by Long the preserve of Paceville, Malta’s not-so-relaxed party town, the nation’s nightlife has recently seen a significant change with the renaissance of Valletta’s nightlife. As soon as it quiets down after 9pm, the capital now has an emerging bar scene offering everything from smart to artsy, classic to street jazz. Most of the small establishments are indoors but the sweet Maltese nights are filled with music and people.
Read on for our bar recommendations in Malta. Also see our guides focused on spending a weekend in Valletta, the best hotels in Malta, what to see and do around the island, the best things to do for free, the best restaurants and beaches and the most beautiful swimming spots.
Find crops by area
Valletta
Tico Tico
This tiny bar spills out onto a narrow pedestrianized strip outside. It’s a smarter reincarnation of the Tico Tico that once served Royal Navy sailors here on Valletta’s Straits Street, known as The Gut. The interior is decorated with photographs of those sailors, movie posters and a model gallerija (a typical Maltese wooden balcony). Grab a Kinnie (Maltese soft drink) or a cocktail, and head outside to relax and watch the trendy new Straits Street customers pass by.
Contact: facebook.com/ticoticomalta
Prices: ££
Entry: Get here early if you want the best seats, or you’ll arrive
Coffee Association
A cozy little bohemian bar with an aroma at one end, and the limestone steps across from St John’s outside, Cumann Café is ideal for a quick swig or a full evening chill. Among the many options at the copper-top bar is a changing list of interesting cocktails (twists on the usual recipes). Music is relaxed – loud enough but not too loud – and appropriately mixed for a creative local clientele and a handful of tourists, of all ages.
Contact: Facebook page
Prices: ££
Entry: Turn up and join the laid back crowd
The bridge
A fairly normal pub most of the week, The Bridge comes into its own on Friday nights when live jazz bands play on the little bridge outside. Pop in for a free beer or cocktail and then take your place on the steps to relax and chat, spin and snack, and listen to some great music. Everyone is welcome and sometimes it seems half of Valletta is here, soaking up the remnants of the sun setting off the upper limestone and gently flowing towards the weekend.
Contact: Facebook page
Prices: £
Entry: Open to all if you can get a place on the steps
King’s Way
Sip an Aperol spritz or a Singapore Sling at small circular tables on Republic Street (formerly King’s Way), while watching the world go by on Valletta’s main street. Or find a quieter corner in the smart little mirrored interior. Cafe by day, bar by night, the King’s Way is loved by locals and visitors alike. A favorite place for a pre-dinner drink among Valletta’s movers and shakers, it’s also convenient for tourists – right in the heart of the city, a stone’s throw from the Grand Master’s Palace.
Contact: kingswayvaletta.com
Prices: ££
Entry: To be sure of a table, especially at weekends, call and book, or take your chances
Trabuxu Wine Bar
Malta’s first wine bar, Trabuxu, is still among the best. In a traditional 400-year-old limestone cellar hung with musical instruments and a changing display of contemporary art (for sale), the wine list offers more than 300 Maltese and international selections, many by the glass as well as the bottle. Still run by owner Kris, who opened it almost twenty years ago, there is plenty of knowledge behind the bar. It also serves a selection of cold meats, cheeses and oysters, or after a few glasses here, pop in around the corner to the family-run Trabuxu Bistro for a full meal.
Contact: trabuxu.com.mt
Prices: ££
Entry: Book a table or (definitely at the weekend) expect to stand at the bar or out on Narrow Street
Whiskey Bar StrEat
A list of around 200 different whiskeys is the USP of this bar, but there are plenty of other options too. One of the early openings on the newly revitalized Strait Street (once Valletta’s red light district), it reopened in late 2023 with a smarter look (and more whiskey!). Still relaxed, friendly, and completely casual with simple cellar décor, it’s ideal for post- as well as pre-dinner drinks. The attached StrEat restaurant serves standard burgers and pasta.
Contact: Facebook page
Price: £
Entry: Book a table or roll up and stand at the bar or out on Narrow Street (pedestrian).
St. Julian’s Paceville
Hugo Terrace
Right on the beach at St George’s Bay in the heart of Malta’s party town, Paceville, this club – with a roof terrace – looks straight out over the sea. With a laid-back beach club vibe, it plays chilled music from the eighties onwards – the music (and the clientele) getting louder as the night goes on. This is the place for a relaxed (but not necessarily quiet) drink, bite and dance surrounded by sand, sea and stars. Hugo’s serves drinks, including plenty of cocktails, and food throughout the evening and well into the night.
Contact: hugosterrace.com
Prices: ££
Entry: If you want a table (especially at the weekend) you’d better book a place, or ask for a case
Mdina
Fontanella
A Maltese classic, Fontanella is perched high on the bastion walls of historic Mdina – the nation’s first capital. It is mainly a cafe (with cakes that are famous throughout the country), but in the evening you can sit up here with a glass of wine and a tasty snack and watch the sun go down over the Malta Panorama, or enjoy the twinkling of. the lights of the island below and the stars above. It’s open until 11.30pm – when Mdina’s atmospheric limestone walkways live up to its nickname, ‘the quiet city’.
Contact: fontanellateagarden.com.mt
Prices: ££
Entry: Walk in
Mellieha
Sea View Cafe-Bar
Hidden behind the church, next to the cemetery, this tiny cafe/bar sits like an eagle’s nest on top of the cliff on the edge of Mellieha village. Imbibe, as well as your beer, with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and Mellieha Bay sweeping in the distance. There is plenty of space outside and a few seats inside the neat little wooden hut which forms the heart of this ‘secret’ drinking place. It’s only open until 8pm so this is a place for an early bird.
Contact: Facebook page
Prices: £
Entry: Get it and you’re welcome
How we choose
Every bar, venue or experience on this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of traveler – and consider service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.
