Heavily influenced by Italy, France, the UK and North Africa, Malta’s Mediterranean cuisine is an eclectic melting pot of flavours shaped by occupation and immigration. Surprisingly, it’s the arrival of budget airlines that’s credited with elevating the dining scene here, for suddenly jet-setting Maltese were demanding a taste of the world at home. That’s great news for visitors. The Malta restaurant scene, especially in the capital Valletta, is now among the most exciting in Europe and the arrival of the Michelin Guide in 2020 is a testament to that. If you’re heading to Malta this summer, here are the best restaurants in Valletta.
How we choose the best restaurants in Valletta
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has eaten at that restaurant. When choosing restaurants, our editors consider both high end and affordable eateries that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We're always looking for stand-out dishes, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.
Best restaurants in Valletta
ION Harbour by Simon Rogan
Dish to order: Boltardy beetroot tart with south coast lobster, pickled roses, shoots and flowers
Brand new to Malta is ION Harbour by Simon Rogan, which only opened in March 2023. It already has a Michelin star though – a legacy from Alex Dilling, who oversaw the restaurant before Rogan. Fans of l’Enclume will be pleased to find similarly light, veg-centric dishes on the menu, made with a fusion of British and Maltese ingredients, but at a fraction of the price. Expect delightfully original combinations like sweet beetroot tart with a lobster filling, or nitro-frozen Tunworth cheese cut with the acidity of rhubarb. Best of all, it’s served with a view of the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour.
Address: 11 St. Barbara Bastion, Valletta, VLT1961
Website: ionharbour.com
Risette
Dish to order: Seabass with pumpkin, Morteau sausage and beurre blanc
Set in a family home turned boutique hotel (Casa Ellul), Risette makes the most of the characterful building it’s in. The dining room is bisected into two smaller spaces by the entrance hall, with the intimate atmosphere in each accentuated by the chalkboard black, mustard yellow and fern green of the striking decor. The weekly-changing dinner-only menu from Steve Scicluna, formerly of The Clove Club, is a taste of the Med with Asian accents. Take the flavourful and tender milk-fed veal, which is served with a classic sauce blanquette and Japanese kabu turnip, or the smoked eel that’s made into piping hot curry beignets. And its boozy whisky ice cream is a real winner.
Address: 81 Old Theatre Street, Valletta, VLT1429
Website: risette.com.mt
The Harbour Club
Dish to order: Merchant Street (ricotta and pea tart)
Book The Harbour Club for your first night in town and let the menu take you on a gastronomic tour of Valletta. Each dish is named after a different street in the Maltese capital, and comes with a printed postcard bearing a photograph and description of its most famous site. This extra flair is no match for the food though which, unusually for Malta, offers a handful of vegetarian options. A menu highlight is Merchant Street, a delicate tart filled with ricotta cream and new season peas, topped with wafer-thin slivers of lardo di colonnata for extra flavour. Also worth ordering are Republic Street (velvety acquerello risotto) and South Street (teaspoon-sized, game-filed cappelletti pasta).
Address: 4/5 Barrierra Wharf, Valletta, VLT1971
Website: theharbourclubmalta.com
Noni
Dish to order: Local prawns with Thai coconut curry, seaweed and prawn cocktail tart
Jonathan and Ritienne Brincat are the brother and sister team behind Noni, an intimate, fine-dining restaurant that’s among the first in Malta to gain a Michelin star. Most of the space is subterranean, adding to the romantic feel of the restaurant. A window on the way down to the dining room gives you a peek-a-boo view of the kitchen, where a traditional Maltese bread oven has been commandeered for the thoroughly modern fare. The food is a blend of Maltese and Mediterranean flavours with classic French technique injected into the mix, so expect to see things like delicate local prawns plated up with a velvety Thai coconut curry or seasonal fish with a citrus and brown butter sauce. The extreme attention to detail is a marvel seen in the bite-sized amuse bouche and petit fours – a small addition that makes this one of the best restaurants in Valletta.
Address: 211 Republic Street, Valletta, VLT100
Website: noni.com.mt
Grain Street
Dish to order: Casarecce ‘Gentile selection’, with veal and rabbit ragu, rosemary, and smoked chicken butter
Unlike its Michelin-starred counterpart below ground, the pavement-level Grain Street is an altogether more casual affair, with an expansive sheltered terrace that’s perfect for an al fresco spritz while people-watching. The Mediterranean menu is designed for sharing, though you might not want anyone else tucking into your portion of oozy mimolette and candied walnut beignet. The signature dish of the house is a colourful lasagne nera with calamari, squid ink and nduja but you can’t go wrong with the casarecce, made with Gentile’s organic durum wheat pasta folded into an unctuous – and surprisingly light – veal and rabbit ragu. For chocolate lovers, the mille feuille of caramelised chocolate cremeaux is a must.
Address: 167 Merchants Street, Valletta, VLT1174
Website: grain.mt
59 Republic
Dish to order: Braised veal cheeks
Split between a subterranean dining room with atmospheric lighting and an al fresco terrace spilling out over St Georges Square, 59 Republic is as much a destination for intimate get-togethers as for people watching over brunch. The menu from chef Maria Sammut is similarly wide-ranging, with everything from plump Scottish scallops to pillowy bao buns stuffed with pulled duck available to share. And as a point of difference, sharing dishes are served on pink, tiered afternoon tea stands. Mains are more traditional. Think classic beef Wellington or melt-in-mouth braised veal; portions are generous here but order sides if you’re keen for greens.
Address: St Georges Square, Valletta, VLT1190
Website: fiftyninerepublic.com
Legligin
Dish to order: The wine
For those after a true taste of Maltese fare, look no further than Legligin, a cosy, no-menu bistro. All you have to do is order the wine and the chefs will take care of the rest, serving up course after course of hyper-local dishes. The tasting menu (five courses at lunch and seven at dinner) always starts with a tapas platter featuring a selection of dips and nibbles like roasted Meditteranean vegetables, soft cheese and bean pate, before a light fish and tomato broth and mussels with fish cakes. Then it’s whatever’s in season, ranging from quail salad to slow-cooked meatballs. Basically, if you had a Maltese grandmother, this would be the menu she’d serve.
Address: 117/119 Santa Lucija Street, Valletta, VLT1183
Website: facebook.com
Gracy's Arts & Supper Club
Dish to order: Pan-fried meagre with roasted cauliflower, shellfish sauce, red grapes and dill
Gracy's Arts & Supper Club is a rarity in Malta. As the restaurant is inside a private members club, it benefits from the grandeur of a historic building and an airy, characterful dining room. But it’s very much open to the public – lucky for those who enjoy a sense of occasion with their dinner. The perfectly executed dishes come from chef Tom Peters, formerly of Bob Bob Ricard in London and three Michelin-starred Maaemo in Oslo. Snacks like the spiced lamb croquette and steak tartare are extremely flavourful but don’t miss the pasta filled with Maltese prawns or the meagre, a local fish, that simply flakes away on the fork. They also make the creamiest olive oil ice cream that beats any dessert.
Address: 113-114 L’Hostel Verdelin, Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444
Website: gracysmalta.com