Restaurant news & reviews

Golden rule of thumb: you take the piss like that in global franchises - most of which don't pay their fair way in tax anyway, so f*** 'em

Independent, local retailers you need to be a lot more respectful and make your stay worth their while

I'm perhaps coming from a slightly skewed perspective, because grabbing a coffee and/or light bite in any of those cities you have mentioned is SOOOOOOO much cheaper than even if i was just to go local in my provincial town in the UK, let alone central London! The gulf in price is actually sickening and, yes, the quality and portion size I get in Ibiza compared to at home makes the price disparity even more infuriating
 
I would like to hear the other side of the story.

Digital nomads in Europe are increasingly causing friction in popular cities like Valencia, Barcelona, and Berlin by occupying cafe tables for hours with only a single purchase
. Due to this, local businesses are fighting back against "laptop squatters" by banning laptops during peak hours, turning off Wi-Fi, or charging hourly rates

Thankfully we've yet to really see that in Ibiza. Even Soho House has designated laptop areas which they enforce in peak season, plus no laptops at all after 18:00. I also doubt anywhere in Sant Joan would be like that although it is going a lot more upmarket as @McRackin says, with lots of yummy mummy yoga types happy to pay crazy money for a juice or fancy coffees.

It was awful in parts of Mexico when local cafes were taken over by solo drones glued to laptops for drop shipping.
 
I would like to hear the other side of the story.

Digital nomads in Europe are increasingly causing friction in popular cities like Valencia, Barcelona, and Berlin by occupying cafe tables for hours with only a single purchase
. Due to this, local businesses are fighting back against "laptop squatters" by banning laptops during peak hours, turning off Wi-Fi, or charging hourly rates

In my experience, it really depends on the bar and barrio. An anonymous digi nomad bar isn't likely to get a lot of locals because you're often paying twice what you would pay in a traditional bar de toda la vida where, for better or worse, you know everyone. But I think Spain is changing fast because neighbourhood demographics are much more cosmopolitan now, so the most loyal patrons of the classic bars are on average getting older. The people (on the mainland at least) who are keeping the old bars alive are, interestingly enough, the Chinese who moved in en masse after the economic crisis 2008 and have largely preserved the features, decor, menus etc.
 
Any news this year on who is taking over?
No. It might have fallen through. Haven't spoken to our friend in the know in a while but they knew someone who... It's such a lovely place but very expensive and the atmosphere, what with no music allowed whatsoever, has died this last few years.
 
Back
Top