TaPalma 2023 is being held this November with the aim of boosting the restaurant sector on the islands. In the most important tapas and cocktail competition in the Balearics, the winner is the Ombuamb restaurant and chef Alexander Pincay who takes the title of TaPalma d’Or 2023 with his creation ’20 Horas’. The tapas route takes place from 22 to 26 November in 36 restaurants in different areas of the Balearic capital.

The aim of the TaPalma 2023 event is to boost the restaurant sector, revitalise Palma and position Mallorca, and more specifically its capital, as the nerve centre of Spanish gastronomy. It will bring together the best chefs and bartenders of the island.

The contest takes place on November 20 at the Palau de Congressos de Palma, and the route of tapas and cocktails will be held from 22 to 26 November in different establishments of the city.

The mayor of Palma, Jaime Martinez, said during his presentation that “putting the name of Palma to an event like this is good news and betting on TaPalma is a commitment we have as a City Council, especially with the creation of the Department of Restoration that shows how much we care about the sector to the consistory. TaPalma is an event that is absolutely settled in the city and in the sector, and this is great news.”

Awards at TaPalma 2023

As for the contest prizes, the winner of each category will receive, in addition to a Makro check, a cash prize (Tapa TaPalma 600 €, thematic tapa 500 € and cocktail 500 €). There will also be three runners-up prizes for the best tapa paired with Mahou beer, the best tapa made with DO Oli de Mallorca and the best cocktail made with Antonio Nadal product.

It should be remembered that TaPalma 2023 will have an App with information about the restaurants participating in the route of tapas and cocktails.

Alexander Pincay, TaPalma de Oro 2023

The winner of this year’s edition was the restaurant Ombuamb and chef Alexander Pincay, who won the title of TaPalma de Oro 2023 with his creation ’20 Horas’.

In the TaPalma Tapa category, the silver winner was the restaurant ‘La Caña’ with chef David Salas’, who presented the jury with the tapa ‘Buñuelo de gamba roja con holandesa de coral’. And finally, the bronze medal went to ‘La Consentida’ with chef Óscar Fontán, who presented the tapa ‘La Morena Consentida’.

In the Themed Tapa category, made with sobrasada from Mallorca, the restaurant ‘The Wine Side’, with chef Albert Zambrano, won gold with ‘Matanzas’. The silver in this category went to the restaurant ‘Arume Sake Bar’ by chef Albert Martín, with ‘Pica Coca’ and, in third place, the bronze went to the restaurant ‘Dave’s Dinero’ and chef Giovanni Guarini for his creation ‘Dave’s Dinero’.

As for the cocktail competition, the winner of the Gold Cocktail was ‘La Caña’ for its cocktail ‘Terra i Aigo’ by bartender Alessandro Smurro. The silver went to the cocktail bar ‘Riad’, thanks to the creation ‘Burn in Hell’ by Néstor Adrián Mercere. The bronze went to ‘The Wine Side’ by bartender David Godino, thanks to ‘Marineros 3’.

There was also a runner-up prize for the best tapa paired with Mahou, which went to the restaurant ‘Arume Sake Bar’ with the creation ‘Bunyol de Mar’ and another runner-up prize for the best cocktail made with the product Antonio Nadal for the restaurant ‘La Caña’.

The chef Tito Verger, TaPalma 2022

The winner of the last edition, TaPalma 2022, was the chef Tito Verger, from the restaurant Rosa del Mar, who won the TaPalma de Oro for the second consecutive year for his creation Pulguita de Otoño.

All the information on the methodology of the contest and the route, as well as the rules of participation can be consulted on the same website.

The presentation ceremony was attended by the mayor of the City of Palma, Jaime Martínez; the director of Institutional Relations of Trasmed, Miguel Pardo, official sponsor of TaPalma 2023; the president of Restauración Mallorca Caeb, Alfonso Robledo, among other authorities and those responsible for the event.

TaPalma 2022Image of the last edition