St George's Bay is one of the easiest places in Malta to try international food: Lebanese, Italian, Spanish, Indian and Korean kitchens sit along one waterfront, a short walk apart. The Mediterranean flavours echo those that shaped Maltese cooking, while the Asian kitchens add flavours and spices to this newer chapter. It's an easy place for a long lunch, or a world tour over dinner.
Most visitors expect Malta to serve Maltese food and a few pizzerias. Few expect to find a Lebanese charcoal grill, a Korean barbecue or a Spanish rice kitchen on the same stretch of coast, all cooking at a level that would hold its own in a much bigger city.
It makes sense when you think about Maltese cooking itself. It's a blend of Sicilian, Arab, Spanish and British influences, built from the cultures that arrived on the island over the centuries. At the bay, you can try not the Maltese version of those influences, but the influences themselves.
If you'd like the Maltese classics first, our food trail through St Julian's is the place to start. If you're ready for a world tour, read on.
Maltese food reflects the Arab, Sicilian and Spanish cooks who arrived over the centuries, and now you can taste each of them in turn.
International food in Malta: the Mediterranean flavours that shaped the island
Malta's pantry has always looked outwards: Arab spices and citrus, Sicilian pasta and cheese, Spanish rice and ham. Three kitchens at the bay serve those flavours on their own terms, in the order they arrived in Malta.
Al Kasbah: Lebanese mezze and charcoal grills
Arab rule began in Malta in 870 AD and left its mark on the island's language, farming and cooking, including citrus. Lebanese food comes from the Levant, which is a different branch of the same wider Arab culinary world, so think of Al Kasbah as a cousin of that influence, and the closest one on this waterfront.
At Hard Rock Hotel Malta, Al Kasbah serves sharing plates and charcoal grills in the evening. It's halal-friendly and a good choice for a table where everyone wants a taste of everything.
Matto for Italian pizza and pasta
The Normans arrived in 1091, and Malta became part of the Kingdom of Sicily for centuries. Look at a Maltese table and you can still see it, in the pasta, the cheese and the tomato.
Matto is an open pizza kitchen, convivial and made for the whole family. It's the loudest, liveliest stop on the bay, and the one where it's easiest to order too much.
Tatel for Spanish rice and tapas
Spain ruled Malta before the Knights of St John arrived in 1530, and Spanish influence is still part of the island's food and language. TATEL brings Spain back to the waterfront, overlooking the bay, as a dining and entertainment venue.
Rice is the dish to look for here, and it works best shared.
Asian cuisine in Malta: the newest chapter
Malta's food has never stopped changing, and the latest influences come from further east. Two kitchens at the bay bring Indian and Korean cooking with the same care as the Mediterranean ones.
Tanvi for modern Indian cooking
Tanvi serves contemporary Indian dishes and botanical cocktails, in a dining room and on a terrace overlooking the bay. The cocktails and menu were developed with the team behind London's Kricket, which gives you a clue about how seriously the kitchen takes its spices.
Add a signature cocktail from their drinks menu and you'll notice the spices in the glass too.
Maltese food is a conversation between cultures, and St George’s Bay is where it has moved on to Seoul and Mumbai
Kiru for Korean barbecue
Kiru is a Korean fusion steakhouse where the grill comes to your table, over binchotan charcoal. Dishes arrive with banchan (small side dishes), ssam (wraps) and house sauces, so the meal is as much about assembling as eating.
The cocktail programme uses gochujang, yuzu, makgeolli and doenjang, so it's worth lingering at the bar afterwards.
Order one dish at each. Call it a world tour with a dessert menu.
Amami Food Bar for casual pan-Asian
Amami Food Bar is the relaxed Asian stop in St George's Mall, open every day from noon to 10pm. The menu covers sushi, bao, ramen, poke bowls and wok dishes, so it's an easy place to eat well at any time between lunch and dinner. It's the one to drop into when you want something quick and good, and it works just as well for a long, sharing-style lunch with friends.
A world of flavours: the best international cuisine in Malta
Malta has never cooked in isolation, and that's the secret of its table. Every dish on the island carries a little of someone else's kitchen, and every new arrival adds another layer. At the bay, that conversation is easy to join: a mezze here, a pizza there, a plate of Korean beef to finish.
You don't have to eat in order, or even eat everything. Start with the cuisine that tempts you most, and let the rest wait for next time. The bay will still be here, and so will the tables.
Written by the Lifestyle Group editorial team. We operate restaurants, bars and beach venues in St George's Bay and across Malta, including Matto, Tanvi, TATEL and Kiru, which are featured in this guide. Al Kasbah is at Hard Rock Hotel Malta, a sister property in St George's Bay.
Questions about international food at St George's Bay
Is there vegetarian food at the bay?
Yes. Matto marks its vegetarian dishes on the menu, Tanvi serves a vegetarian thali, and Al Kasbah's mezze, such as hummus, moutabal and muhammara, are good for vegetarians. Kiru is the most meat-led, so ask about meat-free options when you book.
Where can I find halal options?
Al Kasbah describes its menu as halal-friendly. For the other kitchens, ask when you book, since menus and suppliers can change.
Are these restaurants open for lunch?
Matto, Tanvi and TATEL serve lunch, while Al Kasbah opens in the evening. Check Kiru's hours directly, as they can differ from the others.
Do I need to book?
We'd advise it for Friday and Saturday evenings, and for groups at any time. Tanvi and TATEL can be booked online, and a quick call or message is useful for the other venues.
Is there anything Maltese on these menus?
Yes, and it's one of the pleasures of eating here. Look for rabbit at Tanvi and TATEL, zalzett Malti at Tanvi, Gozo honey at Matto and the Malta Meets Beirut dessert at Al Kasbah.