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Local Eats

Malta’s Mouthwatering Morsels: a Cheeky Guide to Top 10 Traditional Eats

Photo credit: tastemalta.com

  1. Fenek (Rabbit Stew)

Hop to it, food lovers! This national dish will have you eating like a  Maltese knight. Slow-cooked rabbit in wine and herbs – it’s the meal  that made Malta hop with joy.  For a real traditional treat, start with spaghetti in rabbit sauce, and then enjoy the sauteed rabbit in gravy for your main course!  For a taste of history, go to Mgarr where it is said the best rabbit on the island is served at several of the traditional restaurants around the main church.

  1. Pastizzi (Savory Pastries)

The ultimate Maltese street food – flaky, greasy, and utterly irresistible. These diamond-shaped pastries are stuffed with ricotta (irkotta), mushy peas (pizelli), or chicken. Children love the more modern version of “Wudy” which is pastry encasing a good old hot dog.  If you are lucky, get might even your get hands on an apple pie!  Legend has it that the traditional oval pastizzi shape was inspired by a voluptuous lady who caught a pastry maker’s eye. For the best pastizzi experience, join the queue at the famous Crystal Palace in Rabat, lovingly known as  “Is-Serkin”.

  1. Ftira (Maltese Bread)

Ring-shaped loaf has a crispy crust and soft interior. It’s said that  the hole in the middle was designed so bakers could hang them on poles.  For a true ftira feast, head to Qormi, Malta’s bread-making capital.

  1. Ħobż biż-Żejt (Bread with Oil)

The Maltese version of “Netflix and chill” – beach and Ħobż biż-Żejt.  This simple snack of bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes or kunserva (a sweet Maltese tomato paste), drizzled with oil, and topped with tuna and capers is a summer staple. Best enjoyed with sand between your toes at Għajn Tuffieħa Bay, where you can work off the carbs with a swim.

  1. Bragioli (Beef Olives)

Don’t worry, no olives were harmed in the making of this dish. These beef rolls stuffed with breadcrumbs, bacon, and spices are the Maltese answer to “How many flavors can we fit in one bite?” For a homestyle bragioli experience, book a table at Rubino in Valletta.

  1. Sunday Fish Lunch in Marsaxlokk

Forget Sunday roast – in Malta, it’s all about the Sunday fish feast in Marsaxlokk! This picturesque fishing village is a seafood lover’s paradise every Sunday afternoon. Picture this: a harbor full of colorful luzzu boats, their eyes of Osiris watching you devour the catch of the day. From swordfish to sea bream, octopus to prawns, if it swims, it’s  on the menu.  The star of the show? Lampuki (dorado) when in season.  For the full experience, arrive early to watch the fishermen unload their catch, then settle in at one of the  waterfront restaurants. Try Tartarun for a slightly upscale twist on  traditional seafood, or join the locals at Capo Mulini for a no-frills  feast.

  1. Cisk beer

Brewed in Malta, beloved by locals and tourists alike for it’s light hoppy taste, enjoy a pint of Cisk anywhere, from the local village snackshop (similar vibe to a pub), to a fine dining establishment.  But most locals would agree the best way to enjoy a cold pint is on the beach, watching the sun set with friends and family.

  1. Bebbux (Snails)

Slow food at its finest – literally! These garden-dwelling gastropods are the Maltese answer to escargot. Simmered in a garlicky broth or stewed with tomato and herbs, bebbux are the ultimate Maltese finger food. Just remember, no snail forks here – use a toothpick or your own digits to coax these little guys out of their shells. Legend has it that eating bebbux gives you the patience of a saint – or at least the time to  finish your glass of Cisk beer while waiting for your next morsel. Find bebbux on the menu of traditional Maltese restaurants in season, or at a kiosk during a local village festa.

  1. Aljotta (Fish Soup)

The Maltese answer to Bouillabaisse, Aljotta is a combination of fish, tomatoes, and rice swim together in this lemony soup. It’s so good, it’ll have you speaking in fish puns.  Grab a bowl at Gululu, a beautiful traditional Maltese restaurant in St Julians.

  1. Imqaret (Date Pastries)

These diamond-shaped date pastries are the sweet ending to our tour.  Fried and drizzled with honey, they’re the perfect sidekick to a cup of coffee or scoop of vanilla ice cream. For imqaret that’ll have you on a date with destiny, get yourself to a village festa and follow the sweet aroma to a street vendor.