Vegan food adventures in Malta

Traditional Maltese colourful boats

Taking advantage of a longer Easter break this year my husband and I decided to travel to the sunny island of Malta. This was our very first visit to this small Mediterranean country so full of history and links with the United Kingdom, where we live.

One of my really good friends works in Valetta and we have long promised to visit him. The time has finally come!

Flying from our usual airport, London Stansted, we purchased our late lunch / early dinner in Boots. I chose a Louisiana Style Cajun Fritter sandwich, coconut yoghurt and mandarin, carrot, ginger and flax seeds Innocent Smoothie - all vegan, all very delicious!

Airport late lunch / early dinner

Malta is not particularly known as a vegan-friendly destination. However, doing my homework i.e. looking up vegan-friendly restaurants before embarking on our travels is both my habit and hobby.

On our first day in Malta we decided to catch a bus to Marsaxlokk, a traditional fishing village in the south-eastern corner of the island. The village’s name comes from marsa, which means "port" and xlokk, which is the local name for south east. Each Sunday they host a fish market and all the nearby restaurants are buzzying with customers looking to taste the sea specialties. As you can probably gather, not the most vegan-friendly thing to do. 

Nevertheless, having sat down outside at one of the small fish restaurants, I  found something for myself. I ordered a really nice Italian-style bruschetta with tomatoes and garlic, which I enjoyed, soaking in warm early afternoon Maltese sunshine

Italian-style lunch in Marsaxlokk

Maltese cuisine, just like its culture and history, shows strong Sicilian, English, Spanish, French, Maghrebin and other Mediterranean influences.

Is-Suq tal-Belt, also known as the Covered Market, is a 19th-century market hall located in the centre of the Maltese capital. This is where we grabbed our dinner and savoured a strong Italian-style coffee, served with soya milk in my case.

After-dinner coffee at the Is-Suq tal-Belt

The Maghrebin influences in the Maltese cuisine can be easily spotted through the large number of kebab shops lining down the main sea promenade in Gzira and Sliema, just outside of Valetta. Having checked the TripAdvisor reviews, on day two, we decided to eat at the highly rated Kebab Ji. Besides the usual meat-packed dishes, the owner served a small number of falafel-based options, and these were simply delicious! With homemade hummus, tabbouleh, and lots of salads, this was a real treat at a reasonable price (around 10EUR). Having tried few more falafel-based variations during our stay in Malta, Kebab Ji certainly topped the list!

Falafel dish at Kebab Ji in Sliema

The other treat on our travels, especially as the weather was so sunny and warm, was of course gelato! Again, another Italian classic. Gelato was pretty much everywhere, however the vegan options were typically limited to just one or two flavours. Already on the first day though, we spotted Amorino, opposite the National Museum of Archaeology and around the corner from St John's Cathedral in Valetta. Whilst normally we stay away from big brands and international chains and much prefer support local businesses, one day we treated ourselves to a selection of 4 (!) scoops of gelato (my husband) and sorbets (myself). And they were yummy! I went for passion fruit, mango raspberry, dark chocolate and the choice was perfect.

Amorino selection of sorbets in Valetta

One thing I learnt as a vegan is not to be afraid to ask for what you want when you travel around the world. The classic example came on a penultimate night of our stay in Malta when we went out for a Birthday dinner of my friend. He chose a very nice and elegant restaurant, specialising in Maltese cuisine - Palazza Preca. The place is run by two sisters - Ramona and Roberta. Having wandered around the Strait Street, where the restaurant is located, we popped in to speak to the staff there. 'Vegan' was not really the word that featured anywhere on the menu. Even the vegetarian options were pretty much non-existent. When I asked about the mushroom risotto I spotted hiding in between the rabbit and fish dishes, I was told that risotto cannot be veganised, as one simply cannot make risotto without using butter...Interesting...Nevertheless not wanting to 'cause any scenes' I explained what I eat and what I don't and one of the owners said that they can prepare me a some kind of pasta dish that will be vegan-friendly. This sounded promising and I put my mind to rest. And indeed, when we came back in the evening, I was able to order the aubergine starter without the massive ball of mozzarella-style cheese. The main that was prepared especially for me was a real Italian/Venice-inspired treat - spaghetti served with tomatoes, black olives and capers, decorated with a bit of watercress. It was simple but very flavoursome! Who knows, maybe the chef will even add it permanently to their menu. I certainly left them some positive and encouraging feedback.

My own unique dish at Palazzo Preca in Valetta

All in all, whilst being vegan in Malta can pose some challenges, there is enough of a variety of cuisines to compose your own tasty and healthy food. I was certainly never hungry and every time I look at the food pictures I took, they remind me of this hospitable Mediterranean island, where fruits and vegetables taste of sun.