Michelin Guide Malta 2022 is officially out with five restaurants retaining one star

The Michelin Guide Malta 2022 was launched on Tuesday, with the five restaurants awarded a 2021 Michelin Star retaining that status.

The guide, which first reviewed Malta’s restaurants in 2020, is updated annually and restaurants can lose their stars if they close during the year of assessment (COVID aside), or if they do not maintain their standards to make it into the next edition.

The five restaurants which retained their Michelin Star status for another year are: Under Grain in Valletta; Noni in Valletta; ION – The Harbour in Valletta; De Mondion in Mdina; and Bahia in Balzan (previously located in Lija).

The latter moved from a neighbourhood spot in Lija to elegant new premises within the Corinthia Palace Hotel in Balzan. The “talented kitchen”, as described by the Michelin Guide, offers three menus: ‘Past’ features sophisticated dishes inspired by various time periods throughout Maltese history; ‘Future’ explores new, sometimes daring combinations of flavours; while seasonal à la carte ‘Present’ focuses on local ingredients.

Bib Gourmand

One restaurant is newly awarded a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, “for its good quality, good value cooking”, bringing the total number of ‘Bibs’ in this year’s Guide to four. Grain Street in Valletta comes from the same stable as Michelin Starred Under Grain and serves great value sharing plates.

This joins the three other restaurants who all retain their Bib Gourmand distinctions: Terrone in Birgu; Rubino in Valletta; and Commando in Mellieħa.

New Additions to the Guide

As well as Grain Street, Michelin’s inspectors found three other restaurants worthy of a place in the Guide. Marea in Kalkara is “a cool, contemporary restaurant with a tiered terrace overlooking the Grand Harbour, and its kitchen mixes Mediterranean food with Japanese influences”. 

Also added to the guide is AKI in Valletta, described as “a stylish basement restaurant with an Asian-influenced menu”.

In contrast, the third addition, Rebekah’s in Mellieħa, occupies a period farmstead and specialises in hearty Mediterranean flavours.

The full 2022 selection for Malta is available here on the MICHELIN Guide website and on the free iOS and Android apps.