Malta Food and Drink Guide: Wetin to Chop and Drink

Taste of Malta

Maltese food dey sit for the crossroads of Sicily, North Africa and Britain. Centuries of trade leave kitchen wey hearty, rustic and no dey shy about am. To chop for here cheap, e get plenty social vibe and e build around family table.

Signature dishes

• Fenkata (rabbit stew) - the national dish, slow-cooked with wine, garlic and bay. Go Mgarr or village restaurant for the real one.
• Bragioli - thin beef olives wey wrap around minced pork, egg and breadcrumbs, dem braise am for tomato sauce.
• Aljotta - garlicky fish soup with rice and lemon, na Friday staple.
• Lampuki pie - dem make am with dorado (mahi-mahi) wey dem catch between August and December.
• Kapunata - Maltese version of caponata, with aubergine, capers and tomato.

Street food and snacks

• Pastizzi - flaky diamond-shaped pastries wey full with ricotta or mushy peas, usually 0.40 to 0.60 euro each. Try Crystal Palace for Rabat, e dey open day and night.
• Ftira - ring-shaped sourdough bread, dem often fill am with tuna, olives, capers, tomato and Maltese gbejna cheese. The Gozo baked version na UNESCO-listed.
• Hobz biz-zejt - crusty bread wey dem rub tomato paste on top and pack with tuna and olives.
• Imqaret - deep-fried date pastries wey dem sell hot from street carts near Valletta City Gate.

Wetin to drink

• Kinnie - Malta bittersweet soft drink, dem make am from bitter oranges and wormwood. Order one make you feel local.
• Cisk - the classic Maltese lager, e dey everywhere.
• Local wine - look for Marsovin and Delicata, with native grapes Gellewza (red) and Girgentina (white).
• Bajtra - sweet liqueur wey dem make from prickly pear, dem often offer am as digestif.

Practical dining tips

• Lunch dey run roughly 12:30 to 2:30, dinner from 7:30. Plenty village kitchens dey close on Monday.
• 5 to 10 percent tip dey appreciated but no compulsory; check if service don already dey included.
• Book ahead for Sunday fenkata, when locals go full up the restaurants.
• Marsaxlokk Sunday fish market na the best place to buy and chop just-catch seafood.
• Tap water safe but often desalinated; plenty people prefer bottled one.

Stay connected for Malta

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