Restaurants
We have used the following symbols to give an idea of the price for a three-course meal for one, including wine:
€€€ More than €50 €€ €35–50 € Less than €35
Malta
Valletta
Ambrosia €€€ 137 Archbishop’s Street, tel: 2122 5923. Located in a street alongside the palace, this is an excellent restaurant with a menu that changes daily. Good starters and delicious main courses, all characterised by a seasonal Mediterranean slant. A fine wine list complements the food. Booking essential.
Blue Room €€€ 59 Republic Street, tel: 2123 8014. Chinese restaurant close to the palace with charming staff and a reputation for serving the best of Cantonese dishes. Popular, so booking is recommended. Closed Mon. Wheelchair access.
Giannini €€€ St Michael’s Bastion (off Windmill Street), tel: 2123 7121, www.gianninimalta.com. Located in a patrician house overlooking Marsamxett Harbour, with Manoel Island and Sliema across the bay. Ground-floor bar, and lift to the top-floor restaurant with panoramic views. There is a small terrace with six tables. Mediterranean fusion cuisine is the speciality of chef patron Aaron Degiorgio. Booking essential for dinner Fri and Sat. Wheelchair access.
Guzé €€ Old Bakery Street, tel: 2123 9686. Specialising in Mediterranean cuisine, every month sees a change in menu to make the most of what’s in season – while also retaining the favourites. The building in which this restaurant is housed was designed by Francesco Laparelli, the same architect who worked on the famous bastions surrounding the capital in the 16th century. Closed Sun. Entrance by staircase.
Malata €€€ St George’s Square, tel: 2123 3967. With an entrance on the square facing the palace, this restaurant has an excellent menu that appeals to politicians (parliament is across the road) and businessmen. Live jazz on Tue and Fri from 8pm.
Palazzo Preca Restaurant €€€ Strait Street, tel: 2122 6777, email: info@palazzoprecarestaurant.com. Located within a 16th century palazzo, this restaurant specialises in fish and pasta dishes. Romantic candle-lit dinners every Wednesday. Closed Mon; Sun lunch only.
Da Pippo €€ 136 Melita Street, tel: 2124 8029. Lunch only, but worth a visit for the generous portions of good, wholesome food cooked according to the chef’s preference for Maltese dishes. Very popular, so booking is essential.
Rubino €€ 53 Old Bakery Street, tel: 2122 4656. Rated among the best in Malta, with consistently high standards. Good atmosphere, good food, good crowd. Menu changes daily but includes Maltese and Mediterranean dishes. Closed Sun. Booking essential.
Sliema
Barracuda €€€ 195 Main Street, tel: 2133 1817, www.barracudarestaurant.com. Overlooking Balluta Bay and the sea, this is a pretty restaurant that is sometimes considered pricey, but nevertheless recommended by regulars. Fresh fish is a speciality. Booking advisable. Wheelchair access.
La Cucina Del Sole €€ Tigne Point, tel: 2060 3434, www.lacucinadelsole.com.mt. Located in one of Malta’s most modern and sophisticated estate projects, close to The Point shopping complex. The menu is varied, specialising in fresh fish and pizza. Don’t miss their calzone (folded pizza). Closed Mon. Open for lunch Sat and Sun. Wheelchair access.
Piccolo Padre €€ 195 Main Street, tel: 2134 4875, www.piccolopadre.com. A delightful pizzeria beneath Barracuda restaurant (for more information, click here). Great pizza and pasta in an informal setting, and popular with families. Maltese and Gozitan ingredients add extra interest to some dishes. A number of tables overlook the bay. Bookings taken except on Saturday nights. Expect to queue at weekends. Takeaway available.
La Rive € 33/34 Tigne Sea Front, tel: 2131 8323. A popular café and winebar, with both outside and inside areas. Menu is varied and much-loved by regulars. Live gigs every Friday night during winter. Booking advisable at weekends; also open during the day. Wheelchair access.
Vecchia Napoli €€ 255 Tower Road, tel: 2134 3434. Definitely one of the most popular pizzerias on the islands, this casual eatery is consistently jam-packed with locals who love its hearty, flavoursome food. A good choice of pasta and salads is also available. Perfect for families. Booking is essential. Wheelchair access outside.
Vino Veritas €€ 59 Dingli Street, tel: 2132 4273. Amiable place overlooking St Julian’s Bay, with a relaxed atmosphere and trattoria-style cooking. Generous portions of meat, fish and seafood, pasta and pizzas. Open Tue–Sat. Wheelchair access.
St Julian’s and Paceville
Hugo’s Lounge €€ St George’s Road, Paceville, tel: 2138 2264, www.hugosloungemalta.com. A delightful cross between a stylish cocktail bar and a respected restaurant, Hugo’s promises great food in an upbeat atmosphere. The range of dishes on offer includes sushi, tempura and various Indian and Thai specialities. Very busy at weekends. Open daily.
Meat & Co €€€ 8 St George’s Road, tel: 2138 5000, www.meatandco.com.mt. Overlooking Spinola Bay, this restaurant is Malta’s first self-proclaimed ‘meat boutique’. The menu has various meat dishes, as well as gourmet salads and pasta dishes. Open daily. Book for the best tables.
Pane & Olio Osteria d’Autore €€ 135 Spinola Road, tel: 2138 4780. A restaurant with a sharp and sophisticated ambience, offering a great variety of food. Open daily for lunch (noon–3pm) and dinner (7pm–midnight).
Peppino’s €€ 30 St George’s Road, tel: 2137 3200, www.peppinosmalta.com. This popular spot is favoured by locals looking for an inexpensive lunch accompanied by light wines. The restaurant serves Italian dishes and fresh fish, and also has a roof terrace. Crowded at weekends.
Sale e Pepe €€ Portomaso Marina, tel: 2137 2918, www.marinarestaurants.com.mt. Located in the popular and picturesque Portomaso Marina, this is an ideal choice for pasta and Mediterranean-themed meals. Be sure to sample their delicious selection of antipasti. Open daily.
San Giuliano €€€ Spinola Road, tel: 2135 2000, www.sangiulianorestaurant.com. Good-looking Italian restaurant with a view over St Julian’s waterfront and often considered the smartest place on the island. Visiting film stars shooting on location in Malta often frequent it. The menu features many fish and seafood dishes. Booking recommended.
Tana del Lupo €€€ 58 Triq il-Wilga, Paceville, tel: 2135 3294. Bustling and often hectic Sicilian restaurant. Excellent pasta dishes, but specialities are fish and seafood. Pavement tables outside in summer months. Booking advisable.
Terrazza €€ Spinola Bay, St Julian’s, tel: 2138 4939. The terrace restaurant is perched above boathouses and has splendid views over the bay. Young crowd, friendly service. Interesting menu that changes often. Look for pasta and meat specialities.
U Bistrot € Balluta Bay, tel: 2311 2361, www.ubistrot.com. A spot for great, wholesome food made with the freshest local ingredients. The menu includes pasta, salads and sandwiches. Get a table on the pavement and overlook the bay, or sit inside in elegant surroundings. Open daily. Wheelchair access.
Waterbiscuit €€€ St George’s Bay, tel: 2376 2225. Exceptional service and great food make this St Julian’s restaurant stand out. Open 24/7 offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Booking recommended at weekends. Wheelchair access.
Marsaskala
La Favorita €€ Gardiel Street, tel: 2163 4113. On the narrow road heading to St Thomas’s Bay, this is an informal, family restaurant with a reputation for its consistently high standard of fish, served in an unpretentious way. Crowded and noisy at weekends, when booking is imperative. Open daily. Wheelchair access.
Grabiel €€€ Marsascala Bay, tel: 2163 4194. Highly rated, high-priced family-run fish restaurant that has built up a serious local following of people who come here for the catch of the day, the octopus stew and, when in season, the pasta rizzi (spaghetti with sea urchins). The fish is sold by weight for some of the dishes. Crowded and noisy. Booking essential. Open lunch and dinner daily. Wheelchair access and facilities.
Marsaxlokk
Ir-Rizzu €€ 89 The Waterfront, tel: 2165 1569, www.ir-rizzu.com. Friendly, family-run waterfront restaurant offering a range of dishes alongside its fresh fish specialities, which are extremely popular with regular customers. Booking is essential. Open daily. Wheelchair access.
Tartatun €€€ Xatt Is-Sajjieda, tel: 2165 8089, www.tartarun.com. Located on the Marsaxlokk seafront, this restaurant offers a great choice of fresh fish and crustaceans, including lobsters from a tank. A pricey but great place to eat. Lunch and dinner Tue– Sat, lunch only on Sun, closed Mon.
Mdina
Bacchus €€€ 1 Inguanez Street, tel: 2145 4981, www.bacchus.com.mt. Set in the bastion walls of the city, with the entrance down a narrow side street. Large and popular, specialising in Maltese, French and Italian cooking. A good place for parties. Open daily.
Medina €€€ 7 Holy Cross Street, tel: 2145 4004, email: info@medinarestaurant.com. A pretty courtyard restaurant serving international food with British overtones. Dinner only. Closed Sunday. Wheelchair access.
De Mondion €€€ Xara Palace Hotel, tel: 2145 0560, www.xarapalace.com.mt. This is the rooftop restaurant of the gracious hotel perched on the bastion walls. Fine views of the countryside. The international menu and wines and the prices reflect the hotel’s sense of status and occasion. Dinner only.
Trattoria AD 1530 €€ Xara Palace Hotel, tel: 2145 0560, www.xarapalace.com.mt. Simple trattoria with tables in the piazza outside the five-star hotel. A popular meeting place that serves pasta, pizza and simple Italian dishes. Open for lunch and dinner.
Rabat
L’Agape €€ St Kataldu Street, tel: 2099 2209, www.lagapemalta.com. A tiny restaurant located in the heart of Rabat, with an ever-changing menu that never fails to impress. Booking essential. Closed Sun.
Café Wignacourt & Wine Garden €€ Misrah San-Pawl, tel: 2749 4906. A courtyard restaurant adjoining the Wignacourt Museum, it serves wholesome food and is particularly known for its ftira pizza. Events on every Thursday during the summer.
Il-Veduta €€ Saqqija Square, tel: 2145 4666, www.veduta.com.mt. Simple pizza and pasta restaurant hidden behind Mdina Gate car park. Wonderful view from its open terrace in summer. Has a casual atmosphere and is often crowded. Open daily. Wheelchair access. Free Wi-fi.
Mosta
The Lord Nelson €€ 278 Main Street, Mosta, tel: 2143 2590. Once a village corner bar, the Lord Nelson is now an attractive restaurant renowned for consistently good cooking and a menu unlike any other on the islands. Both popular and fashionable. Booking essential. Wheelchair access downstairs.
Qawra
Churchill’s €€ Triq il-Fliegu, tel: 2157 2480. A typical Maltese restaurant that serves great fish dishes. Relaxed atmosphere and a great place to mingle with locals.
Tal-Kaptan € Qawra Coast Road, tel: 2354 3842, www.tal-kaptan.com. A fantastic pizza place the whole family will love. Great choice of dishes, including salads and grills, at reasonable prices. Big portions. Open daily.
St Paul’s Bay
Gillieru €€€ Church Street, tel: 2157 3480. Jutting out into the bay – with an open terrace that gets crowded in summer – this long-established fish restaurant is friendly and casual. Regulars praise the grilled fish, but there are also meat dishes, with traditional Maltese fare such as rabbit stew. Open daily. Wheelchair access.
Tarragon €€€ Church Street, tel: 2157 3759, www.tarragon.com. One of the finest gourmet restaurants on the island, run by multi-award winning chef, Marvin Gauci. A great place to try something new. Booking essential at weekends. Open daily, Sun for lunch only.
Mellieħa
The Arches €€€ 113 Main Street, tel: 2152 3460, www.thearchesmalta.com. In central Mellieħa, a large and brightly lit, colourful place with bustling service and large portions. Wide international menu. Booking advisable. Wheelchair access.
Giuseppi’s €€ 25 St Helen’s Street, tel: 2157 4882. Spread over two floors, Giuseppi’s is considered a fine example of a truly Maltese restaurant, both for decor and cooking. High standards maintained by an imaginative chef. Menu changes daily and is seasonal. Very popular, so booking is advised.
Gozo
Mġarr
Il-Kcina tal-Barrakka €€ 28 Triq Manuel de Vilhena, tel: 2155 6543. Known to all as Sammy’s, after the proprietor, this is where the crowd comes to dine casually on fresh pasta and fish. Many customers come over from Malta, as it is within walking distance of the ferry. Small, with an imaginative menu. Closed Nov–May. Open Tue–Sun for dinner. Booking essential. Wheelchair access.
Tmun Mgarr €€ Martinu Garces Street, tel: 2156 6276, www.tmunmgarr.com. Family run and quite casual, this is one of your best bets for fish dishes. Proprietors Leli and Jane will take you under their wing, offer a host of daily specials and numerous family favourites. Gets busy so it is best to book ahead. Closed Tue.
Victoria
Café Jubilee € 6, Library Street, tel: 2155 4288. Informal café dressed up to represent a 1920s French bistro. Wide range of snacks. Popular bar at weekends so it gets very crowded. Also has tables on the square.
Il-Panzier €€€ Triq il-Karita, tel: 2155 9979, www.ilpanzierrestgozo.com. Gozo’s most elegant – and most expensive – restaurant is hidden discreetly in a winding medieval street off It-Tokk. The limited menu is offset by the superior Italian cuisine. Courtyard dining. Lunch and dinner daily.
Patrick’s Tmun €€€ Europe Street, tel: 2156 6667, www.patrickstmun.com. Attractive, busy restaurant where a young crowd gathers. The extensive menu includes a selection of dishes that are cooked in the Maltese manner. Seasonal fresh fish and seafood. Dinner only. Book at weekends. Closed Sun apart from winter months.
Ta’ Rikardu € 4 Triq il-Fosos, in the Citadel, tel: 2155 5953. A wine barrel topped with fresh bread and tomatoes signals the door into one of the oldest houses in the Citadel. Traditional Gozitan snacks make for light, cold lunches. The wine is made on the premises. This is an excellent, easy stop when exploring the walled city. Souvenirs, including honey and other Gozitan produce, are also available here.
Għarb
Jeffrey’s €€ 10 Triq il-Għarb, tel: 9949 6230, www.jeffreysrestaurantgozo.com. Situated next door to Gozo Glass, outside Għarb. Excellent little trattoria serving only seasonal products. Courtyard dining in summer. Dinner only. Closed Sun and in winter until Easter. Booking recommended. Wheelchair access.
Ta Salvina €€ 21 Frenc tal-Għarb, tel: 2155 2505, www.salvina.eu. Pretty little restaurant in a village house on a quaint, narrow street. There is a small courtyard for alfresco dining. Serves local and international cuisine. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Marsalforn
Il-Kartell €€ Marina Street, tel: 2155 6918, www.il-kartellrestaurant.com. Housed in three connected former boathouses, this popular restaurant has tables outside on the harbour’s edge, weather permitting. Friendly atmosphere, good fish and local dishes, as well as pasta and pizzas. Wheelchair access. Closed January and Wed lunch.
Ta’ Frenc €€€ Triq Għajn Damma, off Marsalforn Road, tel: 2155 3888, www.tafrencrestaurant.com. Wide range of traditional Maltese and international cuisine, elegantly presented in a stylishly converted 14th-century farmhouse. Rustic interior with vaulted ceilings, and beautiful garden for alfresco dining. Regarded as one of the island’s best restaurants, with prices to match. Open daily. Wheelchair access and facilities.
Xlendi
The Boathouse €€€ Xlendi Bay, tel: 2156 9153, www.theboathousegozo.com. Located on the water’s edge of the pretty bay of Xlendi, this restaurant has become one of the most talked about on the island thanks to its great menu and service.
Ic-Cima €€ St Simon Street, tel: 2155 8407. An amazing fish restaurant with an even better view. Vital to book if you want a good spot.
Xagħra
D Venue €€ Xagħra Square, tel: 2156 6542, www.dvenuerestaurant.com. A favourite amongst young locals, it offers great twists on traditional recipes. Halal, gluten-free and vegetarian options available. Regular entertainment from local and foreign bands. Closed Mon. Wheelchair access.
Oleander €€€ 10 Victory Square, tel: 2155 7230, www.oleanderrestaurant.com. With some tables outside in the main square, the Oleander is known for its excellent local dishes, fish and steaks. Inside can be noisy as it is popular. Booking advisable. Wheelchair access.
Ta’ Karolina €€ Marina Street, tel: 2155 9675. Loved by locals and visitors alike, this popular restaurant is situated right on the seafront. The fresh food, reasonably priced wine and delightful ambience all contribute to a wonderful experience. Open Tue–Sun for lunch and dinner. Wheelchair access.
Nadur
Maxokk € St James Street, tel: 2155 0014, www.maxokkbakery.com. Although it is a hole in the wall with no seating area, many consider Maxokk’s Gozitan pizzas the epitome of the island’s traditional cuisine. Order your pizza 30 minutes before pick up.