I am 45 years old, living in the Maltese Islands, I run a Bed & Breakfast and my passion in life is travelling and food. Combining travel and food is very much a ritual for me, along with educating me in the history of the country, and the tastes and flavors of the world. Today I want to talk about some of my favorite restaurants which one should, or must visit when visiting my country. As any other destination, Malta offers a wide variety of restaurants ranging from local cuisine to Italian, ethnic foods from various countries around the world, reflecting the mixture of cultures that have moved to Malta in recent years due to its economic boom and hence forth, a myriad of work opportunities. This is shaping Malta into a new cosmopolitan island (the size of a big city) making it more vibrant and lively than ever before. The restaurant sector in Malta is very lucrative given the fact that the locals are big food lovers (this can be seen also from the curvy physiques of many locals …lol), coupled with a tourism sector which is always on the increase making Malta a favorite destination practically all year round. As a food lover and B&B owner, it gives me great pleasure to experience as many of the restaurants as I can, firstly to enjoy really good food and service for my personal satisfaction, and secondly giving me the knowledge of the best places to eat so I can pass onto my guests dining out suggestions, so that they can have a very positive experience food wise while in Malta. Furthermore, through the fact of being an active Google Local Guide it became a passion for me to experience different restaurants so that I can submit my reviews and pictures of the ones that I take a coffee in, a relaxing lunch, or evening dinner in. When visiting a cafe, or restaurant I always try to be objective and try to base my reviews on the quality of food, service and ambiance of the restaurant itself. So having said all this currently my top three restaurants in Malta are the following:
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Nenu the Artisan Baker - the one and only authentic purely Maltese food restaurant located in the capital of Malta - Valletta. In this restaurant you won’t find anything which is not Maltese including the coffee (love it or not). It is situated on the south side of the city and due to its history you will find it underground, previously it used to be an old bakery / flour storage place in years gone by. The ambiance of this restaurant is fantastic, featuring a lot of original old Maltese architecture. Because of it’s history there is also a constant exhibition of traditional Maltese bread-making with life size statues dressed in traditional Maltese costumes.The food is excellent with many different flavors of Maltese dishes coming to the forefront. If you are a big eater this is the place for you as the portions are very big, traditional Maltese food tends to be a bit heavy. The fresh Maltese bread is to die-for. Service is always excellent and the waiters are always very attentive (the staff are dressed in traditional Maltese costumes). The menu is vast and one can experience authentic dishes which you can’t find anywhere else. All this is accompanied by a choice of Maltese DOK wines which definitely can satisfy anyone’s taste, expectations and budget. The prices are very reasonable, therefore, this restaurant ticks all my boxes for which I always give a 5 star. For the tourist this is a true experience into the Maltese culture and flavors of the Maltese islands.
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The Village Kitchen - this restaurant can be found just on the outskirts of Naxxar. It’s a relatively new restaurant, and the Head Chefs passion for food is one of the reasons this restaurant does so well. The menu you are presented with is one that will tantalize your taste buds, and invokes smells that make you feel happy to have chosen this restaurant. The Head Chef always presents himself to the table for any questions, and to advise on any of the dishes, and the way they are cooked. I frequently visit this restaurant and regularly take the pork belly, you may be thinking not such an exciting dish but the way it’s cooked and presented it truly excites the taste buds. The food is accompanied with a fine wine list, and again help is at hand should you require it. This restaurant is a little bit more up market but not overly priced, and I would certainly suggest a visit to experience the wine, food and knowledge of the Head Chef.
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One 80 - another relatively new restaurant which as previously noted indicates the island is booming and the population are seeking new dining experiences. One 80 can be found in the north of Malta in the pretty town of Mellieha. This modern restaurant regards it’s interior is spacious and decorated to a good standard, I lived in Mellieha for just over a year and loved dining here especially on the terrace looking back up a the historical church. The menu offers a wide choice of starters and main courses, and if anything has a slight French feel to it. Having taken your seat you will be served with hot bread and dips while you browse over the menu. Meat dishes are a favorite here, and are cooked to perfection, and depending on the actual dish presented on a wooden platter. Price range of the menu and wine list is reasonable, but perhaps this is the restaurant that you might want to use for a special occasion, because of its location near to the sea, and views looking back on the old town. I must say regards the desserts, try the creme strawberry brulee, this simply melts in the mouth, and is nice and light.
So the above are my three favorite restaurants for the time, visit any of them and you will not be disappointed. They all offer a fantastic dining out experience, with great food, excellent service, and perhaps more importantly not over priced, enjoy.
I’ve mentioned a few times that Malta is booming, and I’m almost sure new restaurants will start up in the weeks and months to come, if so I’m sure I will be visiting them so please keep following my reviews on Google Local Guide.
