Casa Lhasa is one of our favourite places on the island. We caught up with its founders and discussed all things natural wine.
What year did you two open Casa Lhasa?
We opened Casa Lhasa in October 2020, just after the long Covid confinement in Spain. It was after a slow and intense process of setting up during the pandemic.
What year do you think natural wines hit the island?
We feel natural wines haven’t fully hit Ibiza yet. We’d love to see more places committing to only natural winemakers, ditching the high intervention wines on their menus. The direction the industry is moving in though is good, and every year we find more places here who offer some natural options on their menus; it seems that people are more aware of the existence of places like ours.
Is this an exciting time, on the F&B front, to be in Ibiza?
It is always an interesting time to work in hospitality. We’ve noticed a change in winds on the island in recent years after the pandemic; Ibiza took the opportunity to attract different projects rather than parties, clubs and “low cost” tourism.
With a few organic and biodynamic farms appearing, small hotels and agriculture tourism are attracting people that seem to appreciate the importance of sustainable farming, artisanal produce and local sourcing of products. This is pushing more restaurants to focus on local farmers and fishermen, which is giving support to smaller-scale places who focus on the quality of product rather than quality of the possible instagram photo.
With prices rising everywhere, we feel people are a bit pickier when it comes to choosing where to spend their money. Besides the already known Nudo and Hämbre, etc, Can Can in Santa Gertrudis have a super delicious deli with great products and natural wines. For a few examples of other places that are not committed fully to natural winemaking but are taking a step forward by having some options on their menu, there’s our neighbours La Paloma, Can Domo in Cala Llonga, and Casa Linda in the south.
