3 Best Restaurants in Malta

On the ground floor of the original treasury of the Knights is Valletta's oldest café. Since 1837, this ornate, vaulted confectionery has produced hot, savory breakfast pastries and qaghaq ta' l-ghasel (honey rings). The lunch menu also includes sandwiches, salads, and a choice of daily specials. The interior air-conditioned café attracts Valletta movers and shakers, because of its close proximity to parliament and the law courts. The shaded outside tables in Victoria Square are the city's prime people-watching spots. Enjoy a coffee, beer, or glass of wine and relax.

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.

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.