Coco Beach Bar

The plastic cup comes straight from the ice – mojito, clear and cold, with a view of turquoise water that laps softly against the white limestone cliffs of the bay. Pine trees crown the bluffs all around, children dry their towels a few metres away in the midday heat, and chill-out music drifts over from somewhere. That is the essence of this beach bar at Cala Romàntica: unaffected, direct – and set at one of the most scenically powerful bays on Mallorca's east coast. Concept Cala Romàntica – also known as S'Estany d'en Mas – is a barely ninety-metre stretch of fine sand with gently sloping, turquoise-green water and a natural rock arch flanking a small grotto. The silhouette: white cliffs topped with pines, a sheltered position between two rocky headlands, almost always calm. Right on this beach – one of the most photogenic on the island – sits Coco Beach: directly on the sand, no boardwalk, no pier in between. At this bay there are exactly two dining and drinking options: a separate restaurant a little further back serving Spanish classics like paella and tapas, and this beach bar. Anyone who gets thirsty or hungry at Cala Romàntica almost inevitably ends up under one of these parasols. Free parking is available on site, making it easy to arrive by car. Atmosphere No leather-stitched sunbeds, no DJ booth with a lighting rig. Instead: parasols, plastic cups, sand underfoot. The bar functions as an extended living-room moment at the water's edge – you come for one drink and stay for three. In high season it is lively: tables full, music playing, guests singing, eating and sometimes dancing. The whole setup is pitched squarely at beach visitors – drinks can be taken to your sunlounger or towel, no waiter trailing behind. Service is, by consistent accounts, friendly and attentive without being pushy. On select summer evenings live musicians perform right at the bar – no fixed programme, but when it happens, it ranks among the finest sundowner moments on the east coast. From June through mid-October, the bar also hosts barbecue evenings with live music. Snacks & Drinks The mojito comes up again and again in guest accounts – always positively. Other regulars on the cocktail menu include Caipiroska Maracuya, Daniel Spritz and coconut cocktails. Alongside that: smoothies, chilled drinks and coffee. For food: patatas bravas, shoestring fries, ice cream – rounded out by burgers, sandwiches and nachos. No long menu, no parade of starters. The offer is exactly what a beach day needs and nothing beyond that. Anyone expecting glassware and restaurant-grade presentation will be in the wrong place – and that is not a criticism of the concept. A plastic cup on a sandy beach without shoes is the safest and most sensible form of service, and regulars tend to agree. Pricing sits in the mid-range for a beach spot of this quality and location. Who It's For & When Families with children find ideal conditions: the shallow, calm water makes Cala Romàntica particularly popular with younger guests, shaded spots right on the sand help on scorching days, and the short distance between sunlounger and bar is effortless. Couples and small groups favour the sundowner – the turquoise light in the late afternoon, paired with chill-out music and a cold drink, beats many more elaborate beach concepts hands down. Anyone planning a day tour along the east coast – Coves del Drach, Porto Cristo, Manacor – will find a natural halfway stop here, directly at the sea. Insider Tip In summer, come early or come late – never at midday and then expect to find a shaded table. High season means a full beach and a full bar. The most relaxed version of a visit happens in the late afternoon: the harshest heat has passed, the light over the water turns golden, and the chill-out music makes more sense when you are tuned into it.