Malta's food scene is one of the island's most underrated aspects. Most tourists stick to the tourist-trap restaurants on Valletta's Republic Street and leave thinking Maltese food is average. It isn't — you just need to know where to look. This guide is written from a local perspective.

For a personalised food and experience itinerary based on your travel dates, check out our Malta Trip Planning Call — we'll point you to the exact places worth your time.

The Essential Maltese Foods

Pastizzi — The National Snack

If you eat one thing in Malta, make it a pastizzi. These flaky, diamond-shaped pastries are filled with either ricotta cheese (tal-irkotta) or mushy peas (tal-piżelli) and cost around €0.25-0.40 each. They're eaten for breakfast, as a mid-morning snack, after a night out — basically any time.

**Where to get the best:** Crystal Palace in Rabat is legendary among locals. In Valletta, Is-Serkin near the bus terminus is excellent. Avoid the pastizzi sold in tourist cafes — they're usually reheated and overpriced.

Ħobż biż-Żejt — Maltese Bread with Oil

A thick slice of Maltese bread (ħobż tal-Malti) rubbed with ripe tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with tuna, olives, capers, and local bigilla (black bean paste). It's the Maltese equivalent of pan con tomate — simple, cheap, and delicious.

Fenkata — Rabbit Stew

Rabbit (fenek) is Malta's national dish, traditionally eaten on Sundays and at village festas. The rabbit is marinated in wine and garlic, then slow-cooked until tender. It's hearty, rich, and deeply Maltese. You won't find it in tourist restaurants — look for family-run places in villages like Rabat, Żebbuġ, or Mosta.

Aljotta — Fish Soup

A light, aromatic fish soup made with garlic, tomatoes, marjoram, and whatever fresh fish is available. It's particularly good in fishing villages. Marsaxlokk on a Sunday morning — after the fish market — is the ideal place to try it. Read our Marsaxlokk guide for the full experience.

Braġjoli — Beef Olives

Thin slices of beef rolled around a stuffing of breadcrumbs, egg, bacon, and herbs, then slow-cooked in a tomato and wine sauce. It's the kind of dish that takes hours to make and tastes like someone's grandmother cooked it — because they probably did.

Ftira — Maltese Pizza

Not quite pizza, not quite focaccia — ftira is a round, ring-shaped flatbread topped with tomatoes, olives, capers, tuna, and local cheese. Gozo's version (ftira tal-Għawdex) is particularly good. If you're visiting Gozo, it's mandatory.

Imqaret — Date Pastries

Deep-fried diamond-shaped pastries filled with spiced dates and anise. Sold at street stalls, particularly around Valletta and during village festas. They're best eaten hot, straight from the fryer.

Local Wine & Beer

Malta has a small but growing wine industry. Marsovin and Meridiana are the main producers — look for the Gellewza grape, a native Maltese variety that produces a light, fruity red. For beer, Cisk is the local lager (perfectly decent) and Lord Chambray from Gozo is an excellent craft option.

Where to Eat: The Honest Guide

In Valletta

**Avoid:** The restaurants on Republic Street and St John's Street with laminated menus and touts outside. They're targeting cruise ship passengers and the food reflects it.

**Go to:** Strait Street (the old red-light district, now a cool food and bar street), the area around Merchants Street, and the small cafes near the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Nenu the Artisan Baker on Old Bakery Street is excellent for traditional Maltese food in a proper setting.

In Marsaxlokk

The Sunday fish market is unmissable — arrive before 10am for the best selection. The restaurants lining the harbour serve some of the freshest fish on the island. Lunch here on a Sunday is one of the best food experiences Malta offers.

In Gozo

Victoria (Rabat) has excellent local restaurants away from the tourist circuit. For ftira, Maxokk Bakery in Nadur is the reference. The restaurants around the Citadel are generally better than those in Xlendi and Marsalforn, which cater more to tourists.

Street Food & Markets

The Valletta Food Market (open Friday mornings) and the Marsaxlokk Sunday market are the best street food experiences. For pastizzi, seek out the neighbourhood pastizzerias rather than the tourist-facing cafes.

What to Skip

The "Maltese platter" served in tourist restaurants is usually a disappointing assortment of mediocre items that don't represent real Maltese food. The rabbit at tourist restaurants is often overcooked and overpriced. And the "traditional Maltese dessert" menus in Valletta's main drag are largely invented for tourists.

Real Maltese food is simple, seasonal, and deeply connected to the sea and the land. The best meals you'll have in Malta will probably be at a plastic-table restaurant in a village you've never heard of, run by someone who's been cooking the same dishes for 40 years.