5 best ethnic restaurants in Malta for authentic global flavours
While the Maltese diet is superbly delicious, I can’t help but look for something different once in a while. While fast food can be cheap, sometimes a nice, filling meal from another country suits the palate better.
I find that ethnic restaurants are the best for finding something unique. Malta has a great food scene, and these restaurants highlight the dishes best suited to the country.
With that in mind, I’ve gathered some of the best ethnic restaurants in Malta that my friends and I prefer. Through our expertise, you’ll definitely find a restaurant that suits your taste.
1. Roti Indian Cuisine
Address: Triq ix- Xatt, c/w Triq Sant Antnin Within, Marsaskala MSK 2790
Contact Details: +356 2799 2226
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday: 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM | 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Sunday: 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM
For traditional Indian cuisine, Roti Indian Cuisine is one of the best places to head to. Tradition meets taste in this lovely little shop, and authenticity brims from every corner of it.
I like that the decor is simple, and the vibes are welcoming. Eating on simple chairs and tables, with woven baskets of freshly baked roti and bowls of rice and curry, truly sells the experience… and I can’t stop gushing over it.
Serving sizes are excellent, and most dishes are meant to be shared. Of course, my favourite dish has to be their chicken tikka masala, reasonably priced at €8.50—on the milder side because I personally can’t handle my spice.
Wine lovers rejoice, as there’s a lovely selection of reds and whites that pair beautifully with the food. There are even authentic Indian drinks, such as my beloved mango lassi, which is only €6.50 (what a bargain!).
However, I did find the biryani and other dishes a bit overpriced, at around €14.
Delicious food and lovely staff
“Delicious food and lovely staff! The restaurant has two parts, one part is near the kids playground you can have diner outside and watch your kids. Upstairs they just openend a new part, which looks nothing like downstairs. It feels like having dinner in a fancy castle. The owner is very nice and recommended the butter chicken, which was lovely. He explained that a lot of local have dinner at his restaurant, we understand!”
– Maarten, Google Review
Cannot recommend this little gem in the south enough
“Roti never disappoints. You know that fresh ingredients are used the moment you pass by or sit down.
We usually start off with poppodums and onion baji. Felt like being a bit more daring last Saturday, and we decided to choose something different than the usual Tikka Masala. We had the Prawns Tawa and the Lamb Rogan Josh. We will definitely be trying out new dishes next time round, since the flavours of each dish are unique. Butter naan is always a staple in our order – melts in your mouth!
Big ups to the chef and staff for always giving us a great culinary experience. Cannot recommend this little gem in the south enough!”
– Maria Farrugia, Google Review
2. New Delhi
Address: Triq Sant Antnin, San Pawl il-Baħar, SPB 2658
Contact Details: +356 9923 2404
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Sadly, New Delhi didn’t actually move from India to Malta, but this lovely restaurant sure does offer an authentic experience. Even from the street, you can definitely smell the spices and aromatics, which truly attract me to this place.
With ornate walls, tables, and chairs, the place is comforting and lovely to stay at. Everything is served on traditional pots and pans, and like most Indian restaurants, each dish is meant to be shared.
As for the serving sizes, I find some to be decently sized. Still, some dishes, like the curries, are fairly small compared to others.
Unlike other places, the Biryani, Naan, and Roti are what truly sell this place. These are fairly priced at €3.50 for the breads and €15.90 for the Biryani. I like these because they’re full of flavour and go well with most dishes—the Biryani is also large enough to share!
There’s even Chinese food here, and I personally adore their fried rice, which is cheaply priced at €9.90.
Everything we ate was delicious and served nicely
“The staff are friendly and polite, and they make you feel welcome from the first minute.
The food is fresh, tasty, and well prepared. The flavours are rich but not too spicy, and the portions are good. Everything we ate was delicious and served nicely.
The restaurant is clean and comfortable, with a calm atmosphere. The service is fast and professional, and the staff are happy to help if you have special food needs.
Overall, it is a great restaurant with high-quality food and excellent service. I highly recommend New Delhi Restaurant if you are in Qawra or St Paul’s Bay. We will come back again to their new restaurants”
– Bence Balog, Google Review
Did not disappoint
“Came here as fancied an Indian on holiday and was blown away. Amazing customer service, provided an off the menu dish to suit spice level and did not disappoint! Amazing home made food and amazing service. Will have to revisit when in Malta again. 11/10, would highly recommend if in St Paul’s to visit, will not be disappointed”
– Jay Owen, Google Review
3. Georgia Restaurant
Address: 123 Main Street, St Julian’s STJ 1011
Contact Details: +356 9937 5363
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM
For a taste of Georgia, Georgia Restaurant offers all that and more. With over 10 years of experience in Georgian cuisine, their chefs present a lovely vision of that wonderful country.
Atmosphere and vibes are a mix of fine and casual dining, with white cloths and plants strewn about the place. Dishes are served on white plates and cups, and most of them are single servings, with some exceptions.
The serving sizes are excellent, and the menu truly showcases all that Georgia has to offer. Always order the Satsivi when heading here, as the roasted chicken with walnut sauce is truly addictive. However, all the mains are expensive, at around €23.50 each.
Aside from wines and cocktails, they serve non-alcoholic drinks that pair beautifully with the food. Sweets are a game-changer at this restaurant, as it changes daily. My preferred one is the Medok, which at €5.50 is well priced for a serving.
A very enjoyable lunch
“A very enjoyable lunch. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, with a nice balance between casual and refined, and the service was genuinely welcoming.
The food is clearly authentic Georgian and full of flavour. Everything we tried was rich, comforting and well prepared — from the soups and salads to the khinkali and mains. You can see from the menu and dishes that a lot of care goes into keeping the flavours true to their roots, and it really shows on the plate.
We went for lunch and had no trouble getting a table without a reservation, but it’s worth noting that booking ahead is usually needed for dinner. A solid choice if you’re looking for hearty, authentic food in a friendly setting.”
– Marina S, Google Review
Absolutely one of the best places I’ve ever been to
“Absolutely one of the best places I’ve ever been to! The food was incredible — full of flavor and made with real love. The service was exceptional, everyone was so kind and welcoming that it felt like visiting family. The whole place has such a warm, homely atmosphere that you instantly feel comfortable and happy.
Can’t recommend it enough — amazing food, wonderful people, and that true Georgian soul in every detail.”
– Agnieszka Rynska, Google Review
4. Bombay Masala
Address: Il-Pagell, San Pawl il-Baħar SPB1360
Contact Details: +356 7714 5128
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Going back to India, the explosive, wild taste of Bombay Masala is unmatched by any other restaurant. Everything here is hot, delicious, healthy, and affordable.
This is a family-run restaurant that aims to give Malta a taste of India. While there are typical dishes here, some others are newer to the palette of Maltese who frequent other Indian restaurants.
It’s the tandoori chicken and lamb seekh kebabs that are my go-to when heading here. Priced at €10.90 and €12.90, respectively, both offer a unique blend of spices and a decent serving that’s fit for two to three people.
Aside from these, Indo-Chinese fusion dishes are available here. The chilli paneer, at a reasonable €11.90, is my favourite. While I can’t handle my spice, this has just the right amount!
Still, I wouldn’t order their takeaway as I’ve heard several instances of the food arriving cold.
What a great little place
“What a great little place. The service was really fast and friendly and the food is so tasty. We had the chat starters which are so fresh and light and then I had the fish Goan curry and my wife had the paneer curry. Both were flavoured and spiced just right. If you are after a good curry this is the place to come in this area.”
– Stephen Lathan, Google Review
Best food we have had anywhere in Europe or India
“We were just walking past this restaurant on our way to the centre of town and we decided to read the menu and then decided to try it out.
I’ve worked in India and I have a good idea about the taste of the food and this was the absolute best food we have had anywhere around Europe or India.
We decided to come back again and it was absolutely brilliant, so the decor is basic and very clean, so too are the toilets but it’s the food that is the winner here and the staff are so humbled and helpful.
If I ever come back to Malta again this restaurant will be my first restaurant to visit, I’m giving it a 5 star”
– James Newman, Google Review
5. Kitchen India
Address: Floor 1, 55 Triq Gorg Borg Olivier, Mellieħa MLH 1024
Contact Details: +356 7977 6667
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM | 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Contemporary experiences are rare for Indian cuisine, but Kitchen India shakes things up a bit. This restaurant offers authentic Indian cuisine. While they’re located far north of the island, the trip is truly worth the experience.
The design of the restaurant is truly contemporary. Simple colours and comfortable chairs, along with lovely lighting, make the place feel inviting.
Food is served in unique pots and pans, with each dish having that modern-plating style that you’d find in fancy restaurants.
The lamb korma and jeera rice are what I always order when I head here, and they’re fairly priced at €15.25 and €5.50, respectively. Both dishes are well-seasoned and have a decent portion size for a single person.
However, the restaurant works on a reservation basis, so be sure to schedule yours on their website before heading there.
Very reasonable prices
“We were craving Indian food and Kitchen India happened to be the most nearby. Thank god we went here: the food was incredible, the staff friendly, and the place is cute. We got a starter, two curries, jeera rice, garlic naan, and three drinks for a bit over €50 – very reasonable prices (we made sure to tip well). The onion bhaji starter is made freshly on the spot, highly recommend. The mango lassi was great too. We’ll definitely be back!”
– Belle de Jong, Google Review
Such a warm welcome
“Fantastic Indian cuisine!
Such a warm welcome, the staff were very kind and friendly. The food was phenomenal, very tasty! I asked for medium spice for the jalfrezi, and it was perfect for my palate.
We truly enjoyed it so much!
It did take some time from ordering to eating, but it’s all freshly made – which was really worth the wait!!
We would highly recommend this restaurant in Malta.”
– Mrs McNiven, Google Review