Cafe Cordina on Republic Street has been the grandest cafe in Valletta since 1837, facing St George's Square from a Baroque palazzo. The interior is high-ceilinged, ornate, and self-consciously traditional — mirrors, painted panels, marble counters — and the cafe has been supplying Valletta's political and professional class with coffee and pastries for nearly two centuries. The outdoor tables on the square are the best in Valletta for watching the city go by.
The coffee is reliable, the cakes and pastries are good by Maltese standards, and the price premium over other cafes is modest given the location and setting. The cafe also produces its own brand of sweets and confectionery sold in gift boxes, which makes it a useful stop if you are looking for something Maltese to bring home. Open from morning through early evening.