Malta: Food + Drink

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UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of what to expect when dining in Malta on both the main island of Malta and the smaller island of Gozo, information on the grocery shopping scene, tips based on our experience, and recommendations for the places where we had enjoyable meals and experiences.

Maltese Cuisine

With Sicily and Italy to the north, the northern Africa nations of Libya and Tunisia to the south, and a long history of varied peoples and cultures swirling across the Mediterranean, Maltese dining is varied and diverse. There are a substantial number of Italians who live on or visit the island, meaning there are plenty of Italian eateries to fill all your needs for pizza and pasta. Rabbit (“fenek” in the local language) is also popular on the island, though we did not try any. (We both had pet rabbits as children so just can’t get comfortable with eating them.) Since Malta is an island, it should come as no surprise that seafood is a common source of protein. Lampuki dotted the menus of most places we ate and is the local name for the fish we call Mahi Mahi in the United States.

Alcohol is easily accessible on the island with restaurants offering a wide variety of drinks and wine and beer available in markets (we don’t often drink hard liquor so didn’t note where it could be direct-purchased).

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Grocery Shopping in Malta

We did not cook any of our own meals on this trip but did make stops in multiple markets both on Malta and Gozo for smaller purchases such a snacks and wine. While we rented Airbnbs on this trip and had kitchens, I think we would have had a trickier time cooking here than in other countries we have visited. In general, the markets we came across were both very small and not stocked with a lot of fresh food. Canned and boxed goods were prevalent. The best quality market we found is in Valletta, the capital city of Malta, and was a nice gourmet-style market called The Wembley Store. We were able to purchase fresh, local goat cheese and some other small snack items there. If you search online for “supermarkets,” there are some larger stores with more options, but they may not be easily accessible to where you’re staying. So, if you plan on cooking your own meals, do advance research or make sure you have a method of transportation to get to/from the larger stores.

Also notable is that the smaller markets keep limited and somewhat unpredictable hours. Most are open in the morning but not all. Most also close down in the 4-7pm range before reopening. Just make sure to plan ahead if you need to pick something up!

One exception that it pained us to make is that we bought bottled water on this trip. Normally, we travel everywhere with refillable water bottles to avoid the waste, and we brought them along on this trip. But, upon arriving, we learned that while Maltese water is safe to drink, it has a strong, unappealing taste. So, one of the main reasons for grocery store trips was to pick up bottled water. What we were able to do as a bit of a compromise to limit our waste was to buy large bottles of water that we could then pour into our reusable water bottles.

Dining Tips in Malta

Breakfast spots do not open early. The “early” ones in the capital city start blinking open at about 8am. If you have an early morning, you would be smart to pick up something to have on hand the night before. While a few indicated earlier open times online, the information was incorrect.
Breakfast spots run the gamut from very casual croissant and coffee places to those catering to diners seeking a more British-type breakfast. In our multiple experiences, the best breakfasts are the more casual croissant-type options. The full-meal ones taste like they’re trying to recreate something from elsewhere but don’t quite accomplish the goal.
Eat outside if you can! From seaside dining to picturesque squares in Valletta to crowded streets with tables crammed in among the masses, Malta is a great spot for al fresco dining.
Try a variety of places! We had both spectacular and disappointing fine dining experiences on this trip, unexpectedly amazing falafel wraps from a Turkish restaurant, amazing breakfasts eaten on pillows on the sidewalk at a quaint breakfast spot, dinner from a rooftop terrace overlooking the Maltese Independence Day celebration, and two meals perched high on the ramparts of the Medieval walled city of Mdina with views of the countryside.
Make reservations in peak season. We went in late September, which is not peak season, but even then some of the fine dining places booked up. In general, we did not make a lot of reservations except on Gozo, with more limited options and specific spots we wanted to try, but we also found one place fully booked and in other cases, we ate earlier than is the norm.
Unlike in the United States but like many other countries, the Malta dinner hour is on the later side, but plenty of places open early enough to accommodate those wishing to eat on the earlier side. We did a mixture of both on this trip.

Restaurant Recommendations on Malta and Gozo

Our approach to recommending restaurants is to share those that we loved as well as those that were fine but may suit someone else. For restaurants that weren’t anything special or where we have truly negative experiences (which is rare), we simply choose not to include them here, though we may write about those experiences in other parts of our blog. Below you’ll find restaurants broken out between the mainland of Malta and the island of Gozo and then separated by breakfast and lunch/dinner.

dining in malta - breakfast

Cafe Piadina in Valletta - We ate here 2 of our 4 mornings in Valletta. The cafe is small, casual, and welcoming. They do not have a full breakfast menu, but what we got was more than satisfying. Their most popular option is a combo that includes cappuccinos, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a croissant. There are options for the croissants - ham and cheese or nutella or plain, if you must. The restaurant has a small counter inside where diners can order their food before finding a seat. When it’s ready, the food will be delivered to you wherever you sit. The restaurant actually owns two buildings that are across the walking street from each other, so you can find a spot to eat at the table across the street or there are mini tables and pillows dotting the sidewalk on both sides, which is where we sat and ate both mornings.

Caffe Cordina in Valletta - This spot also offers other meals, but we only tried it for breakfast. It appears to be best known for its pastries, and we probably would have been better off ordering one of those. The bakery inside is filled with beautiful concoctions. Instead we ordered salmon eggs benedict and a ham and cheese omelette. Both were okay but different than our standard expectations for both. The best part, though, is that we ate outside in the square with nice views of the area.

dining in malta - lunch and dinner

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Moo’s Kebab in Valletta - This was our first stop after getting settled in Valletta after a long trek from the United States. We were famished and exhausted, and we happened upon this spot since it was walkable from our accommodation. And, we’re so glad we did. We LOVED the food here. The Turkish restaurant offers kebabs, wraps, falafel, and the like. We decided to get falafel wraps and when confronted with a multitude of choices for what we could put on it (none of which were labelled) and it was clear we had no idea where to start, the person making it offered to make selections that he thought would go well, asking for our preferences of spiciness. He did a superb job, as we both had amazing wraps. There is seating both inside and along the street, which is where we ate.

Luciano’s in Valletta - This Italian restaurant is located in the heart of the city and offers both indoor seating as well as tables situated on the walking street, which is where we ate. We split a pizza, which was baked in their brick oven, and was absolutely delicious. We ordered one with pruscuitto, sliced parmesan cheese, bufala (which we had discovered in Paris last spring), arugula (interestingly, called rucola locally), and oil.

City Lounge in Valletta - This restaurant is accessible from the street but is upstairs in a building overlooking St. George’s Square, so it is easy to miss. During our trip, Malta was celebrating their Independence Day (where they gained independence from Britain) with a 3-night military tattoo in St. George’s Square, and we’d spotted this place the night before as an option to watch the celebration over a meal. We got there early and got a window seat and got to watch and listen to the prep for the evening’s festivities and then stuck around over a lengthy meal to watch a large portion of the main event. In addition to this wonderful ambiance, the service at the restaurant was excellent, as was the food. I got salmon, Dustin had sea bass, and we shared a brownie with what tasted like vanilla-toffee ice cream. The plating of our food was beautiful, and we were able to capture a few photos.

Beautifully presented salmon at City Lounge.

BeBirgu in Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa) - This spot is situated right in the main square of Birgu and, again, is a great spot for dining al fresco, though they do offer indoor seating. Our impression is that this was a spot that had a lot of locals based on the conversations around us. We both enjoyed our lunches here. I ordered Maltese pasta, a local dish best described as a cross between lasagna and penne al ragu, and Dustin ordered a burger topped with slices of local Maltese sausage.

Fontanella Tea Garden in Mdina - This is a popular, crowded restaurant with extensive seating over multiple layers of patios situated along the ramparts of Mdina’s city walls. We were lucky to get a seat in the top patio with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside and the seaside cities in the distance. Fontanella is famous for its extensive menu of cakes, which we planned to eat after lunch. The food itself ranges from sandwiches on baguettes to pizza to meat pies and a variety of other options. We ordered a Fontanella pizza, which came with toppings of ham, salami, onions, and oregano. Unfortunately there was a mix-up where our order wasn’t entered, which the staff was quick to correct when they were notified, but we ended up forgoing dessert since we spent more time there than we had wanted. The food itself was delicious. One note, though, is that this is a very popular place, which means it feels quite touristy and may be quite loud given its size. Near our table, we had a toddler playing a loud game on a phone, a man having a FaceTime conversation with a screaming child in the background, and the like. If you’re looking for a quieter or more romantic spot, we have just the recommendation for you…

Yes, the crowds can be a bit much at Fontanella Tea Garden, but the food is good and the view is amazing!

Palazzo de Piro Cafe Bistro in Mdina - Located just down the street from Fontanella, this spot also sits overlooking the surrounding countryside with multiple layers of outdoor patio seating but is quieter and calmer and attracts a different crowd, at least in our experience. We had dinner here the same day as lunch at the other spot, which could be a bit of the difference since Mdina tends to clear out somewhat around sundown. We were seated right along the edge of the patio and were able to watch the sunset over the countryside and, looking up, we were mesmerizing by the glowing dome of the cathedral lit for night. We had a lengthy, relaxed meal with dessert and wonderful service to accompany the setting. This restaurant is in a building that is comprised of several townhouses built in the mid 16th century and have sense been combined into the cafe bistro, art galleries, and event space. I had green pea and broad bean risotto, and Dustin had Garganelli chicken, both of which were delicious. For dessert, we split a chocolate ganache and orange cake to make up for the lack of cake at lunch.

As night fell, the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral was lit from below.

Shadows overtake Malta as night falls. Car lights streak across the foreground and city lights twinkle in the distance.

The Garganelli Chicken was particularly good after a spending hours wandering the streets of Mdina.

Green Pea and Broad Bean Risotto was devoured by Lindsey.

Dining in Gozo - Breakfast

Cafe Jubilee in Victoria - This small restaurant with a British pub-like atmosphere is where we had breakfast both mornings in Gozo. It is in a prime location near the center of the old city and very close the the Cittadella, a prime spot for visitors. There was nothing particularly fancy about the breakfast but it was solidly good and a nice morning spot. Both mornings we had ham and provolone croissants with cappuccinos and orange juice to give us energy to get our days started.

dining in gozo - lunch and dinner

Maldonado Bistro in Victoria - We were fortunate to find this spot online and give it a try our first of two nights on the island of Gozo. We would never have found it just by wandering, as it is tucked away on a small street in an old, quaint townhouse. It was so spectacular that we returned for our second night as well. We were generally underwhelmed by other dinner spots in Victoria based online reviews and menus and would highly recommend this as a fine dining establishment with wonderful service, ambiance, and food. Conveniently, reservations (which we made both nights) could be booked online through OpenTable, the only instance we saw in the country of this app being used, though other places may use it, too. Because their menu is based on locally sourced foods, the menu shifts based on season and availability. The first night, I had Persian chicken, which was a complex mixture of flavors and spices, and Dustin had Lampuki. The following night, I had Lampuki and he had pork belly. The various desserts we tried over the course of the two nights: a lemon tart with orange sorbet, mulberry and pistachio cake served with a side of pistachio ice cream, and chocolate mousse. It was obvious we weren’t the only ones who have discovered this hidden gem. A group of several couples seated near us the first night were from Britain, were known to the server, and talked about this being one of two local spots they alternate between when they’re in the country several times a year. Unfortunately, we didn’t catch the name of the other spot they enjoyed.

Care is taken with every aspect of the meal at Maldonado. The food tastes as good as it looks!

The Persian Chicken tasted as good as it looks!

Set along a quiet (and dark) street, the Maldonado Bistro has great ambiance and delicious food.

The Stone Crab in Xlendi Bay - A short bus ride from Victoria will land you in the seaside cove of Xlendi Bay, a great spot for a seaside meal with a few restaurants clustered near each other. And there is wonderful cliffside hiking to either work up an appetite or burn those calories afterwards. We took a wonderful 3+ mile hike after a late lunch. The spot we had planned to go to for lunch was closed, so we picked The Stone Crab and had a wonderful meal and experience. We were able to sit right near the water and watch the birds bobbing along the soft, blue waves. We were given complimentary bruschetta, which was delicious. I ordered crab tortellacci (pasta that is essentially extra large tortellini), and Dustin had calzone with mushrooms, ham, and oregano.