Malta Food and Drink

Malta is the hidden gem of the Mediterranean with a fine reputation for its varied cuisine, borrowing heavily from neighbouring Sicily and North Africa. Although food from every part of the globe is to be found on the island, local restaurants providing rustic home-cooked family recipes are definitely worth seeking out.

The family get-together also plays an important part in the Maltese dining experience, so expect to see large multi-generational gatherings especially on Sundays enjoying their food and drink during a distinctly Mediterranean feast that will last for hours.

Specialities

Timpana: Pasta with a Bolognese-style sauce baked in pastry.
Bragioli: Thin slices of steak rolled around a ground veal filling and covered in a tomato-based sauce.
Fenek: Rabbit cooked in wine.
Pastizzi: Ricotta or pea-filled savoury pastries.
Lampuki pie: A baked pastry derived from the popular lampuki fish.
Qara bali mimli: Round pale green zucchini or courgettes stuffed with minced beef, cheese and parsley or with ricotta and grated sharp cheese.
Mazzit: Maltese blood sausage.
Kinnie: Sparkling soft drink with a distinctive bitter orange flavour.
Cisk lager: Malta's national beer.
Bajtra: One of Malta's traditional liqueurs, distilled from prickly pears.

Tipping

Expect to pay 10 to 15% in hotels and restaurants when service is not included in the bill.

Drinking age

17.