If your vacation is all about pampering your palate, Malta is the place to be. This sun-soaked Mediterranean island is small, but its dense and rustic maltese cuisine is decades in the making. Imagine Sicilian charm, North African aromas, fresh Mediterranean seafood, and homemade staples prepared the old-fashioned way, just like nonna used to make.
What to eat in Malta? Lets take a cookbook tour of the top traditional Maltese dishes every food lover should taste.
Top Maltese Dishes You Simply Can't Miss
1. Hobz biz-zejt – Malta's Delicious Bread Snack
No visit to Malta is complete without tasting hobz biz-zejt. This plain-looking dish begins with crispy Maltese bread spread with fresh tomatoes and splattered with fragrant olive oil. Topped with tuna, olives, capers, or dried tomatoes, it is an ideal lunchtime snack or light meal.
Take it with a chilled Kinnie, Malta's bittersweet, legendary soda for the quintessential local tipple.
2. Aljotta – Fisherman's Treasure
Fish is the pride of traditional Maltese food, and aljotta, its fishy, aromatic soup, is an absolute must. Prepared with fresh-caught fish (which usually incorporates lampuki), garlic, tomatoes, rice, and herbs, this unpretentious yet satisfying dish is a testament to Malta's seafaring tradition.
Walk to Marsaxlokk, the island's picturesque fishing village, where colorful boats rock on the sea and food which was caught a few hours before is served.Aljotta is tasted a few feet away from the place where the catch had landed.
3. Lampuki – Malta's National Fish
Seen on its seasonal migration through Malta in autumn, lampuki (or dorado or mahi-mahi) is the national fish of Malta, a gem of Maltese traditional food. It is usually grilled with lemon, baked in white wine, or served in a sour mixture of tomatoes, olives, and capers.
Most restaurants get you to pick your fish directly from the counter before it gets prepared to your taste. It's an interactive and tasty eating experience that will be enjoyed by all seafood fans.
4. Fenek – Traditional Maltese Rabbit
No Malta food says “Maltese home cooking” quite like fenek. This national meat is typically served stewed in red wine and garlic, fried with herbs, or tucked into pasta dishes. The rich, earthy flavour and slow-cooked tenderness make it a hearty and satisfying meal.
You’ll find outstanding rabbit at Rubino in Valletta, once an old sweet shop and at Ta’ Marija, where family recipes and traditional maltese food along with music complete the experience.
5. Bragioli – Beef Olives with a Twist
Bragioli are called "beef olives," but don't be tricked by the name because no olives to be found. Instead, slices of beef wrapped around a spiced ground meat stuffing, then simmered in wine gravy until tender to the point of falling apart in your mouth.
Accompanied by mashed potatoes or crusty bread to use for sopping up the sauce, bragioli is comfort food at its best.
6. Soppa ta' l-Armla – Widow's Soup
Yet another rich and satisfying soup, soppa ta' l-armla (widow's soup) consists of whatever vegetables are in season, such as potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots, sometimes served with a hard-boiled egg or a chunk of Maltese cheeselet gbejna added in just prior to serving. The end product is one of thick, broth-like richness with high texture and nutritional content.
The soup is a mainstay of most traditional Maltese food restaurants, particularly in winter.
7. Gbejna – Small Cheeselets with Great Taste
Produced with goat's or sheep's milk, gbejna are tiny round cheeselets that can be eaten fresh or matured. Plain, peppered, or vinegared in vinegar, fresh gbejna is a light, creamy treat great in salads or sandwiches and the dried type is ideal crumbling over pasta or with crackers. To see the cheese for yourself, go to Ta' Rikardu in Gozo's Citadel, and watch them make it before it reaches your plate.
To see the cheese for yourself, go to Ta' Rikardu in Gozo's Citadel, and watch them make it before it reaches your plate.
8. Pastizzi – The Malta Street Food Favorite
Shiny, crunchy, and irresistibly addictive, pastizzi are favorite Maltese food from the street. Small little pastries topped with mushy peas or cream ricotta filling, baked to crisps, and sold from food stalls and bakeries throughout the island.
Start your morning with one and you’ll understand why many Maltese locals can’t go a day without them.
9. Ftira – Maltese Pizza with a Twist
Ftira is a traditional Maltese flatbread, often topped with tuna, olives, onions, tomatoes, and capers. It’s sometimes compared to pizza but with a firmer, chewier base and more rustic toppings.
Try it hot from the wood oven at Gozitan bakery Mekren's in Nadur for a real authentic taste.
10. Imqaret – Sweet Date-Filled Treats
Finish off your Maltese meal with imqaret, spiced date paste-filled fried pastry with an aniseed or fennel flavor. These golden crunchy squares are street food as well as being served warm best.
A Developing Food Scene
Malta is not all about tradition, it's also a destination for fine dining. With six Michelin-starred restaurants, three Bib Gourmand recipients, and more than twenty restaurants awarded the Michelin Plate, the island finds equilibrium between quality and authenticity.
So whether you're enjoying rabbit stew in a stone courtyard, or snacking pastizzi from a paper cone while walking cobblestone streets, Maltese food has something to entice every gourmand.
Hungry to eat your way around Malta? We can’t promise that the taste is going to be exactly how nonna makes it but these dishes certainly make your heart feel at home. Just don't rush, meals are prepared to be savoured and memories are made to be cherished.
Happy Travelling!
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