The MICHELIN Guide Malta 2022 Announces a 4th Bib Gourmand Restaurant in Addition to Five Michelin Star Restaurants As the Mediterranean Archipelago Continues to Establish itself as a Gastronomic Destination

30 Restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide Malta 2022

The new Michelin Guide Malta 2022 adds a fourth Bib Gourmand, Grain Street, in addition to the five restaurants awarded One MICHELIN Star in the 2021 Guide (Under  Grain, Valletta; Noni, Valletta; ION – The Harbour, Valletta; De Mondion, Mdina; and Bahia, Balzan)  all retain their Star status for another year. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is establishing itself as a gastronomic destination which serves up a wide range of dishes influenced by the many civilizations that made these islands their home. 

The Michelin Guide recognizes the outstanding restaurants, breadth of cuisine styles and culinary skills found in Malta, Gozo and Comino. Established in the late 19th century, Michelin has maintained its benchmark of international food for more than 120 years, recognizing some of the greatest restaurants in the world. 

The new Bib Gourmand joins the selection, Grain Street in Valletta, from the same stable as MICHELIN-Starred restaurant Under Grain and serves great value sharing platters. The three other restaurants that retained their Bib Gourmands are: Terrone, Birgu; Rubino, Valletta; and Commando in Mellieħa. These restaurants all represent the very definition of a Bib Gourmand: good quality, good value cooking. 

In a bid to embrace the long standing and diverse culinary history of these islands, the Malta Tourism Authority has been championing local, sustainable gastronomy that tips its hat to traditional methods within the context of a modern and buzzing restaurant scene. 

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides, said: “Thanks to the increasing optimism surrounding Covid-19, many people are starting to think about travel and holidays once again. The beautiful islands of Malta and Gozo should be on everyone’s list. Five MICHELIN Stars, 4 Bib Gourmands and 21 recommended restaurants mean there is plenty of choice when it comes to eating out”.

Besides Grain Street, inspectors found three other restaurants worthy of a place in the MICHELIN Guide. Marea in Kalkara is a cool, contemporary restaurant with a  tiered terrace overlooking the Grand Harbour, and its kitchen mixes Mediterranean  food with Japanese influences. AKI in Valletta is a stylish basement restaurant with  an Asian-influenced menu. As for Rebekah’s in Mellieħa, it is located in a former farmstead and specializes in hearty Mediterranean flavors. 

Poullennec went on saying:

“All 30 restaurants recommended to our readers are varied and individual and reflect the very best that the islands offer.”

“Some are traditional, others are contemporary – and thus they truly represent the two sides of Malta that make it such an appealing destination”. 

Minister for Tourism and Consumer  Protection Clayton Bartolo. Noted “Quality needs to be the order of the day. In the past years, thanks to the perseverance and dedication of our local hospitality sector we have experienced an increase in restaurants that obtain a Michelin star status. The gastronomic sector plays a crucial role in the Government’s vision of making Malta a hub of tourism excellence in the Mediterranean.” the Minister added, “The road to achieving this goal is an ambitious one but together we can make it happen.” 

The Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, Dr. Gavin Gulia, further stated: ‘This is once  again another step forward in our continuous endeavors, whereby, as an Authority, we are continuing to give due importance to the holistic quality of our tourism product, which we are achieving through various restoration and regeneration projects, targeted marketing, and partnerships such as the one with Michelin, to mention but a few. We are proud that for the third consecutive year Malta has its very own Michelin Guide and on behalf of the Authority I would like to thank all those involved in this sector for being instrumental in making Malta’s Gastronomy stand out, as one of the things which tourists look forward to exploring, when they  visit our Islands.” 

The full 2022 selection for Malta is available on the MICHELIN Guide website and on the App, available for free on iOS and Android.

About Malta

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere. Valletta, built by the proud Knights of St. John, is one of the UNESCO sites and the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do. For more information on Malta, visit here.

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