History of BalearGrup
1970s
The harbour tavern
A seafaring tavern opens in the port of Ciutadella, serving meals to people of the sea before they head out to work.
Juanita, mother of the current owner, prepares fish and seafood tapas using local produce.
That humble counter marks the beginning of the group’s identity: market cuisine, warm service and respect for the harbour.
Over time, the venue becomes an admired Menorcan classic and a reference point for generations of locals and visitors.
1980s
Generational handover and professionalisation
In the 1980s, the generational handover takes place, along with a move to new premises.
In 1984, Josep Caules takes over management after a period working in banking, driving the transition from tavern to benchmark restaurant.
The seafaring concept is consolidated, processes are structured and the bond with the fishermen’s guild is strengthened.
This professional shift lays the foundations for the group’s later growth, without losing the harbour essence that made it popular among fishermen and local families.
1992
Pizzería Roma opens
The group expands its offering with Pizzería Roma, located in Ciutadella’s historic centre in a former bread oven.
It is born from a simple idea: wood-fired pizzas and informal cuisine, but with the same focus on seafood and local produce.
Roma complements Cafè Balear with a more casual concept, designed for locals and visitors seeking quality without formality, and helps extend the group’s activity beyond the seasonal rhythm in the city centre.
1995
Rosa Santa Primera
The family commits to having its own boat and to the concept “From sea to plate”.
It purchases the fishing vessel Rosa Santa Primera, which goes out daily and supplies the group’s restaurants exclusively, a key step in controlling freshness and traceability.
They fish at great depths when needed — prawns and langoustines — and adapt the menu to the weather: an honest product philosophy that makes all the difference.
2014
Pins46 arrives
Pins46 joins the group, located in a historic building in Ciutadella’s Plaça de Es Pins.
It adds a third pillar to the group: contemporary Mediterranean grill cuisine with a local signature and a more urban aesthetic, designed for socialising in the town centre.
The triangle is complete: a seafaring classic (Cafè Balear), a family-friendly oven-based concept (Roma) and a modern grill restaurant (Pins46).
This diversification allows the group to serve different audiences and moments, while maintaining local produce as its common thread.
May 2026
La Terraza del Balear
BalearGrup brings the seafaring spirit of Cafè Balear to Villa Le Blanc, Gran Meliá, facing Santo Tomás beach.
La Terraza del Balear is born: a concept that brings together fresh produce, Menorcan cuisine and Mediterranean elegance in a new setting by the sea.
It is not a replica of the harbour restaurant, but a natural evolution of its seafaring soul, designed to enjoy the product through a slower, brighter experience open to the Mediterranean.
June 2026
Roma Food Truck
Pizzería Roma hits the road with Roma Food Truck, a new mobile format created to bring its pizzas to events, parties and celebrations across Menorca.
The concept preserves Roma’s essence: homemade dough, recipes with personality and a simple, flavourful way of understanding pizza.
This new service extends the group’s presence beyond its restaurants, bringing agile, recognisable and festive cuisine to weddings, concerts, fairs and private gatherings.
July 2026
Marendins arrives
BalearGrup adds Marendins, a contemporary seafaring tavern located in the port of Ciutadella.
The new space places the sea centre stage, with a counter, fresh produce, cold preparations, wines, vermouths and cocktails in a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere.
With Marendins, the group adds an evening and night-time concept, designed for sharing seafood bites, extending the aperitif and experiencing the harbour from a more contemporary perspective.
Today
Three generations and prestige
The business has passed the half-century mark with “three generations” at the helm, something uncommon in the hospitality industry.
More than five decades later, Cafè Balear remains recognised as a benchmark in Menorca and was a highlight at the 2024 Onda Cero Menorca Gastronomy Awards.
These kinds of distinctions reaffirm the group’s role in the local scene and its ability to unite seafaring tradition with modern management, inspiring new generations of island restaurateurs to champion product and authenticity.
