clients in Ibiza

Book Nobu Ibiza Bay to impress a client because the name does half the work and the setting does the rest. First, Nobu is a brand a guest recognises instantly, which removes any question of whether you chose well. Second, the omakase lets you hand the evening to the kitchen so you can talk rather than navigate a menu. Third, the Talamanca terrace at sunset lingers in memory long after the deck is closed. The scene to picture: a water-facing two-top at 20:30, the black cod between you, a bottle of Koshu and the lights of Ibiza Town coming up across the bay. Reserve the terrace, order the omakase, and let the sommelier pour the sake.