The issue of sustainability is something which is slowly but surely becoming a high profile topic on the island of Ibiza. As we once again face the daunting possibility of oil prospections, there are many organisationations on the island, as well as individuals and businesses who are making conscious, effective decisions in order to maintain the natural beauty of the island we live, love and work on.
One such business is the osteria Locals Only, located in the heart of PLaza del Parque. Here, owner Titito Piazza is more than focused, he is fully committed to ensuring that his restaurant is as ecologically conscious as possible.
He explains, in his inimitable style that he believes in sustainability in every direction, harbouring a deep rooted respect for the island, for Mother Nature herself, and he works tirelessly to encourage a global mentality towards this way of thinking. To this effect, all paper products within Locals Only are recycled, every piece of wood in the restaurant is reclaimed, and you won’t find any plastic straws here.
And of course, this policy is also applied to the most important aspect of Locals Only, the fabulous food and drinks which are all created consciously. Tito tells me that he has spent much time building relationships with local farmers, therefore, every vegetable you will ever eat here has come directly from the earth of Ibiza.
Carrots, avocados, rocket, onions, hand picked and grown organically in the islands rich and fertile soil. Sustainable agriculture is at the very heart of what he does here, and Tito views this as a sign of showing respect to Mother Nature through his passion for creating fabulous food.
Local artichokes, a true delicacy, feature heavily in the dishes here, having spent the winter working with a local farmer who planted two types of baby artichokes, moretti, typical of the Venetian Islands, and the other the classic sweet green artichokes, used in several dishes, served crispy deep fried, alla Romana, and included in their renowned risottos.
Having concerns about the overfishing of the ocean, Tito is using more and more stockfish and cod for which uses a different system to preserve, the cod is salted, stockfish is dried in typical Nordic style. He likes to focus on creating a beautiful dish out of an rather unknown fish to reduce the impact on the overfishing on tuna, salmon a problem which is becoming more and more of a global concern. He also loves to use sardines and boquerones, both of which are low in mercury and therefore much healthier.
Tito has created a truly exceptional environment here at Locals Only, and his laid back approach is reflected in the ambience of the restaurant, having come from a fine dining, formal background, he wants Locals Only to be a place where people come to relax, to laugh out loud, informal, friendly, welcoming. Enjoy the daily lunch menu for 15 euros from Tuesday through until Friday, (closed Mondays) until July and August, where the ever changing menu incorporates following the market freshness and ingredients which are fresh that day.
An elegant way of working abounds here, creating dishes with love and care, making people feel the passion that has gone into each dish created in his kitchen, and of course with the deepest respect for the island herself.
