Indulge in the Ultimate Sunday Lunch in Malta : 11Top Restaurant Picks

Created by Colleen Sims * 21 August 2023 * Updated 21 August 2023

If you are planning a trip to the beautiful island of Malta, and you’re there over the weekend, make sure to find time to experience a traditional Maltese Sunday Lunch.

In Malta, Sunday still holds special significance, intertwining rest, religion, and family. For many families, after Sunday Mass, they’ll enjoy a leisurely meal where multiple generations come together to share a fabulous Sunday Lunch, as well each other’s company.

Ask a Local Where to Eat Sunday Lunch

During a food tour in Valletta, our guide emphasized the significance of Sunday lunch in her own family. She explained how, at least once a month, the entire family comes together to share a traditional Sunday Lunch, always cooked by her mother!  In recent years, while the pace of life has changed on Malta and families have moved away from traditional home, Sunday lunch remains an important part of the cultural fabric.

Our Guide recommended a fabulous hidden gem of a restaurant for us.  If you’re visiting the islands then we recommend taking the opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich gastronomy of Malta by indulging in a glorious Sunday Lunch!

Historical Influences in Maltese Cuisine

Maltese cuisine has been influenced by a blend of cultures due to the island’s strategic location in the Mediterranean and its history of colonization.  This influence has helped to create the diversity and richness of the modern Maltese culinary landscape.

• Arab Influence is evident in the use of spices, herbs, and flavors in Maltese dishes. Dishes like imqarrun il-forn (baked macaroni) and helwa tat-Tork (a sweet sesame confection) showcase this influence.
• Malta’s proximity to Italy has led to a strong Italian influence. Pasta dishes, such as timpana (baked pasta pie are reminiscent of Italian culinary traditions.
• Sicily, the largest nearby island, has had a significant impact. Shared ingredients, cooking techniques, and the use of tomatoes, capers, and olives are all elements borrowed from Sicilian cuisine.
• Catalan-Aragonese period introduced elements of Spanish cuisine, such as certain spices, almonds, and a sweet-and-savoury combination in dishes and an alternative form of tapas has been adopted.
• The ancient Phoenicians and Romans introduced agricultural practices and ingredients including olives, grapes, wheat, and various legumes.

• The Knights of Malta brought their own culinary traditions to the island. They introduced dishes that reflected their European heritage but also their time spent in the Holy Land and the Middle East.
• Malta was a British colony and British-style tea and baked goods like pastizzi (which have similarities to British pastries) have become part of Maltese culture.
• Malta’s location close to North Africa has also influenced its cuisine. Spices, couscous, and flavour combinations that are very reminiscent of North African can be found.

These influences have come together to create the unique and diverse flavour which is pure Maltese. While the island has been influenced, it has retained its own distinct culinary identity too and this is evident in the traditional Sunday lunch feast!

Typical Sunday Lunch Menus and Dishes

This traditional Sunday lunch usually involves of a number of courses, with the first course consisting of Maltese bread, cheese or olives and olive oil to start. This is often followed by an antipasto tray such as pickled vegetables, cured meats and olives and sun dried tomatoes, often served on a large sharing plate. A word or warning, this sharing platter is a meal in itself!

The main course often features grilled meats such as rabbit, lamb, stewed pigeon or other delicious meat dishes as well as stews and fish dishes.  They are usually accompanied by a variety of vegetables such as mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, and salad. The meal is completed with a sweet dessert course such as kannoli (traditional pastries filled with ricotta), almond cake or fig jam tart.

A selection of local wines such as Ghajn Tuffieha (a white wine) or Marsovin (a red wine) are often served alongside the meal.

Some of the most famous and most popular dishes are :

Rabbit Stew (Stuffat Tal-Fenek)

Rabbit stew is a beloved and iconic Maltese dish that is commonly enjoyed during Sunday lunch. It’s prepared by slow-cooking rabbit pieces with garlic, onions, tomatoes, red wine and various herbs and spices.

Kusksu

Kusksu is a traditional Maltese soup made with broad beans, peas, pasta, and a tomato-based broth. It’s often served as a starter during Sunday lunch.

Roasted Meats

Roast Lamb is a favourite, alongside chicken, duck, pigeon, pork and beef are also popular choices for Sunday lunch. These meats are often seasoned with local herbs and spices, then slow-roasted to perfection.

Gbejniet

These small, round goat’s cheeselets are an integral part of Maltese cuisine. They can be enjoyed fresh or dried and are often served as an appetizer.

Timpana

Timpana is a baked pasta dish that resembles a pie. It’s made with macaroni, minced meat, eggs, and cheese, all encased in a pastry crust. While it’s not exclusively reserved for Sundays, it can be a special addition to the meal.

Fish and Seafood

Given Malta’s Mediterranean location, fish and seafood play a significant role in Sunday lunch menus. Dishes like baked or grilled fish, seafood pasta, and octopus stew might make appearances.

Hobz Biz-Zejt

This rustic dish consists of crusty Maltese bread soaked in olive oil, rubbed with ripe tomatoes, and topped with a mixture of tuna, capers, olives, and onions.

Bragioli

 Bragioli are beef olives stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, breadcrumbs, parsley, and sometimes garlic. They are cooked in a rich tomato sauce.

Imqaret

Imqaret are sweet pastries made from a date filling that is wrapped in thin pastry dough and deep-fried. They are a popular dessert or sweet treat.

Figolla

Figolla is a traditional Easter treat that consists of almond-filled pastry shaped into various forms and decorated with icing.

Our Sunday Lunch on Malta

During our food tour in Valletta, our guide recommend one of her favourite restaurants. She told us that it wasn’t really a tourist destination but it was very popular with locals and that was enough for Gerry to book a table. She also recommend he try the Rabbit Stew.

We found their website and contacted in advance to book a table; apparently it’s always busy. And we also wanted to explain in advance that I have dietary needs (no gluten and no dairy).

The restaurant is called United Behind the Church in Mgarr. You should be aware that there are two United’s and we can’t vouch for the other. But what we can say is that ours was fabulous and very traditional and full of locals. We hired a car to get around Malta so reaching the restaurant wasn’t a problem for us; there are local buses that run to Mgarr.

Great Restaurants serving a Traditional Sunday Lunch in Malta

If you’re in search of a great place to enjoy a traditional Maltese Sunday lunch, look no further than the following restaurants. Gerry’s done a ton of research as it’s surprising how many restaurants on Malta are not open for Sunday lunch.

If you’re based in Valletta you’ll need to look at options for getting to these restaurants; take a look at our Getting Around Malta guide for transport options.

Where the Locals go to Eat Sunday Lunch on Malta

If you’re looking to get a taste of local Maltese cuisine, then why not head to one of the popular restaurants that locals frequent? Whether it be for a casual bite or an elegant evening meal, these establishments offer up some truly delicious dishes.

Looking for a More Modern Sunday Lunch on Malta?

Modern Maltese cuisine is being shaped by traditional flavours and international influences. Maltese chefs and home cooks now seek to include a wider range of global flavours.  A new breed of chefs are blending different culinary traditions leading to new, creative and innovative dishes. 

Plant-based and vegetarian options, farm-to-table dining, and sustainable practices are becoming more and more prevalent in Maltese restaurants and kitchens. And the growth of the restaurant scene in Malta, particularly in urban areas, has led to increased creativity, with chefs experimenting with new ingredients, flavours, and presentations catering to both locals and tourists.

There are notable restaurants in Malta known for creating modern dishes :

Do you Prefer a Buffet Sunday Lunch?

We noticed that a lot of folks were searching for a buffet style Sunday lunch on Malta when researching this post. Gerry spent some time looking for great restaurants which specifically offered a buffet Sunday lunch option and found that there is a very limited choice of buffet restaurants in Malta outside the all-inclusive resorts.

He found two very popular options but if you know of more please do let us know!

Take a Specialist Food Tour in Malta

Wherever we travel in the world we either like to take a great food or wine tasting tour or even a cookery class. We find we learn so much about the spirit and heart of a country this way; and we get to enjoy some fabulous food!

Valletta and Malta were no exception and we really enjoyed our food tour; select one of these great tours and you won’t be disappointed!