Formentera is getting ready to put its local flavours back in the spotlight, with the 2026 edition of its Gastronomic Weeks set to take place from October 12 to 25.

Restaurants across the island are being invited to create special menus inspired by traditional Formentera cuisine and local produce, with diners once again playing a central role by voting for their favourite gastronomic experiences.

The restaurant receiving the most votes will win €1,500, while the second-placed establishment will receive €1,000. Customers who take part in the voting can also enter a €500 prize draw.

Traditional Formentera Cuisine With a Creative Twist

Participating restaurants will prepare dedicated menus based on the island's culinary traditions, with chefs encouraged to reinterpret characteristic recipes, ingredients and flavours in their own style.

The initiative is designed to showcase the importance of local and proximity products while giving restaurants the opportunity to highlight their creativity.

It also offers residents and visitors a chance to discover a broader side of Formentera's food culture beyond the island's better-known summer dining scene.

Diners Become the Judges

One of the most distinctive features of the Gastronomic Weeks is that the public helps decide the winners.

Customers can vote for the menus they experience, giving participating restaurants the chance to compete based on direct feedback from diners.

The restaurant receiving the highest number of votes will take the €1,500 first prize, with €1,000 going to the runner-up. A separate €500 cash prize is also available to customers who participate in the voting process, subject to the competition rules.

The format turns the event into more than a series of special menus, encouraging diners to actively explore different restaurants and compare their interpretations of Formentera cuisine.

Restaurants Have Until September 20 to Enter

Restaurants interested in taking part in the autumn edition have until 11:55pm on September 20, 2026, to complete their registration.

Participating establishments must submit their details and provide the composition of the menu they intend to serve during the Gastronomic Weeks.

The event is organised by PIMEF in collaboration with the Tourism Promotion Department of the Consell de Formentera.

A Taste of Formentera in Autumn

The timing is particularly fitting for an island that is increasingly promoting autumn as a season to experience Formentera at a slower pace.

The island's official autumn programme highlights September and October as a period for enjoying its landscapes, gastronomy, culture, sports and outdoor activities away from the intensity of the main summer months. The Gastronomic Weeks are one of the headline events in that autumn calendar.

For visitors extending their stay beyond the traditional summer season, the event offers another reason to explore the island through its food.

A Growing Gastronomic Tradition

The Gastronomic Weeks have become an established event on Formentera's culinary calendar.

The spring 2026 edition, held from May 11 to 24, reached a record 21 participating restaurants. Diners voted for their favourite menus, with 190 Pasos taking first place and Es Mal Pas finishing second.

That edition also reinforced the format's emphasis on local products and traditional recipes while giving individual restaurants room to interpret the island's cuisine in different ways.

Supporting Local Restaurants and Local Produce

Formentera's Gastronomic Weeks are intended not only to celebrate food but also to support the island's restaurant sector and encourage interest in locally sourced products.

By bringing restaurants into the same island-wide initiative, the event gives diners a chance to discover different culinary approaches while placing traditional Formentera flavours at the centre of the experience.

For local businesses, it provides an opportunity to attract customers during a period when the island is transitioning into its quieter season.

Formentera's Autumn Dining Invitation

With the autumn edition running for two weeks in October, the Gastronomic Weeks will offer another way to experience Formentera after the peak summer period.

The menus will bring together traditional inspiration, local ingredients and contemporary interpretations, while the voting system gives diners a say in which restaurant stands out.

With registrations open until September 20, restaurants still have time to join the competition before Formentera's culinary autumn gets underway on October 12.