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Both lunch and dinner hours tend to be late. Lunchtime is certainly no earlier than 1:30pm, and even 2:30pm is perfectly normal. Dinnertime can be no earlier than 8:30pm, and sitting down at 11pm is not unheard of. A reservation is never a bad idea, but don’t worry about dressing up.

Throughout most of the Mediterranean, breakfast is little more than a wolfed-down coffee and pasta (pastry). As a visitor, however, you are of course free to linger and add yogurt, cheese, fruit etc to the meal. Foreign-run venues may offer a full English or American breakfast, and many hotels cater to international taste with a full buffet.

Tapas are a Spanish institution. What began in ages past as a free slice of ham laid across a drink has turned into small portions of anything you can think of, some of it very creative. Locals eat them as appetizers before heading off to dinner, but a few well-chosen tapas can easily make a full meal (see Top 10 Tapas Types). Racions are normal-sized portions.

Many places offer a menú del dia (daily menu) at lunchtime, which is usually cheaper than à la carte prices. You get a limited choice of a first course (typically soup or salad) and second course (fish or meat, with sides) and dessert, with water and wine included. Coffee is usually extra, or offered in place of dessert.

Pork in all its guises is the central meat in the Mallorcan diet, with roast suckling pig considered the crowning glory. Duck, rabbit, quail and other game are more common than beef and veal. Goat and lamb feature on many Mallorcan menus.

The waters around the island were fished out long ago, so fishermen go further afield to haul in the Mediterranean bounty. A local favourite is rape (monkfish), as well as lobsters, crayfish, prawns and mussels.

Favourite side dishes include asparagus, both green and white, and mushrooms sautéed with garlic, as well as whatever vegetables may be at their seasonal best. Fresh fruit is always an option for dessert, along with almond cake and almond ice cream, but one of the most characteristic is crema catalana , a kind of crème bruleé or custard with a crispy, caramelized sugar topping.

Wine and beer are the top choices, usually accompanied by a small bottle of mineral water, either still or sparkling. Note that the sparkling is very fizzy indeed and tends to be salty. Sangria is prevalent on the island, too, and you could try a cava (sparkling white wine) for special occasions. A good aperitif choice is vino de jerez (sherry), or a host of mixed drinks, often involving rum. Finally, coffee can be either café sol (espresso) or cortado (“cut” with either cold or hot milk). Ask for it descafeinat if you don’t want the jolt.

Tumbet , a local vegetable stew, features on many traditional menus, but even the vegetable soups are usually enhanced with a bit of pork. One good recourse would be to have the chef compose a salad for you, leaving out the non-vegetarian ingredients. Or head for one of the fine vegetarian restaurants (see Places to Eat).

Tipping is not the absolute necessity here that it is in some countries. Nevertheless, it is customary to leave about 10% of the total bill, or at least to round the figure up – assuming you found the service satisfactory.