The best places to eat in Malta

How I choose the best restaurants in Malta

Every restaurant on this site is carefully researched. I combine my own visits with what diners, food critics and the MICHELIN Guide consistently say, and a place only makes a top 10 list if I would happily send a friend there, whether that friend wants a cheap lunch in Sliema or a special dinner in Valletta.

What I look at

• Food: fresh ingredients, real flavour and dishes that taste as good as they look
• Consistency: one great meal is not enough, the kitchen has to deliver every time
• Value for money: a fair price for what is on the plate, at every price level
• Service: friendly, attentive staff who know their menu
• Atmosphere and location: from sea views in St Julian's to a quiet side street in Valletta

How the rankings work

Each category has ten places, ranked from one to ten. The Overall list is my personal top 10 across every cuisine in Malta. Where it helps, I mention recognition such as the MICHELIN Guide Malta or ratings from other diners, but the final order is always my own.

Kept up to date

Restaurants in Malta open, close and change quickly. I review the lists regularly, drop places that slip and add new openings that impress me. Opening hours and menus change often, so check the restaurant's website or call ahead before you go.

About me: the food lover behind Best Restaurants Malta

I love good food, and I spend a lot of my time eating my way around Malta. Best Restaurants Malta is my personal, independent guide to the places that are actually worth your time and money, from Michelin-starred tasting menus in Valletta to a warm pastizz on a Sunday morning.

Why I started this guide

Finding a genuinely good restaurant in Malta is harder than it should be. Review sites are crowded with tourist traps, sponsored listings and ratings you cannot trust. I wanted one clear place with honest recommendations: ten picks per category, the dish I would order, the opening hours and the menu, all on one page.

What you will find here

• The best Asian restaurants in Malta, from Korean and Japanese to Thai, Vietnamese and Indian
• The best Italian restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias and pasta bars
• The best fast food, burgers and traditional Maltese ftira and pastizzi
• The best fish and seafood restaurants, many right by the sea
• Luxury and fine dining, including Malta's Michelin-starred restaurants

Most of my picks are in Sliema, St Julian's and Valletta, where most visitors stay, plus a few places elsewhere on the island that are worth the trip.

Independent recommendations

No restaurant can pay to be listed or to move up a ranking. If a place is on this site, it is because I think it is one of the best restaurants in Malta.