Tropik

Tropik sits at the lower end of Carrer del Sindicat, where Palma's pedestrian zone runs into the Porta de Sant Antoni and the Avenidas. From outside it is a narrow place on a shopping street where you would expect shoe shops rather than Colombian cooking. Its immediate neighbour is Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo at the same address — the house describes its own location by that neighbour, and anyone who knows it will find Tropik straight away. It calls itself a juice bar and café and puts the line "Simply fresh & tasty" at the head of its menu. There is more to that than a slogan: the owners write that they follow a healthy way of life themselves and love tropical foods. The menu sits exactly at that crossing. It works with coconut and almond milk throughout instead of cow's milk, it leans heavily on plants, and it draws its flavours from fruit that almost no other place on the island keeps in stock. Anyone who writes Tropik off as a juice bar is underselling it. The section the house itself pushes loudest is called "Our famous Colombian Signatures" — and that is the real reason to stop here. The Colombian signatures Cholado, Guanabanazo, Lulada, Maracuyada: these are not invented names but staples of Colombian street food. Tropik serves them under the line "¡Actualizamos nuestras raíces!" — we are bringing our roots up to date. The Superfruit Cholado is the most elaborate of them. The base is shaved ice with a house syrup of filtered water, agave and organic açaí and passion fruit pulp; on top of that come pitaya, papaya, banana, strawberry, pineapple and grated coconut, finished with a sweet cashew cream and a caramel made from dates. The Guanabanazo is the pared-back one: shaved ice, coconut milk, pineapple juice, guanábana and mint. The Lulada takes its sharpness from lulo, the Maracuyada from passion fruit, both with agave lime lemonade and condensed milk. The Coconut Lemonade brings lemon juice and coconut milk together with ginger, honey and mint. This is the part of the menu you otherwise have to hunt for on Mallorca. Lulo and guanábana do not grow around the Mediterranean, and very few houses in Palma keep them at all. Juices, smoothies and shots The Functional Juices are sorted by effect rather than by fruit. Black Magic combines apple, lemon and ginger with activated charcoal; Pink Lady goes for pineapple, apple, beetroot and ginger. The Tropik Garden is the green house classic of pineapple, apple, kale, lemon and ginger; Golden lives on grapefruit, turmeric and orange, Happy Rabbit on carrot, apple, beetroot, lemon and celery. The Premium Smoothies get denser. Strawberry Kick blends strawberries, cashews, banana, chia seeds, dates, Himalayan salt, vanilla and coconut milk. Be Tropikal is built on mango, strawberry, banana and orange juice, Nut Butter Bliss on peanut butter, dates and cinnamon, Tasty Mud on almond cream and cacao. Alongside them run the Wellness Shots, each one a concentrate: ginger with cayenne and activated charcoal, cider vinegar with lemon and ginger, turmeric with lemon and black pepper. Bowls, salads and Latin street food The Super Food Bowls are the second pillar. The Açaí Bowl carries granola, banana, strawberry, pecan and coconut flakes; the Pink Dragon Bowl stands on a pitaya base with goji, papaya, coconut and cacao nibs; the Power Bowl pairs açaí and guaraná with blueberries, walnuts, chia and hemp seeds. The salads widen the range: a Caribbean Salad with mango, avocado, goji and coconut, an Island Quinoa with orange segments and dill vinaigrette, a chickpea salad with hearts of palm, a Caesar made from kale and Brussels sprouts. The Healthy Paninis run from a Grilled Cheese to a Reuben, and there are wraps in spinach tortilla. The house also runs its kitchen as Latin street food: arepas, including a meat-free version, Cuban sandwiches and Latin bowls stand on equal footing with the smoothies and juices. Tropik in the centre of Palma Tropik is built for takeaway and delivery; the house puts both front and centre on its own channels. That fits the location: Carrer del Sindicat is a walking street, the city bus interchange is practically at the door, and the Mercat de l'Olivar and Plaça Major are a few minutes away.