It isn’t easy to make a list of the best restaurants in Malta because of the quantity, variety, and quality. While it’s true that many can be found in one place, the densely populated and much-visited capital, Valletta (link to corresponding URL?), there are also many excellent options around the rest of the country too.
Below is a list of the best restaurants in Malta, with a few notes about their food and what makes them unique. It’s just a guide, and really the best way to try both typical Maltese food (link to corresponding URL?) and modern, international dishes, is to ask the advice of the local people you meet ‒ and to trust your own instinct…and sense of smell!
Maltese food
The best restaurants in Malta serve a wide variety of food for diners to enjoy. These days, there are numerous places that prepare what is commonly known as modern haute cuisine. But there’s also room for Maltese food too and delicious, irresistible dishes such as aljotta soup, fenek stuffat (rabbit stew), pastizzi, bragioli and the ever-impressive timpana. They’re served, alongside other dishes, in virtually every popular restaurant in the country.
Of course, there are also plenty of options for people who would prefer to eat more international flavours and food. Italian and Sicilian restaurants are easy to find, and you’ll also spot dishes that have been inherited from the long British presence in the country.
Today, food in Malta retains its Mediterranean essence but is a surprising blend of fusion cooking with elements taken from Europe, the Maghreb, and Anglo-Saxon tastes. This means that eating in the best restaurants in Malta is always an exciting adventure for the senses.
The best restaurants in Malta
It might come as a surprise, bearing in mind its small size and population (half a million inhabitants), but Malta can boast of being home to six Michelin-starred restaurants. And it has yet more eateries that serve haute cuisine food and take you on a culinary journey through the brilliant, creative ideas of their chefs and sommeliers.
Below you’ll find a list of all the Michelin-starred restaurants, plus other equally impressive places that serve haute cuisine food and are highly recommended:
Valletta
- ION Harbour by Simon Roga (11 St Barbara Bastion): one Michelin star and a 13-dish menu that will leave you with memories of truly brilliant cooking. The restaurant has wonderful views of old Valletta.
- Noni (211 Republic Street): chef Jonathan Brincat is at the head of this restaurant and, in step with contemporary fashion, he reinterprets traditional Maltese cooking using seasonal produce.
- Under Grain (167 Merchants Street): its decoration is inspired by the old tailors’ shops that once stood in this street. And the world of fashion also influences the restaurant’s firmly Mediterranean-inspired food.
- Rubino (53 Triq l-fran): this restaurant has been a hallmark for quality and refinement since 1906 thanks to its service and atmosphere. The menu is halfway between traditional Maltese and Italian cooking and gives you an excellent overview of the essence of Malta’s food.
St. Julian’s
- Le Majoliche (Pendergardens, Is Swieqi): the pure spirit of the Mediterranean is served in fish and seafood dishes, and also seasonal fruit and vegetables. The restaurant describes itself as Sicilian with a modern twist.
- Caviar & Bull (Corinthia Hotel, St George’s Bay): cutting-edge restaurant with impressive decoration that serves sophisticated food, where you’ll find everything from caviar (as its name suggests) to the freshest seafood and first-class meat.
Sliema
- Fernandõ Gastrotheque (17 Triq Tigne’): this is one of the most famous, award-winning restaurants on the island. It’s a benchmark for haute cuisine where typical Maltese food has been elevated to meet the approval of the Michelin inspectors, and the sophisticated clientèle who dine here.
- Tiffany’s Bistro (88ª, Tigne Seafront c7t Bisazza Street): this restaurant is next to Sliema ferry terminal and is the perfect spot for a bite to eat at any time of day, from breakfast to dinner. It serves international cuisine with everything from delicious pastries and baked goods to pasta, risotto, and hamburgers.
- Maggie’s (59 Ttriq Sir Adrian Dingli Tas): at first glance it seems to be just another restaurant serving international cuisine, like many others on the island. In fact, it’s a touch more sophisticated, both in the choice of ingredients and the way dishes are presented. An elegant blend of modern and classic elements.
Gzira
- Jungle Joy Bar-Restaurant (2 Triq I-Imsida): at first sight, it looks a fun and colourful bar, and it does specialise in cocktails. But it’s also one of the best restaurants on the island if you’re a fan of Thai food.
- Anciova (154/B, The Strand): anciova means anchovy in Sicilian dialect, so it’s no surprise to see that many of the dishes in this restaurant feature these salty fish. Anciova serves the purest essence of Sicilian cooking and diners will enjoy an unbeatable dining room atmosphere for their meal.
Mdina
- De Mondion (Misrah il-Kunsill): its location, on the terrace of a 17th century palace that is part of the city’s old defensive bastion, gives you a clue that the food made here is a cut above the rest. You’ll enjoy first-class seasonal produce that’s prepared with love and a generous serving of sophistication.
- Step 15 (22 Telgha Tas-Saqqajja): a cosy atmosphere, with a terrace that looks out over Malta’s inland countryside, and food by busy chef Sandro Vella. You’ll find lots of fresh pasta (with delicious sauces) and hearty beef dishes on the menu.
Balzan
- Bahia (De Paule Avenue, San Anton): this restaurant serves a tasting menu that transports diners to different villages across Malta and neighbouring Gozo, rescuing traditional recipes, and giving them a fresh twist, always taking great care with the produce that is bought each day at the market.
Gozo
- Roza (St. Georges Square, Victoria): Mediterranean cooking is at the heart of this restaurant, with influences from the various countries found in this corner of the world. It has a casual yet extremely professional atmosphere. There is a greater emphasis on fish and vegetables than meat and cheese, but you’ll find a bit of everything on the menu.
- Country Terrace Mgarr (Triq Iz Zewwieqa, Ghanjnsielem): this was once a rural house set in the countryside and today it’s been transformed into a restaurant with one of the most delightful views in Gozo. It serves authentic Maltese and Mediterranean food with a great selection of wines from Malta and neighbouring countries.
Eating inexpensively and well in Malta
Eating reasonably priced, good food is easy in Malta, both on the main island and on Gozo (link to corresponding URL) and Comino (link to corresponding URL). In fact, the main cities and tourism hubs are packed with great restaurants where you can enjoy the typical flavours of the Mediterranean.
What’s more, as we mentioned earlier, Malta is an international island so you can also enjoy the best modern fusion cooking in restaurants that reveal influences from every corner of the globe. Here is a selection of some of the best, reasonably priced restaurants in Malta:
Ta’ Kris (80 Fawwara Ln, Sliema)
This restaurant serves dishes with the essence of traditional Maltese cooking, in the way families on the island prepare their food, i.e. in a home-made style. It specialises in bragioli, a tasty and filling beef stew.
The Submarine (Triq il-Merkant 42, La Valletta)
This is a fantastic option for a quick bite to eat and serves top quality food in the Maltese capital. Its food is based on the famous Italian panini, a type of sandwich that can be filled with a huge variety of ingredients and sauces. The restaurant has a casual and youthful vibe.
Gugar Hangout (89 Republic Street. La Valletta)
This is the visible face of a cooperative of friends who are determined to make life easier, healthier, and friendlier around them. And in line with this philosophy, the food is home-made, authentic, fresh, and sustainable.
Palazzo Preca (54 Strait Street, La Valletta)
This restaurant was founded by the Preca sisters and is an excellent example of the relationship that can develop between diners and staff in places where dishes are much more than just a way to feed yourself. Top quality, market-bought produce served in a stunning 16th century palace.
Ta’ Randi (Triq Gorg Borg Olivier, Il-Mellieha)
Yes, it’s the typical pizza/pasta/grill house concept you see in so many tourist towns. But it serves high quality food in a location with a long history and is decorated with exposed brickwork. Top dishes include the subtle ravioli stuffed with rabbit and other traditional Maltese recipes.
