Root 81 Wins the Best Restaurant In Malta Award
The awards celebrated the outstanding achievement of Malta and the best restaurants of Gozo as voted in an online survey from 3557 diners who called out on average once or twice a week; equivalent to a total of 277,446 dining experiences in a year.
Root 81, a luxurious eatery in Saqajja, Victoria, was awarded the Overall Restaurant Award.
The Top 40 award-winning restaurants were selected from the highest-rated restaurants, taking into account their overall rating, number of people rating, comments and other survey data. The top 40 restaurants that won awards plaques in order from most highly rated were:
- Root 81
- The Golden Fork
- The Phoenix
- Reset
- The Aft Kitchen
- Grotto Tavern
- Al Sale
- Of Tona
- Maggie’s
- Rebekah’s
- Whispers
- That’s Luigi
- Noni
- L’Orangerie Bistro
- Step 15
- Beppe’s
- Blue Wave
- Venus
- Barbarian
- Restaurant La Vela
- Galea kitchen
- Surf N Turf
- The Blessed
- Of the Family
- Under Wheat
- La Vida
- Meraki Wine & Dine
- de Mondion
- MUSE
- Palazzo Preca
- LOA
- Fernando Gastrotheque
- Of French
- Tarragon
- The Sixth Leaf
- The Yard
- Ion in the Port
- Bahia
- Hammett’s mestizo
- Dinner in Heaven
Additional Awards were made in different categories:
- Best Food – Venus
- Best Ambience – LOA
- Restaurant Most Dedicated to Supporting Local and Best Local Wine List – de Mondion and Country Terrace respectively
- The Best Restaurant in Gozo – Al Sale
- The Best Chef Award – Jean Pierre Dingli of Barbajean
- Best Business Entertainment – Caviar and Bull
- Best Newcomer – Popa’s Kitchens
- Most Child Friendly Restaurant – Don Royale
- Best Maltese Restaurant – Diar il Bniet
- The Most Romantic Restaurant – Barbajean
- Best Value for Money Restaurant – The Cartel
- Best Vegetarian Restaurant (sponsored by FNG Supplies Co Ltd) –
- Favorite coffee – Busy Bee
The Definitive(ly) Good Guide for Restaurants in association with Vini e Capricci from the Abraham’s Wine Awards was as follows:
- The People’s Choice Wine List (taken from survey results) – Barbajean .
- Best Overall Wine List: Fernandos Gastrotheque
- Best Presented Wine List: Barbajean
- Best Wine by the glass option: Hammett’s Mestizo.
- List of the Best Fine Wine: Tarragon
- Best Short Wine List: Barbajean
- Best Port Wine List: Country Terrace
The results of the Restaurant Survey are contained in the 2023 edition of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta and Gozo, which is now available to buy online for 8 Euros at www.restaurantsmalta.com. It is also available in major stationers and bookshops in Malta and Gozo.