Elia Caterers

Elia Caterers is a family catering and confectionery business in Ħamrun, in the middle of Malta, with a history that goes back to 1953. It cooks for weddings, private parties and corporate events, runs its own wedding venues, keeps a busy café and sells party food, cakes and ice cream through an online shop.

For visitors planning a celebration on the island, or UK families marrying here, it is one of the best-known names in the trade. It appears on VisitMalta.co.uk in our directory of catering companies in Malta.

A family business since 1953

Elia Borg Bonaci and his wife Rita opened a confectionery and coffee shop on a busy Ħamrun street on 7 October 1953, with a small bakery in the basement. The café became a meeting place for local people and visitors from nearby towns, and the recipes remain those of the founder. Catering for weddings and private events followed, and in 1964 the bakery moved to Villambrosa Street, where the offices and production facilities still operate.

Five of the founder's sons took over the day-to-day running in 1979 and Elia Borg Bonaci Ltd was formed in 1980. The company later added its own venues, and management has since passed to a third generation of brothers, sisters and cousins. A family member is traditionally present at functions, and the business also keeps alive seasonal Maltese specialities such as qagħaq tal-qastanija, sinizza and xkunvat.

Weddings and venues

Weddings are the heart of the events side. Elia offers standing, seated and destination weddings, and couples can book a food tasting session and request the 2026 wedding brochure. Celebrating a wedding with Elia starts from €8,500.

Three venues belong to the family. Giardini Lambrosa and its twin, Veranda, sit on the outskirts of Mdina, in Rabat, a natural choice for guests staying in hotels in Mdina and Rabat and exploring the old city described in our Mdina guide. Villa Overhills is near Birżebbuġa. All three can be viewed by the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 17:00 to 19:00, and the caterer also works at third-party venues.

Party food, cakes and the online shop

The online shop is useful even if you are not planning a large event. Party food comes in cold and warm canapés, meat and poultry, seafood, pastries and bakes, sweets, and a vegan and gluten free menu, with items marked as vegetarian, gluten free or lactose free. Examples include arancini, devilled eggs, caprese skewers, blinis, mini Maltese sausages and qassatat. Pieces are priced individually, for example cheese sandwiches at €0.85 each including VAT.

The cake range covers gateaux, occasion cakes, traditional cakes, wedding cakes and cakes for Holy Communion and Confirmation, for delivery or pick-up. A carrot cake is €32.00 and a Black Forest gateau €27.00, both including VAT. The shop also sells frozen party packs and picnic pies, confectionery, gelato and traditional ice cream, plus seasonal ranges.

Elia Café and corporate events

Elia Café on St Joseph High Street in Ħamrun opens Tuesday to Thursday from 8:30 to 21:30 and Friday to Sunday from 8:30 to 22:00. It is closed on Mondays. Corporate events are also catered, from office gatherings to formal receptions.

If you are visiting from the UK and still choosing where to stay in Malta, the café is an easy stop on a trip to Valletta, covered in our Valletta guide, as Ħamrun lies on the way into the capital.

Contacting Elia Caterers

The offices and production site are at 68 Villambrosa Street, Ħamrun HMR1129. Office hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 19:00, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 to 16:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 12:30, closed Mondays, Sundays, feasts and public holidays. Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Elia Caterers.