4 Best Restaurants in Gozo and Comino, Malta

Fresh fish served by the sea is the signature of success for this long-standing Gozo favorite. Try a salad sprinkled with locally grown capers followed by grilled catch of the day or clams with pasta. The low ceiling of the vaulted dining room, once an old boat house, can feel a little claustrophobic but the sunny terrace overlooking the bay is popular with visitors from surrounding hotels but many local families also make this the place for long lunches or dinners.

In the villages of Gozo, bakeries have always been a hub of activity thanks to their limestone wood-huge ovens. Locals bring huge trays of vegetables and slabs of meat to be cooked in the searing flames—and it's still not an uncommon sight today on Sunday and during festivals. Mekren's is especially popular for its wood-fired local pizza (ftira), typically topped with tomato, anchovies, goat cheese, and potato. Unlike other bakeries on the island, it doesn't need to be ordered in advance here—you can just turn up and take it away.

You'll find refined service and classic cuisine in this old limestone farmhouse. Using produce from its vegetable garden, a seasonal menu includes boat-fresh seafood dishes, fresh pasta, and a fine suckling pig. Signature dishes err on the traditional side and some are cooked tableside, including steak Diane (flambéed in Cognac), and a chateaubriand for two. And while the actual building is in simple traditional Gozitan style, the dining room is embellished with fine drapes and table settings to match the elegant cooking.

A truly authentic Gozitan experience is enjoying locally produced charcuterie and plates of pasta in this vaulted stone medieval building in the shade of Gozo Cathedral. There isn't an extensive menu—daily specials appear on a chalkboard—but you'll be assured of handcrafted cheeses, crusty bread, local honey, and wine that's traveled only a couple of miles from a local vineyard. The rabbit is reliably good, but it's the goat-cheese-packed ravioli that are truly special. Ta' Rikardu also sells vacuum-packed foods that are on the menu. Tours with Gozo Adventures include visits to the farm where you can see Rikardu make his famous gbejna cheeselets.