Vegetarian eating in Malta is straightforward. Vegan takes slightly more planning, though far less than it did five years ago, and Valletta and Sliema now carry several fully plant-based kitchens.
What already works
Bigilla, kapunata and ful
Bigilla (a broad bean dip), the thick broad bean paste with garlic and parsley, is vegan as made and excellent with galletti crackers. So is kapunata (a Maltese vegetable stew), most bean soups and ful.
Maltese cooking is thriftier with meat than its reputation suggests, and a lot of the vegetable repertoire is accidentally plant-based.
The full repertoire
Ftira biz-zejt
The tomato-rubbed ftira (Maltese flatbread) works perfectly if you leave out the tuna and the cheese. Ask for it biz-zejt without tuna and nobody will think it strange.
It is a full meal from a bakery for a couple of euro.
About ftiraBook a food tour
Ġbejniet, stock and pastry
Ġbejniet (small dried sheep cheeses) turns up in salads and fillings without being announced. Soups are often built on a meat or fish stock even when the visible contents are vegetables.
Pastizzi (savoury pastries) are ricotta or peas. The pea ones are usually, though not always, made with a pastry that is not vegan. Ask rather than assume on all three.
About pastizzi
The farmers market sells whatever is in season, cheaply and direct from growers. If you are self-catering, it solves the problem entirely.