Valletta's restaurant scene has grown dramatically since the city's designation as European Capital of Culture in 2018. The concentration of good restaurants is highest along and around Strait Street and in the alleys running between Republic Street and Merchants Street. Lunch is the main event for many visitors — the city empties somewhat in the evening as many Maltese residents and workers head to the suburbs. That said, a growing number of restaurants stays open for dinner and the atmosphere on Strait Street after dark is genuinely enjoyable.
Traditional Maltese dishes to look for include bragioli (beef olives in red wine), fenek (rabbit stewed with wine and tomatoes), and ross il-forn (baked rice). Fresh fish from the Mediterranean is excellent when in season. The pastizzerija — a bakery selling hot pastizzi — is a Maltese institution at all hours.