15 traditional Maltese dishes that you should try

Malta has established itself as a prominent (food) tourist destination. Since Malta was over the centuries occupied by many civilizations, the Maltese kitchen is nowadays a marriage of Mediterranean tastes and cooking styles. It is a unique cuisine that is different from any cuisine around the world.

For my master degree, I did a research to examine the feasibility of implementing an authenticity label for food based on the consumers’ demand in Malta. While being on Malta for this research, I spoke with many cooks and was lucky to try different delicious Maltese dishes. This post will describe 15 examples of traditional Maltese food that you should try in Malta.

Fenkata (rabbit stew)
Rabbit is definitely the most known Maltese dish. It is often stewed in red wine and served with a tomato sauce and peas spaghetti.

Fish (sea bream, sea bass and grouper)
There is plenty of fresh fish in Malta. Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village in south Malta and is especially known for fresh fish. Most of the time, sea bream, sea bass and grouper are grilled on the skin or baked in oil.

Lampuka (fish)
Lampuka is one of the dolphin fish species. The fish is caught seasonal and is often prepared in a savoury pie  with onions, tomatoes, spinach tomato paste black olives and capers.

Pixxispad (swordfish)
Another type of fish to try is locally caught swordfish. It is often fried in olive oil and served with lemon.

Ħobż biż-żejt (bread)
This bread is mostly prepared for lunch and also sold as street food. It is often dressed up with ingredients as tuna or a meat paste substance.

Soppa tal-Armla (soup)
This is a rich and tasty soup with potatoes, carrots, garlic, peas, cauliflower and Gbejniet (Maltese cheese).

Aljotta (soup)
This is also a traditional Maltese soup, it is a fish soup! The soup contains a combination of fresh and local fish, tomatoes, and capers.

Bragioli
Bragioli consists of savory stuffed beef rolls braised in wine, often served with peas and mashed potatoes, spooning the sauce over.

Pastizzi
Pastizzi are probably the most popular snacks on Malta. It are traditional savory pastries. The most common pastizzi are made with ricotta, with peas and onions or with anchovies.

Qarabaghli Mimli fil-Forn
Qarabaghli Mimli fil-Forn are marrow rings stuffed with mince beef. Most often they are baked.

Bhall fil-forn
This is a typical Maltese dish made with vegetables and simmered in a pot. It can be eaten on its own ,served with fish or with tinned tuna. It is nice to combine this dish with some crusty Maltese bread, so you can mop up the delicious gravy.

Pie
The Maltese love pies. Tuna and spinach are popular ingredients throughout Maltese cuisine. Many pies combine the meaty flavors of tuna with spinach, onion, anchovies, olives, and garlic.

Timpana (pasta pie)
Another pie, but this one is made from pasta!

Kinnie
Kinnie is a Maltese soft drink that you should try! You can get it in almost every bar, restaurant and local grocery shop.

Cisk Lager Beer
Cisk is Maltese beer. It is very popular any time of the year and consumed a lot on Malta.

Have you already tried something of this traditional Maltese food? What dish sounds most delicious for you? My favorite was Lampuka, Pastizzi, and Cisk!

Written by author: Daphne

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