Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Malta / Recommended by Locals

Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Malta

A guide to the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Malta. Recommended by locals and personally tested.

Maltese cuisine can be pretty meat-heavy so in the past finding a good vegan or vegetarian restaurant could prove to be challenging. However, it seems to be rapidly changing these days. More and more great plant-based restaurants can be found on the island. Also, a good number of the mainstream restaurant offers a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu’s alongside their regular dishes.

So I made it my mission to go out there, visit those establishments, try their dishes (what a horror 😉 ) in order to personally recommend you the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Malta.

I asked the local vegan community for their opinions (on FB forums) and chose restaurants with most recommendations. Visiting those eateries and trying their dishes wasn’t exactly hard work and I managed to meet some lovely people along the way. Cooks, waiters and restaurant owners truly passionate about what they do.

So here I am to present to you the best vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Malta as recommended by locals and tested by me.

Balance Bowl – Gzira

Definitely one of my favourites, it is also one of the favourite establishments amongst the locals. Run by three lovely girls from London, Balance Bowl offers a fantastic and interesting menu, all homemade, using fresh produce and sprinkled with friendly service.

Really nice and interesting salads, great burgers and dogs, including beyond burger as well as wraps and sandwiches. Their smoothies are divine!

They also run daily specials from which I chose a Jack Fruit Toona Melt which was delicious. I took my non-vegan friend with me and she really enjoyed her Portobello Mushroom Salad.

The girls claim that in their opinion healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. And I must admit they live up to their mission statement. Definitely a five stars place! Visit their website here!

Alive Bistro – Marsalforn, Gozo

Alife Cafe is a cutest little vegan and vegetarian bistro run by Darius and Nicola and located in Marsalforn on Gozo island, just 3 minutes walk from a waterfront. This couple is passionate about delivering the freshest and healthiest food and it was a great pleasure to be a guest in their restaurant. It really felt like I was a guest rather than a customer.

Here, you will find mainly homemade produce, fair trade organic coffee and homemade cakes and lemonades all prepared by hard labouring Nicola. She purchases her vegetables every day in the morning, fresh and if possible, locally sourced. She also bakes all the cakes! When I asked her if its not too much work she said it’s her passion, so not really. And I could definitely taste this passion in a coffee and walnut cake and tried.

They also supply a vegan organic wine selection as well as organic fair-trade coffee. With all food being prepared by Nicola this is a truly homemade extra organic and fresh experience. Visit their Facebook page here!

Naar Restobar – Balluta Bay, Sliema

Very popular restaurant among both locals and tourists. Wonderfully located, right at the seafront promenade. It is just a regular restaurant with great vegan and vegetarian options on their menu. The service is top-notch as well. We like going there for both food and evening cocktails.

On the menu, you will find homemade vegan and vegetarian burgers, delicious salads, as well as vegan shepherd pie and the curries. Yet again I took a non-vegan friend with me and we were both nicely surprised. The Sri Lankan Vegan Curry I had was divine! My friend had a fresh beetroot and orange salad which was just perfect!

The really great about this place is that whilst being centrally located you can go with a bunch of our non-vegan friends and all of you will be able to find something great on a menu. Great selection of wines and cocktails as well.

Two Buoys – Spinola Bay, St Julians

Where Melbourne meets Malta. This is my most recent discovery, and what a surprising one! Very different from most of the restaurants in Malta, this eatery has a great hipster vibe, it has relaxed and interesting deco and menu to die for. It is also incredibly well located, right at the edge if the Spinola Bay offering great views yet slightly off the main promenade.

They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner with a variety of foods catering for omnivore, vegetarians and vegans alike. Quirky and interesting dishes but most importantly, very delicious.

You can have Smashed Avo for breakfast, Tempura Cauliflower as a snack or Tittybong Tower for your lunch and you will not only be surprised but also very satisfied. View their menu here and remember to book a table in advance as they can get really busy!

Mint – Sliema

Located at the Sliema waterfront, Mint is a cafe striving to bring the best in seasonal fresh cuisine. They serve meat dishes as well but they vegan and vegetarian offer is always very wide and interesting. Dishes are on the display and need to be ordered from the bar. I visited a few times now and was never disappointed. Apart from main dishes like vegan lasagne or chilly they also offer vegan cakes, very tasty smoothies, raw juices and an excellent coffee.

They open for lunch and close at 6 pm. What I like about this cafe is that they change the menu regularly so you can keep coming over and over again and will always be able to try something new. The ingredients are fresh and the food very tasty. Can’t go wrong.

Foam and Fork – Gzira and Marsaskala

Tucked in and hidden in one of the side streets of Gzira sits this inconspicuous little restaurant with a very interesting menu. It’s one of those places which you need to know about to find it. So I’m here to shout out for them cos they are definitely worth it. They have a branch in Masrsaskala and Gzira and I visited my local Gzira branch.

I had the NoKalamri for starter and was blown away. Made from mushrooms and seaweed, they tasted just like the real thing. I also ordered (greedy!) a Sechaun Aubergine dish served on a bed of red cabbage and it was absolutely delicious. The service is great and Anteaune was a fantastic host. I could nor recommend it more. Visit their website for more info and you can also order online in case Gzira wasn’t on your way. It’s really worth it.

Soul Food – Valletta

Located smack in the middle of the town it is a nice little restaurant offering both vegan and vegetarian options. A selection of buddha bowls, burgers, salads and cool starters paired with interesting set of cocktails. I would say it is a nice restaurant however not mindblowing.

If you are visiting Valetta and fancy a Guddha Bowl with some (really nice actually) beetroot patties I could recommend this place. However, for the prices, I do believe they could step up their game a bit. A bed of their salad bowl was just some lettuce and shaved carrots with plain rice. If it wasn’t for the dressings and sauces they served on a side, the plate would be a bit tasteless. But the sauces were very good I must admit. So it is a little bit of a mixed bag.

Great location, right in the centre and whether you are vegan or vegetarian you will find something for you. Yet it is a bit too pricey for what it really is.

Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Malta / Recommended by Locals
Soul Food, Valetta – Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Malta / Recommended by Locals

Honorable mentions

The below are vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Malta which I have not yet visited but which were very highly recommended to me. I will make it my job, and pleasure, to visit and taste their food eventually and I will update this post as I go and give my personal recommendations.

Tuk Tuk – Valetta and St Julians.

Serving South Indian dishes this restaurant has been recommended to me on multiple occasions. Meat dishes are also served but like in many Indian cuisine establishments, there is a great choice of both vegan and vegetarian options. From coconut milk based Vegan Korma (sounds yummy!) and other curries all the way to Vegan Burger, you will definitely find something to satisfy your needs. This restaurant has great reviews and I’ll definitely be making my way there soon.

Choco kebab – St Pauls

This cafe based in St Paul’s was mentioned many times on Vegan forums and after looking at their menu I decided that they had to make it to this list. It is a day time cafe, famous for their sweet treats however they also have a great vegan and vegetarian menu. I am really curious to try their vegan kebab. Hmmm..

Veccja Vegan Coffee / Wine bar– St Pauls

Newly refurbished in 2020, this establishment is fantastically located and serves a great variety of vegan cakes and chocolates. What they claim on the website is that:

‘Veccja is not just a cafe, it is an experience, with a unique outlook capturing Malta’s best sunsets. With a full wine list, gin menu, and gourmet vegan cakes and chocolates, there is something for everyone. Our large outdoor seating area is perfect to relax with a drink and watch the sunset by candlelight. ‘

I will be very curious to visit and try one of their treats whilst sipping a nice glass of wine.

I had a great time not only testing all the dishes during my culinary trips but I have also met fantastic, kind and very interesting people who are passionate about what they do. Plant-based food does in the end make you a kinder and environmentally conscious person. In my humble opinion at least.

I am also extremely pleased to see a rise of the vegan and vegetarian culinary scene across Malta with many restaurants appreciating both the need and benefits of offering a wider choice of plant-based dishes.

I am looking forward to hearing your opinion and experiences and feel free to add your personal recommendations. The above are my personal picks for the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Malta but I will be happy to hear about yours.

Bon apetit!

Like Malta and would like to hear more? Read about Malta off the Beaten path in my Guide here.

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Pati's Journey Within

Hi, I’m Pati. A traveller, photographer (aspiring), dreamer and hopeless believer in magic. I caught the travel bug in my forties – and not planning to look back any time soon. I travel solo and on a budget and I try to spend as much time and effort as possible to truly immerse myself in the country I am visiting.

Whether you are like me and decided to change your life around a new dream or just wandering (because not all who wander are lost) – I am here to tell you that everything is possible. 

 

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