Food · Valletta · Malta
What to eat in Valletta
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Valletta, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mandyy88, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Pastizzi, Ħobż biż-żejt and Ftira. Valletta's wine bars on Strait Street and around the Lower Barrakka serve platters of ġbejniet, bigilla, sausages, capers and galletti with Maltese wines made from local grapes such as Girgentina and Ġellewża. Lunch runs from about 12:30pm and dinner from about 7:30pm; many Valletta restaurants are busy at lunch with office workers.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Pastizzi
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is appreciated rather than expected.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Street food · Vegetarian
1.Pastizzi
Diamond-shaped pastries of flaky dough filled with ricotta or mushy peas, baked until crisp. They are Malta's favourite snack, eaten hot at any time of day.
Where: Pastizzerias across Valletta and every town; the best are straight from the oven and cost very little.
Snack
2.Ħobż biż-żejt
Thick slices of Maltese sourdough rubbed with tomato paste (kunserva) and olive oil, topped with tuna, capers, olives and onion. It is the classic summer lunch by the sea.
Where: Snack bars and cafés across the island, especially near swimming spots.
Bakery
3.Ftira
A flattened ring of sourdough bread, often filled like ħobż biż-żejt with tuna, tomato, capers and potato; Gozitan ftira is a different, pizza-like bake. The culinary culture of ftira was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2020.
Where: Bakeries and kiosks in Valletta and across Malta; try Gozitan ftira on a day trip to Gozo.
Dish
4.Rabbit stew (Stuffat tal-fenek)
Malta's national dish: rabbit slow-cooked with red wine, garlic, tomatoes and bay leaves, often served with spaghetti in the sauce first and the meat as a main. A fenkata is a festive meal built around it.
Where: Traditional restaurants in Valletta and village restaurants in Mġarr and the countryside.
Dish
5.Lampuki pie (Torta tal-lampuki)
A pie of dolphinfish (lampuki) with spinach, olives, capers and tomatoes. The fish is seasonal, caught from late summer into early winter, when it is also served simply fried.
Where: Fish restaurants and bakeries from about August to December; Marsaxlokk restaurants serve lampuki in season.
Dish
6.Timpana
Baked macaroni with a rich meat sauce, eggs and cheese encased in pastry, a filling Sunday dish reflecting Malta's Sicilian links.
Where: Traditional Maltese restaurants and some bakeries and takeaways.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Ġbejniet
Small round sheep's-milk cheeses, eaten fresh and soft or dried and peppered. They appear on Maltese platters with bigilla, sun-dried tomatoes and galletti crackers.
Where: Maltese platters in wine bars and restaurants; delis and Gozo farm shops sell them to take away.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Bigilla
A dip of mashed broad beans with garlic, chilli and herbs, served with bread or galletti crackers as a starter.
Where: Part of most Maltese platters in Valletta wine bars and village restaurants.
Dish
9.Aljotta
A light fish soup with garlic, tomatoes, rice and plenty of fresh herbs, often finished with a squeeze of lemon.
Where: Fish restaurants in Valletta, Marsaxlokk and the Three Cities.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Imqaret
Diamond-shaped pastries filled with spiced dates and deep-fried, often sold hot from street stalls and at village festas.
Where: Street vendors near City Gate and at festas; some cafés serve them with ice cream.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Kinnie and Cisk
Kinnie is a bittersweet soft drink made with bitter oranges and herbs, produced in Malta since the 1950s; Cisk is the island's best-known lager, brewed since the 1920s.
Where: Every bar, café and kiosk in Malta.
Food experiences
Maltese platter in a wine bar
Valletta's wine bars on Strait Street and around the Lower Barrakka serve platters of ġbejniet, bigilla, sausages, capers and galletti with Maltese wines made from local grapes such as Girgentina and Ġellewża.
Sunday at Marsaxlokk
The fishing village's Sunday fish market is followed by long seafood lunches facing the painted luzzu boats in the harbour.
Pastizzi run
Grab hot ricotta and pea pastizzi from a pastizzeria for breakfast or a late-night snack; they are the most Maltese food on the island.
Village festa food
On summer feast weekends, stalls sell nougat (qubbajt), imqaret and fried snacks among the fireworks, brass bands and illuminated churches.
Quick bites and street food
- Pastizzi — Pastizzerias across Valletta and every town; the best are straight from the oven and cost very little.
- Ħobż biż-żejt — Snack bars and cafés across the island, especially near swimming spots.
- Ftira — Bakeries and kiosks in Valletta and across Malta; try Gozitan ftira on a day trip to Gozo.
- Bigilla — Part of most Maltese platters in Valletta wine bars and village restaurants.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Pastizzi, Ġbejniet, Bigilla, Imqaret and Kinnie and Cisk. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch runs from about 12:30pm and dinner from about 7:30pm; many Valletta restaurants are busy at lunch with office workers.
- Book dinner in Valletta on Friday and Saturday nights, when the small restaurants fill quickly.
- Fish is often priced by weight; ask for the price before it is cooked.
- Valletta empties at night outside the restaurant and bar streets, so pick dinner spots in advance.
- Maltese wine is improving fast and is usually good value compared with imports.
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated rather than expected. Around 5–10% in restaurants for good service is normal if service is not already included; round up for taxis.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonġu | Good morning |
| Bonswa | Good evening |
| Grazzi | Thank you |
| Jekk jogħġbok | Please |
| Saħħa | Cheers / goodbye |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Valletta famous for?
Pastizzi, Ħobż biż-żejt, Ftira and Rabbit stew. Diamond-shaped pastries of flaky dough filled with ricotta or mushy peas, baked until crisp.
+Is Valletta good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Pastizzi, Ġbejniet and Bigilla.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Valletta?
Tipping is appreciated rather than expected. Around 5–10% in restaurants for good service is normal if service is not already included; round up for taxis.