Eating out in Malta is straightforward, but a few things work differently from what visitors are used to. None of them are difficult once you know about them.
Dinner starts late
Restaurants fill up from about half seven, and eight to nine is the busy stretch. Turning up at six usually means an empty room. Lunch is more like midday to two.
In summer and at weekends, book. The good places on the coast fill early and walking in on a Saturday night rarely works.
Bread and water are not free
Bread, olives or dips often arrive without being ordered, and they go on the bill. So does bottled water. There is nothing underhand about it, and you can say no when it is put down if you do not want it.
Check the bottom of the bill
Some restaurants add a service charge. Others do not.
It is printed on the bill, so read it before deciding what to leave. Where there is no service charge, rounding up or around ten per cent is normal.
The village is cheaper than the strip
Prices on the seafront in Sliema, St Julian’s and the northern resorts are set for visitors. Walk inland into a village and the same meal costs noticeably less, in a place mostly full of people who live there.
There is a list of the best value lunches if you want somewhere specific.
Sunday lunch is the big one
Sunday lunch is a family event here and it runs long. Restaurants are at their fullest and many take bookings weeks ahead in the villages. If you want to eat out on a Sunday, plan it earlier than you would at home.
Some dishes need ordering ahead
A fenkata (a rabbit meal) is the main one. Rabbit is slow cooked and several places want a day’s notice, especially for a group.
Ask when you book rather than when you sit down. More on what to look for on a Maltese menu.
