Sliema is a major residential and commercial hub on Malta's northeast coast, serving as a center for shopping, dining, and nightlife. Lined by the popular Sliema Front promenade, it offers rocky beaches, water sports, and stunning views of Valletta across Marsamxett Harbour. Once a quiet fishing village, it has evolved into one of Malta's main coastal resorts, characterized by modern apartment blocks and a relatively affluent atmosphere. While historically known for English usage, it remains a dense, vibrant area ideal for travelers seeking urban convenience and scenic coastal walks.
🕐 Europe/Malta · 💱 EUR
Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hotels are concentrated along the Sliema Front promenade, offering easy walking access to the ferry terminal to Valletta. This area is ideal for morning jogs, evening strolls, and summer fireworks viewing. It provides a lively atmosphere with immediate access to shops, bars, and restaurants, making it the most convenient base for exploring the island.
Sliema serves as a key transit hub, connected to Valletta via frequent ferries across Marsamxett Harbour. The local bus network is extensive, reaching all major parts of the island. However, visitors should be aware of significant traffic congestion and limited parking. Walking and using public transport are recommended over driving due to these infrastructure challenges.
Summer, particularly August, is the peak season for experiencing Sliema's vibrant coastal life. The promenade becomes a social hub for locals, and the Strand offers prime viewing spots for spectacular fireworks displays. While busier, the warm weather is perfect for outdoor dining, water sports, and enjoying the sea breeze. It is the ideal time for travelers who enjoy a lively, energetic atmosphere.
cathedral in Valletta, Malta
construction in Malta
auberge in Valletta, Malta
Star fort in Gzira, Malta
fortification in Malta
church in Valletta, Malta
former opera house in Valletta, Malta
cathedral
church in Valletta, Malta
theatre in Valletta, Malta
archaeology museum in Valletta, Malta
church building in Valletta, Malta
Tucked away in one of Sliema’s quiet side streets, this small restaurant has become something of a beacon for fine dining in Malta. The kitchen is led by talented young chef Hiram Cassar, a former sous chef with valuable international experience under his belt. The menu is concise and well-structured, featuring creative dishes that aim for balance and elegance and composed around a small number of cherry-picked ingredients. Stand-out dishes include a house-made agnolotti pecorino with delica pumpkin, pine nuts and mostarda di Cremona, as well as seabass escalope with leeks, preserved lemon, ca
WebsiteThe lavish rooftop restaurant on the eleventh floor of the 1926 Le Soleil Hotel draws inspiration from the carriages of the Orient Express, creating an atmosphere that is both glamorous and steeped in history. In the warmer months, guests can also enjoy a panoramic terrace overlooking the city. In the open kitchen, chefs Andrew Borg and David Tanti craft a concise yet compelling selection of dishes, blending creativity with an international flair. While the menu may appear limited, the quality is anything but. Among the most popular dishes are the cured scallops with kombu, fennel and fresh yu
WebsiteOverlooking Balluta Bay, Rosamì occupies a beautiful Maltese-style villa, whose first floor, pleasantly sheltered from the street below, houses a classic, stylish restaurant, with a distinctly romantic edge. The cuisine, now helmed by a youthful yet highly experienced Italian chef, showcases dishes with an international twang presented in two surprise tasting menus: one six course and the other eight, both flanked by a selection of appetisers and local cheeses from small producers - a delightful way to experience Malta’s artisanal excellence. The service is highly professional, courtesy of sta
WebsiteLocated on the seafront, on the fourth floor of the exclusive Iniala Harbour House, ION Harbour offers warm, precise service led by a youthful team, breathtaking views and truly exceptional cuisine. Chef Simon Rogan, holder of three Michelin stars at his Lake District restaurant L’Enclume in the UK, is behind the concept, while resident chef Christian Cali executes a complex and creative menu. The cuisine follows Rogan’s celebrated farm-to-table philosophy, using produce grown, reared or caught in the Maltese Islands whenever possible. The restaurant offers one tasting menu available at both l
WebsiteIn 2017, chef Jonathan Brincat transformed a centuries-old house into a restaurant, naming it after his own nickname: Noni. A small staircase takes you down to the main dining room, set beneath a stone barrel-vaulted ceiling. Guests can choose between a full tasting menu or a shorter version. Either way, the experience offers a vivid, personal journey through the flavours of Malta: seasonal, mostly local ingredients, flanked by a menu map that pinpoints the locations of their suppliers, and traditional dishes reworked with a creative, contemporary slant. A standout example is their modern take
WebsiteHoused within the stylish Rosselli Hotel, on one of Valletta’s most elegant streets, Under Grain welcomes guests into a setting as sophisticated as its cuisine. The restaurant occupies the building’s historic lower level, where diners pass by the kitchen before entering a dining room crowned by a vaulted stone ceiling. Inspired by the tailor shops that once lined Merchant Street, the concept is woven throughout, from sewing-pattern menus to displays of garments, and even the pincushion used to present the bill. The offering is fully à la carte, with the option for guests to create their own ta
WebsiteLocated on Gzira’s seafront, the highlight of this lively venue with a youthful spirit is its cuisine which comes from all over the world. The three brothers at the helm have travelled extensively, and the menu reflects their globetrotting temperament. You’ll find delights from Morocco, Japan, Italy, Venezuela and so on. We enjoyed a starter of lamb-stuffed pitas flavoured with yoghurt and harissa sauces (from Lebanon), followed by eggplant stew with walnuts, paired with spiced rice and a raw vegetable tartare (from Iran). The simple dessert starred a patchwork of cultures: an enormous profite
🕐 Mo-Su 10:00-01:00
WebsiteLocated in the heart of the historic centre, just steps from the iconic St. John’s Cathedral, this establishment is a genuine landmark of Valletta’s dining scene. Founded in the early 1900s as a Sicilian restaurant and pastry shop, it has preserved its period interior, along with a devotion to honest, generous cooking. Some dishes are long-standing favourites, like the highly recommended Fenek Moqli, rabbit braised in a red wine sauce with a delightful sweet-and-sour finish, while others change with the seasons and the availability of local ingredients. The menu is chalked up on a blackboard,
WebsiteAttraction data from Wikidata (CC0) and open sources, ranked by notability and distance — for reference.
See all guide-listed restaurants in Sliema (Michelin / Black Pearl) →
Lounge access is reference info — confirm current terms with the operator; commission never ranks.
Off-site flight search (affiliate link — no in-app checkout, no price shown).
Search flights to SliemaRanked by verified records and coverage depth — never by price, never by commission.