Cellar restaurant in Inca: Maria Solivellas brings Celler Ca'n Marron back to life

Cellar restaurant in Inca: Maria Solivellas brings Celler Ca'n Marron back to life

A historic stone vault, regional produce and a concept that breathes the island

If you walk through the streets of Inca in the morning, you hear the clatter of market stalls, the calls of the vendors and the smell of fresh bread drifting through the lanes. In this environment stands a 17th-century house whose vault has brought people together for food and drink for decades. The Celler Ca'n Marron has been closed most recently – but soon life will return to it.

Chef Maria Solivellas, born in 1970 in Palma, is taking on the project. Solivellas is well known on the island and holds a Michelin Green Star for her work with seasonal, local ingredients. In the coming weeks the interior of the venue will be gently refreshed: walls, lighting and the kitchen will be updated while the rustic character of the cellar will be preserved. The preparations aim to adapt the dining room and the heart kitchen to today’s gastronomic scene without taking away the room’s soul.

A "celler" here is more than just a cellar: it is a place where wine, olive oil and preserves were stored and later where guests gathered for simple, honest dishes. Solivellas plans to pick up exactly that idea. Expect no loud experiments but dishes that put the island’s products at the center: vegetables and herbs from the market, cheeses and cured meats from nearby producers, a section for pickled specialties and, of course, a selection of local wines, including producers such as Bodegas Sa Cabana.

For Inca as a place this is more than a new address on the map. It offers an alternative to the trends discussed in Mallorca's Restaurants: Too Much Sameness, Too Little Courage — How the Island Rediscovers Its Flavor. The project brings jobs, supports regional suppliers and strengthens the gastronomic offer away from the tourist centers. Those who seek peace and value provenance will find the right place here — perfect conditions for anyone wanting to dine off the beaten track.

The renovation is limited to the interior; the exterior façade and the historic vault will remain visible and recognizable. Technically this also means a more modern kitchen that works more efficiently with local raw materials, and a dining room that can host small groups as well as individual connoisseurs. Solivellas announces that she will present the basic outline of the concept publicly in early 2026.

Everyday observation: on cold days you often hear stoves clicking in the neighbors’ kitchens in Inca, and the Plaça fills with people having a coffee after work and shopping. The new Celler wants to capture exactly these moments — a place to meet, to find a piece of home on the plate and to rethink island cuisine.

Why is this good for Majorca? Because small, authentic projects strengthen local cycles. Producers benefit — as with Macià Batle's CIVAS awards — traditional recipes remain visible, and travelers find a connection to the island beyond the beachfront promenades. Preserving historic spaces is also a contribution to the identity of our places: when a 17th-century cellar is brought to life with a modern kitchen, history remains alive instead of turning into a museum relic.

For visitors this means: a quiet atmosphere, seasonal dishes and a focus on sustainable sourcing. For Inca it means: another meeting point in the town center and a sign that gastronomy here is not just about volume but about quality and local networking.

Outlook and inspiration: anyone who wants to work with local products in their own kitchen can take something from the approach here — short supply chains, respect for the seasons and a willingness to reinterpret old preparations. The Celler Ca'n Marron could thus become a small school of good craft where taste and provenance come together.

You don't have to wait for official opening dates to get curious: a walk through Inca, a look at the old vault and the quiet hammering of the craftsmen are enough to sense that something good is being created. The doors are scheduled to reopen in early 2026. Until then: the town remains a place where traditional structures and new ideas meet — and those looking for that will find exactly the right address at the Celler in the future.