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Malta on a Plate: Inside the Island’s Michelin Star Dining Scene
- Temple Magazine
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
I still remember the first time I dined at a Michelin-starred restaurant. I was in Florence, perched on a balcony just down beyond the Ponte Vecchio, with a spoonful of something I couldn’t pronounce melting on my tongue like poetry. It wasn’t just the food, it was the ceremony of the meal. The quiet before the first course, the knowing glance from the waiter, the theatre of tiny courses arriving like edible works of art. That’s when I realised: a good meal feeds you, but a great one moves you.
In Malta, that magic isn’t a detour, it’s part of the journey.
Malta’s Food Story: A Taste of the Mediterranean
Maltese cuisine is a story told in centuries, it’s layered, aromatic and fiercely local. From Arabic spices to British roasts, Sicilian sweetness to North African stews, this small archipelago has absorbed the flavours of every power that passed through. But it’s not just about influence, it’s about inheritance. Recipes are passed down like heirlooms. Sunday lunch is a sacred ritual. And whether you're eating ġbejniet on a terrace in Gozo or sea urchin pasta in a Valletta cellar, you’re tasting a memory, a place, and an overwhelming sense of pride.
Which is why it’s no surprise that Malta’s dining scene has drawn the attention of the Michelin Guide, the global gold standard of gastronomy. With stars awarded based on ingredients, mastery, personality, and value, the guide doesn’t just spotlight luxury, it champions excellence. And Malta delivers.
Here’s our rundown of the island’s Michelin-starred destinations, each of which is a chapter in Malta’s culinary love story.
Michelin Stars in Malta
Council Square, Mdina
Dining at De Mondion feels like stepping into a film set. Perched atop Mdina’s historic bastions, with views spilling toward the coast, it’s a place where time slows down, and the wine flows generously. Inside the Xara Palace Hotel, this refined restaurant honours Maltese produce with quiet elegance. Think Scottona beef kissed with local herbs, and vegetables pulled from their own sustainable garden. Don’t be fooled by the grandeur, the service is warm, intuitive, and quietly luxurious.
Tigné Street, Sliema
Tucked away down a side street in Sliema, Fernandõ Gastrotheque is one of those places you find once and keep coming back to. Intimate and unpretentious, it recently passed the torch from one chef to another and hasn't missed a beat. The menu is small but mighty: think raw red snapper, sea vegetables, almonds, and grapes swirl together in an almond milk sauce poured at your table. It’s the kind of plate that stops conversations, in the best way. With over 700 wines and a dining room that whispers, it is proof that excellence shines in quiet corners.
Thornton Street, Sliema
On the 11th floor of the 1926 Le Soleil Hotel, Le GV is a rooftop retreat where culinary performance meets plush design. Inspired by the Orient Express, the dining rooms echo the golden age of travel, while the menu is modern, lean, and theatrical. Chefs Andrew Borg and David Tanti craft dishes with precision and surprise, like amberjack with sea urchin and whisky zabaglione served with butter-soaked brioche. It’s indulgent, playful, and unmistakably Michelin: a limited menu with limitless imagination.
Republic Street, Valletta
A bakery once stood here. Now, it’s Noni, a stylish temple to refined Maltese cuisine. Chef Jonathan Brincat has created a space that honours tradition while boldly reimagining it, where every detail feels like a love litter written to Malta. The tasting menu is seasonal, sustainable, and deeply personal. Staff wellbeing is prioritised, and ingredients are sourced from local producers. It’s fine dining with heart, and a cocktail menu to match.
Balluta Bay, St Julian’s
Set in a romantic villa overlooking Balluta Bay, Rosamì is pure Maltese charm with a French wink. Elegant and old-world, it offers two “blind” tasting menus (six or eight courses) that let the chef lead you into the unexpected. With cheeses from local farms and wines from around the world, the experience is curated, calm, and impossibly chic. People have described it like dining in a friend’s stately home, if your friend was a sommelier and a culinary genius.
Merchants Street, Valletta
Beneath the historic Rosselli Hotel, Under Grain evokes the quiet precision of a master tailor, quite literally. Inspired by Merchant Street’s old sewing shops, the dining room is moody and atmospheric, with pin cushions for bill holders and menus designed like pattern books. The food? Tailored to perfection. From rabbit loin reimagined to delicate seafood, each dish is stitched with intention. A place where the fine dining feels like a beautifully fitted suit.
St. Barbara Bastion, Valletta
And then there’s ION—the crown jewel. With two stars to its name and a view that’s hard to look away from, this rooftop sanctuary at Iniala Harbour House is the pinnacle of Maltese fine dining. Overseen by the legendary Simon Rogan and resident chef Oli Marlow, the philosophy here is farm-to-fork luxury. Local produce is elevated to art. Wines are handpicked. The service is seamless. This is a reason to book your return flight to Malta.
The Final Course
Michelin stars don’t just measure flavour; they capture story, place, and intent. And Malta, with its sun-drenched terraces, stone-walled cellars, and kitchens brimming with creativity, offers dining that lingers far beyond the last bite.
So next time you’re in Malta, don’t just visit. Dine. And remember, on this island, a meal is never just a meal. It’s history, heritage, and a bit of heaven… served on a plate.