A Foodie’s Guide to Valletta

Malta is a melting pot of different cultures, which is no more evident than in its capital, Valletta. The city is home to a delicious blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, creating flavours found nowhere else in the region.

A port call here will allow you to taste a unique culinary scene cultivated over centuries. Read on as we take you through the best traditional Maltese dishes to try, along with local food markets and dining spots.

When you are visiting somewhere new, it can be hard to know what to order. To make it easier, we’ve recommended some must-try, traditional Maltese dishes to add to the top of your “to-try” list on your Malta cruise.

• Stuffat tal-Fenek
• Lampuki Pie
• Pastizzi
• Bragioli
• Ħobż biż-Żejt
• Bigilla

We’d recommend that you don’t leave Valletta without sampling the country’s national dish, Stuffat tal-Fenek. This beloved dish is served in most restaurants around the city, and is a local favourite that’s easy to overlook.

With a sauce made from wine, tomato, garlic and bay leaf, this rabbit stew is traditionally slow-cooked before being served up with crusty Maltese bread.

Talking about the dish's history, Sophie Woodward, the travel blogger behind The Wandering Woodward, says: “Rabbits are believed to have been introduced to Malta by the Phoenicians around 3,500 years ago. During the Knights of St. John’s rule, a Grand Master banned the hunting of rabbits to reserve game for the nobility, leaving peasants without a key source of cheap meat and farmers at the mercy of crop damage. Eating rabbit then became a quiet act of resistance – a tradition that helped establish it as Malta’s national dish.”

This is a popular seasonal fish pie that is eaten across Malta. It is made from lampuki – the Maltese name for mahi-mahi -  spinach, olives, mint, and capers and is covered in a golden crust.

You can’t get lampuki pie year-round; the Feast of Santa Marija marks the start of the season on August 15^th. Restaurants in Valletta then serve lampuki pie till December every year, tying in with the legal fishing season during the species’ migration.

The lampuki pie is a perfect example of how Malta’s culinary scene has been influenced by different cultures from around the world, in this instance English, Italian and Arabic.

In addition to the pie, you can try pan-fried lampuki, another popular choice among locals.

These flaky pasties are one of the best foods you can try in Valletta, and they are a popular fast-food snack of choice amongst locals. Traditionally, they are filled with curried peas or cheese, but it is not only the taste that makes pastizzi so popular, but also its affordability, with many costing no more than a Euro.

Like most things, the pastizzi has evolved, and you can enjoy more flavours than the traditional fillings. Chicken, rabbit and peppered steak are new fillings which have increased in popularity in recent years.

You can try pastizzi across Valletta and around the rest of the island, and this snack is literally eaten at any time of the day, from first thing in the morning to dinner.

• Bragioli: Also known as beef olives, thin slices of beef are wrapped around a mixture of breadcrumbs, bacon, and herbs. These beef rolls are then braised in wine.
• Ħobż biż-Żejt: A Valletta food speciality you have to try is Ħobż biż-Żejt, a traditional sandwich that consists of Maltese bread, olive oil, tomato paste, tuna, capers and olives.
• Bigilla: A popular appetiser in Valletta, this broad bean dip is normally served alongside some crackers or Maltese bread.

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Food markets are a great place to experience local culture and to taste fresh produce, and here we take you through some of the best food markets in Valletta.

• Is-Suq tal-Belt
• Merchant Street Market

Is-Suq tal-Belt, also known as the Valletta Food Market, aims to provide a unique and authentic food market experience which celebrates the diverse culinary heritage of Valletta and Malta.

At this Valletta food hall, you can taste local and international food, but the market is more than just a place to buy food; it is a cultural and social hub where locals meet and socialise with each other.

The Valletta Food Market is located within a beautifully restored 19th-century building, which has been converted into a trendy gourmet food hall that has local vendors selling fresh seafood, produce, charcuterie, wine stalls, and even cooked food stands.

OMG Food Malta talks about the popular market: “The main feature of the place is the diversity of food outlets present on the ground floor. The area features two main central bars at the heart of the building and a variety of food stalls preparing culinary specialities from different world cuisines, which will keep your curiosity buzzing and your taste buds tickled.

“It is this variety that caters to any type of eater. Whatever cuisine or requirements, you’ll be sure to find something to your liking.”

If you are looking for the best street food in Valletta, this bustling street is the perfect place to visit as it is home to a mix of shops and markets. The outdoor market is where locals come to shop for fresh fruit, vegetables, and traditional Maltese food.

The market doesn’t just have stalls selling food, but it has vendors that sell souvenirs, jewellery and clothes. The street itself is worth visiting as there are some striking buildings and architecture, and there are plenty of shops too.

The shops along the street are open weekly from around 7 am to 8 pm from Monday to Thursday and till 10 pm from Friday to Sunday.

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When enjoying a stopover in Valletta, there is a range of brilliant restaurants and eateries that should be on your radar. We’ve highlighted some popular spots that are worth considering if you want a meal to remember in the city.

• Noni
• Rubino
• Nenu the Baker
• ION Harbour by Simon Rogan

Sitting in the heart of Valletta, Noni is a Michelin-starred restaurant steeped in history. The building that Noni is located within dates back 400 years, and has been a hub of activity that has changed from a shop to a jazz bar to the highly-regarded restaurant that you see today.

During a stop in Valletta, you should look to visit this renowned fine dining restaurant as it offers a refined take on traditional Maltese cuisine with local ingredients, such as lampuki pie.

Rubino is one of the oldest restaurants in Valletta, with its roots firmly set in 1906, but what makes it a popular dining spot for visitors is the fact that you can indulge in classic Maltese and Italian dishes.

The ever-changing menu presents diners with unique flavours, and here you can try the iconic Maltese rabbit stew as well as lots more.

Nenu the Baker calls itself the home of authentic Maltese cuisine, and this eatery blends its traditional Maltese cooking with history, memorabilia and entertainment.

It has become a meeting place for locals of all ages, and it is a great place for you to visit during a stop in Valletta during your cruise, as you can experience an authentic dining experience.

You can try a variety of local foods, including Maltese bread in its traditional format with fillings such as sardines, tuna, potato, fresh tomato, onion, capers and olives. Nenu the Baker will bring to life the evolution of Maltese bread and traditional Maltese gastronomy.

ION Harbour is Malta’s only two-Michelin-star restaurant, and its ever-changing menu focuses on seasonality and local produce. Simon Rogan, an award-winning British chef, has created an ethos at the restaurant to use local ingredients that are harvested, fished and foraged by sustainable producers.

There is a multi-course tasting menu that is available for both lunch and dinner, together with a shorter tasting menu. Not only will cruisers enjoy the food here, but they can also enjoy the most spectacular views of Valletta’s Grand Harbour.

A stop at Valletta allows you to explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its ancient forts, fascinating museums, and baroque architecture, but you can also sample a vibrant culinary scene. No matter whether you are visiting Valletta as part of one of our longer European cruises or you are going on a shorter cruise to Malta and nearby Mediterranean countries, you will not be disappointed by the food scene you will experience.