PHOTOGRAPHS MING TANG-EVANS
ISLAND LIFE, CLOCKWISE FROM THIS PICTURE The capital, Valletta; a house in the town; Gozo cheesemaker Rikardu; octopus cooked by Jonathan Brincat (left); the luxury Cugó Gran hotel; a Gozo Picnic spread
hungry traveller.
That first glimpse of the islands of Malta from the plane is surprise number one of many you’ll experience. The bleached, honey-coloured limestone of the buildings reflecting the sunlight creates a memorable luminosity, the structures blending seamlessly with the cactus-dotted, wild thyme-scented landscape.
On the ground, the towns seem more North African than European, with their flat roofs and Arabicsounding names, though there are architectural nods to Spain, too. The same goes for the cuisine. Malta (and the islands of Gozo and tiny Comino, both a short ferry trip) has had numerous occupiers – from the Phoenicians, who brought grapes, to the Arabs, who brought pasta. Add in the British (it was a colony from 1815–1964), who brought butter, driving on the left and the language spoken by most here, and dining can be both exotic and familiar, often on the same plate. If you’re a food-loving culture seeker, here’s why you need to go…
1 THE RESTAURANTS
Who knew Malta had a gastronomic scene? Not me (nor the Michelin Guide, it seems, which is yet to publish here). But things have moved on, and leading the way are chefs such as Jonathan Brincat at Noni in Valletta. He won ‘dish of my trip’ with his tender, aromatic, slowcooked octopus tagine (yours for €24). Also up there is Chris Hammett, who recently opened Hammett’s Macina in the boutique hotel Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour in Senglea (see Where to Stay), with a smart five-course pairing menu (€50) that pretties up the local produce a treat with clever presentation and slick execution. Other standouts include chef Malcolm Bartolo at Townhouse No3 in Rabat (townhouseno3.com). and Andrew Valla at The Harbour Club in Valletta (theharbourclubmalta.com).