Best restaurants and what to eat
Malta
Valletta, Malta’s historic harbor capital, offers a tightly woven food culture shaped by Mediterranean trade, fishing, and centuries of Italian and North African influence. Its signature tastes are rustic and maritime: ftira, rabbit, lampuki, gbejna, and sweets scented with almonds, citrus, and honey.
A ring-shaped Maltese bread with a crisp crust and airy, slightly chewy crumb, often split and filled or served beside olives, tomatoes, and capers. It is one of the island’s most recognizable staples and shines with simple, robust flavors.
Tiny traditional sheep’s or goat’s cheeselets, fresh or dried, with a delicate lactic tang and a supple to lightly chewy texture depending on age. They are often served salted, peppered, or preserved, and pair beautifully with bread and tomatoes.
A thick paste of mashed broad beans, olive oil, garlic, and herbs, earthy and savory with a rustic, almost silky finish. It is a classic Maltese spread, especially good with crusty bread and pickled vegetables.
Malta’s answer to ratatouille, built from slow-cooked eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and capers. Sweet-sour and deeply savory, it is served warm or cold as a side dish or relish.
A concentrated Maltese tomato paste with intense sun-ripened sweetness and a deep umami backbone. It is the foundation of many island dishes, prized for enriching sauces, stews, and sandwiches.
Small Maltese capers, famously pungent and briny, with a bright floral sharpness that cuts through rich dishes. They are essential in local cooking and especially good with fish, rabbit, and tomato sauces.
Valletta is a natural showcase for Maltese wines made from local and adapted Mediterranean grapes, often dry, mineral, and sun-warmed. They are typically served with seafood, rabbit, or savory pastries.
Malta’s iconic pale lager, crisp and lightly bitter with a clean finish built for the island climate. It is the everyday beer of choice in Valletta, especially cold and freshly poured.
A distinctly Maltese bitter-orange soft drink with herbal complexity, caramel notes, and a refreshing bitter-sweet finish. It is served ice-cold and is one of Malta’s most recognizable local beverages.
A sweet prickly pear liqueur with a vivid fruit aroma and lush, jammy flavor. It is commonly enjoyed chilled as a digestif and reflects the island’s cactus-fruit abundance.
A strong local coffee style often served sweet and concentrated, sometimes with milk or paired with dessert in traditional cafés. In Valletta, coffee culture is leisurely and best enjoyed after lunch or alongside sweets.
A fig vinegar drink or cordial-style specialty with tangy fruit acidity and a rustic Mediterranean character. It is tied to Malta’s fig-growing tradition and used both as a beverage and flavoring base.
The emblematic Maltese rabbit stew, slow-cooked in red wine, garlic, tomatoes, and herbs until the meat becomes tender and deeply savory. In Valletta it is a prized Sunday dish, best with crusty bread and a glass of local wine.
A celebrated fish pie made with lampuki, the prized seasonal dolphinfish, layered with vegetables, olives, and sometimes spinach beneath a pastry crust. It is one of Malta’s most beloved autumn dishes, balancing richness with bright maritime flavor.
A clear, fragrant fish soup with garlic, tomatoes, herbs, and lemon, designed to highlight the freshness of the catch rather than overwhelm it. Light yet satisfying, it is a classic harbor-city dish in Valletta.
A savory lampuki tart or pie that marries flaky pastry with fish, vegetables, and seasonal seasoning. It offers a more portable, pastry-forward expression of Malta’s famous fish tradition.
Beef olives: thin slices of beef rolled around a filling of bacon, herbs, garlic, and sometimes egg, then braised in a rich tomato sauce. They are comfortingly hearty and a staple of Maltese home cooking.
A lavish baked pasta pie with macaroni, minced meat, tomato sauce, and a pastry crust, sometimes enriched with egg and cheese. Golden and celebratory, it reflects Malta’s taste for layered, generous dishes.
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