Food
Food in Malta
Maltese food is not well-known abroad — but the island has a distinct cuisine shaped by Arab, Sicilian, and British occupation, and a strong local produce culture. Here's what's actually worth eating.
What to expect
Malta has two distinct food realities. The tourist strip — St Julian's Paceville, Sliema seafront, and central Valletta — is dominated by international restaurants, pizza, and generic Mediterranean menus priced for visitors. It's perfectly fine, but it's not Maltese.
The other reality is the local one: small family restaurants inland, pastizzeriasthat open at 6 am, village bakeries, and the Marsaxlokk Sunday market. The further you get from the main hotel strips, the more this becomes the norm.
Portion sizes are generous. Service is unhurried. Lunchtimes (roughly 12:30–2 pm) are busy with local workers; aim to arrive early or expect to wait.
Dishes worth seeking out
Pastizzi
Flaky pastry parcels filled with ricotta or mushy peas. The quintessential Maltese street snack — found at pastizzeria shops throughout the island, open from early morning. They cost around €0.20–0.40 each.
Ftira
A round, chewy Maltese bread ring — UNESCO-listed in its traditional preparation. The classic Gozitan version is topped with local tomatoes, tuna, olives, capers, and fresh mint. Nothing like a tourist sandwich.
Braġjoli (beef olives)
Thin slices of beef wrapped around a breadcrumb, egg, and parsley stuffing, slow-cooked in a wine and tomato sauce. A proper Sunday lunch dish, more common in homes than restaurants.
Fenkata (rabbit stew)
Rabbit is Malta's national dish — slow-braised in garlic, wine, and herbs, served with fries or bread. Particularly associated with Mġarr village, where several restaurants serve nothing else on feast days.
Soppa tal-armla (widow's soup)
A light broth with vegetables and a poached egg, topped with fresh ġbejna (Maltese sheep's milk cheese). Simple, seasonal, and rarely found on tourist-facing menus.
Ġbejna
Small rounds of fresh or dried sheep's milk cheese, a Maltese staple. Found on cheeseboard menus, in salads, and — the peppered, dried version — sold in markets. The fresh version is mild; the dried version has real intensity.
Imqaret
Deep-fried pastry filled with date paste and aniseed. A traditional sweet snack, often sold warm from street vendors during festas and at Valletta's Lower Barrakka Gardens area.
Bigilla
A thick, garlicky dip made from dried broad beans — served with crusty bread as a starter or snack. Inexpensive and filling. More common in traditional restaurants than tourist strip cafés.
Marsaxlokk Sunday fish market
Marsaxlokk is a small fishing village on Malta's south-east coast with colourful luzzu fishing boats and a Sunday morning market that runs along the seafront. The first half of the market (closest to the sea) sells fresh fish direct from the boats. The second half is a general souvenir market that's less interesting.
Come before 11 am for the best fish selection. Several waterfront restaurants serve freshly caught fish for lunch — ask what arrived that morning rather than ordering from the full menu. It's 20–30 minutes by bus from Valletta (route 81).
See all places in MaltaHalal food in Malta
Malta's halal food scene is improving. We maintain a separate guide covering halal butchers, certified restaurants, and mosques — more practical and up-to-date than listing individual places here.
Halal food guide for MaltaPractical notes
- 1
Cover charges (coperto) are common at sit-down restaurants — typically €1.50–3 per person, which includes bread.
- 2
Service charge is sometimes included (check the bill); tipping 5–10% is appreciated but not obligatory.
- 3
Malta tap water is drinkable but heavily desalinated and tastes mineral-heavy. Restaurants almost universally recommend bottled water.
- 4
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in tourist areas. Smaller village restaurants may be cash-only.
- 5
The main supermarket chains are Tower Supermarkets, Lidl, and Pavi. Lidl Malta's bakery section is actually excellent.