Where to eat in Gozo: The best restaurants and eateries

Maldonado (Maldonado Bistro)

Set back from Rabat’s buzzing piazzas, the Maldonado Bistro – named after a 17th century Gozo Knight – is a hidden underground grotto serving up expertly prepared and immaculately presented Mediterranean food, along with an impressive range of Maltese and Gozitan wines.

The bistro champions local produce and seasonal ingredients, so you can be sure you’re tasting only the freshest island flavours. If you’re looking to hone your culinary skills, the bistro also offers cooking classes in both Italian and Maltese cuisine, plus wine-tasting sessions.

Address: 18 Mons Vella, Ir-Rabat

Rosina at Ta’ Rosina’s, Gozo (The People of Malta)

A visit to Ta’ Rosina’s bar in Sannat transports you back to a time gone by in Gozo. It’s a favourite bar of the locals – largely due to the wonderful Rosina herself who owns the bar and can frequently be found chatting to her friends at the tables.

There’s one sticking point here: there isn’t strictly a menu that can be consulted. Rosina cooks a small range of traditional, homemade Gozo dishes like rabbit stew, fried rabbit, ravioli or spaghetti depending on what’s in season, or what’s available to her at the local market. You really couldn’t get more authentic Gozitan food! It’d be wise to give her a call before you visit to find out when and what she’s planning to cook, on +356 2155 1598.

In Rosina’s words, “I love my work because I get to meet so many different people, even politicians. I try to respect everybody – rich and poor. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Angelina Jolie who came here in person and left me a signed photograph.”

(Photograph courtesy of People of Malta)

Address: 34 Saguna Street, Sannat

Ta’Rikardu (Dreamstime)

Rikardu is a local farmer and restaurateur who specialises in the ancient Gozitan craft of producing gbejna, an artisan cheese made from sheep’s milk. Rikardu milks the sheep on his farm by hand, producing fresh gbejna from milk that’s still warm, along with wind-dried and peppered gbejna.

The cheese is served at his nearby restaurant that serves an excellent range of pasta (try the ravioli!) set in an atmospheric, thick-set medieval building. If you’d like to practice the artisan cheese-making technique, you can organise a tour of the farm plus a demonstration.

Address: 4 Fosos Street, Ir-Rabat

Green Mood (Green Mood)

Green Mood is Gozo’s, and in fact one of Malta’s, only eateries solely dedicated to serving only vegetarian and vegan food; with gluten-free, wheat-free and sugar-free options available too.

Choose from rainbow-coloured bowls of organic fruity, veggie and leafy salads with belly-busting grains including quinoa, buckwheat and pearl barley thrown in.

For those with a sweet tooth, the cafe also serves supremely Instagrammable yoghurt bowls, complete with pretty garnish.

Address: Triq Ir-Repubblika, Rabat

The Mekren Bakery, Gozo (Mekren Bakery)

This family-owned bakery has a treasured weapon in its arsenal – an ancient stone pizza oven. While the small bakery can’t accommodate those wishing to sit and eat, you can choose to take away its range of hearty baked goods including stone-baked pizzas and traditional ftira.

Make sure you try the Mekren special ftira, with potatoes, onions, gbejna, Maltese sausage and black olives. Get there in the morning to get the freshest bakes.

Don’t be put off by the lack of seating – head down the road to il-Qala Belvedere or the courtyard of the Il-Madonna tal-Blat church, where you can sit and enjoy your ftira with a panoramic view of Gozo, Comino and Malta. Or, take it to Ramla Bay, one of Gozo’s most spectacular red-sand beaches, nearby.

Address: Triq Hanaq, In-Nadur