Across southern Italy and the Balearic islands, where the Mediterranean feels most alive, food is inseparable from daily life. Mornings begin with fishermen hauling in the day’s catch, and a walk to the local market reveals stalls heavy with sun-ripened produce. Meals are unhurried. Often shared. Always shaped by the season.

This is the essence of the Mediterranean diet: intuitive rather than prescriptive. Rooted in fresh fish, legumes, herbs, vegetables, fruit, and good olive oil, it follows the cycles of nature. What grows well is eaten often. What’s in season is celebrated. 

But it’s not only what is eaten - it’s the life that gathers around it. This is a slower way of living, where movement happens naturally: walking, swimming, tending the land - all under an open sky and the sun’s daily dose of vitamin D.  Rest is valued, and meals are a time to pause and connect with loved ones.

This way of eating and living supports long-term health - sharper minds, stronger hearts, and energy that lasts.  At Jumeirah Capri Palace and Jumeirah Mallorca, that spirit is alive in every detail, from market-led menus and locally sourced produce to days centred around the table, the sea, and the sun.

What follows is our curated selection of dishes from each destination - four courses that embody the Mediterranean diet in its most natural and honest form.

Mediterranean Eating in Mallorca

Breakfast - Cap Roig Brasserie

Set high above the bay of Port de Sóller, Cap Roig Brasserie offers panoramic views of the sea and surrounding cliffs - a calm, open setting to begin the day. Here, a bowl of house‑made granola arrives layered with local almonds, Campanyet honey, and Sóller lemon zest. It’s a breakfast that feels effortless - simple, seasonal, and drawn from the island’s orchards and hives.

Lunch - Cap Roig Brasserie

As the sea breeze drifts in from the bay, lunch is served on the open terrace. Wild sea bass arrives resting on a clay tile - cooked in a salt crust with herbs from the Tramuntana mountains, served alongside pil pil sauce and charred seasonal vegetables. The salt, hand-harvested from Es Trenc’s untouched coastline, echoes the island’s centuries-old methods of preserving the day’s catch. For Executive Chef Javier López, this dish is both a personal favourite and a reflection of Mallorca itself - lean, clean, and rooted in tradition.

Dinner - Sunset Lounge

As the sun begins to lower behind the Tramuntana peaks, the Sunset Lounge offers a relaxed setting for the evening meal, with far-reaching views across the water. Grilled octopus, slow-cooked until tender, is served on a causita - a smooth purée of potato, avocado, lime and chilli - finished with a bright, togarashi-spiced sauce. With healthy fats, light proteins, and gentle spice, the dish is unmistakably Mediterranean: generous without excess, nourishing without heaviness.

Dessert - Es Fanals

The meal ends with citrus - Mallorca’s unmistakable signature. Grown in the Sóller valley, the island’s oranges are prized for their depth of flavour and fragrant peel. At Es Fanals, the orange flaó is reimagined as saffron ice cream with orange blossom bubbles, a honey biscuit, and a refreshing Sóller orange granita - a nod to one of the region’s most cherished palate cleansers. 

Mediterranean Eating in Capri

Breakfast - L’Olivo

Morning in Anacapri begins with stillness and sun. At L’Olivo, Capri’s only two‑Michelin‑starred restaurant, breakfast is a spread of island generosity - fresh fruit, soft cheeses, handmade marmalades, zabaglione, Caprese cake, and Neapolitan pastries. It’s a celebration of local produce and simple pleasures. No single ingredient overwhelms; each is offered at its best, a reflection of the Mediterranean belief that balance starts early.

Lunch - At a-Ma-Re Capri

Perched above the Blue Grotto with dazzling views of the sea, a-Ma-Re Capri offers a sunlit setting for lunch just steps from the water’s edge. Spaghetti is served simply, with anchovies from nearby waters, Capri lemon, olives, and toasted hazelnuts and walnuts - five ingredients that echo the island’s landscape and larder. Rich in healthy oils and minerals, the dish is light yet sustaining, made for long afternoons by the sea.

Dinner – L’Olivo

As evening settles over the island, L’Olivo offers a calm, elegant setting for dinner. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes, the lemon-scented tagliolini, arrives warm and silken, layered with red prawns, burrata, sea asparagus and oyster leaf. Inspired by local ingredients, the dish is both simple and satisfying - which is, at heart, what the Mediterranean diet does best.

Dessert – Il Riccio

Tucked just off Il Riccio’s sun-drenched terrace, the hotel’s pieds dans l’eau restaurant, the Temptation Room is a vibrant homage to the traditional Caprese kitchen. Decorated with local ornaments, it glows with Capri-blue shelves, sun-yellow tiles and sea-facing light. But the real temptation lies in the display: an overflowing counter of handmade sweets crafted overnight by local bakers. Traditional Neapolitan and Caprese treats take centre stage - Sfogliatelle with their delicate, layered shells; cream-filled Cannoli; and the rich, flourless Torta Caprese. A sweet close, and a reminder that even indulgence, here, is part of a balanced life.

You taste it in the lemons and just-caught fish, feel it in the sea air, and see it in the way meals unfold slowly, surrounded by sun and conversation. This is the Mediterranean diet: instinctive, generous, and brought to life through the vibrant restaurants of Jumeirah Capri Palace and Jumeirah Mallorca.