Valletta

Order: Ġbejniet (Gozo sheep cheese — fresh or peppered-dried), bigilla dip with crusty bread, zalzett tal-Malti sausage, and a jar of Gozo honey to take home. Arrive before 1 PM when the stalls are at their best.

The restored 1859 covered market turned food hall is the single best place to taste the full range of Maltese flavors under one roof. Graze widely — this is the place to eat like a local, not a tourist.

Order: Pastizzi (ricotta or mushy pea, eaten fresh and hot), imqaret (fried date pastries), and a granita on a hot afternoon. Stand at the bar and order like a local.

Established in 1837, Cordina's Belle Époque interior with a frescoed ceiling is one of the most beautiful rooms in Malta. The pastizzi here are the benchmark — order two, eat them before they cool.

Order: The Roman pinsa — a lighter, longer-fermented dough that's crispier than Neapolitan pizza. Ask what seasonal toppings they're running; the quality of the base alone justifies the visit.

A 4.7 with nearly 5,000 reviews is not luck. Sotto quietly became one of the most trusted spots in Valletta because the fundamentals — dough, sourcing, consistency — are genuinely right.

Order: Ask what's on today — the kitchen runs seasonal and the daily specials are where the real cooking is. The Maltese sharing plates are where to start.

Tucked on a quiet residential street, 67 Kapitali earns its 4.7 from locals who keep coming back, not tourists who wandered in. This is modern Maltese cooking done with actual care.

Order: A flat white or filter coffee from their own roasted beans. This is the rare Maltese café where the coffee itself is the point — don't rush it.

The best cup of coffee in Valletta, and it's not close. Lot 61 roasts on-site, the team knows what they're doing, and the Old Theatre Street location puts you exactly where you want to be between sights.

Order: The rose-shaped scoop — pick two or three flavors and they sculpt it into a flower. Classic pistachio (real Sicilian nuts) and dark chocolate are the benchmarks to judge them by.

Yes, it's a chain — but Amorino's quality holds and the flower-shaped gelato on Republic Street is a genuine pleasure on a hot Maltese afternoon. Sometimes the reliable choice is the right one.

Order: Work through the whisky list with a plate of mezze or loaded fries alongside. The bar staff know their selection — ask for a recommendation rather than ordering blind.

Old Theatre Street's best evening option: a whisky bar that actually takes its drinks list seriously, with relaxed grazing food that keeps you there. It gets properly alive after 9 PM.

Order: Classic burger and a cold Cisk lager on the waterfront terrace — the food is predictable but the view across Grand Harbour to Valletta's bastions is not.

Ignore the brand and focus on the location: the Valletta Waterfront terrace at sunset, looking back at the city's limestone fortifications reflected in the harbor, is one of the most scenic spots to have a casual drink in all of Malta.

Order: The Sunday buffet lunch is the main event — an extraordinary spread of Maltese and international dishes with unbroken views over Grand Harbour. Book ahead.

Sitting just outside Valletta's city gates with Grand Harbour at its feet, the Excelsior delivers reliable luxury for a city that sometimes runs short on formal dining options. The harbour view alone earns the premium.

Order: Cocktails at the rooftop bar with views across the water to Valletta — the elevated perspective of the city's fortifications from Sliema is entirely different from being inside them.

A five-star hotel that earns its rating: the Palace is the address for an elegant evening on the Sliema side of the harbor. Worth the short ferry crossing from Valletta for a special occasion.

Order: Fresh fish — ask for the catch of the day and specify how you want it prepared. The kitchen handles seafood well, and the Sliema promenade setting makes a long lunch feel completely right.

A reliably good restaurant on the Sliema seafront promenade. The unhurried pace and water views make it ideal for the long, slow Maltese lunch that the island's dining culture is built around.

Order: Sundowners at the bar — the Victoria's cocktail list is well-considered and the team is genuinely attentive. The terrace is the place to be in the early evening.

The Victoria is Sliema's most charming boutique hotel and its bar has become a quiet institution for the neighborhood's professional crowd. The atmosphere is warm without being stiff — a rare combination.