Fra Angelico

Fra Angelico is a relaxed wine bar and bistro in the heart of Rabat, just outside the walls of Mdina. The bar is run by Yan, whose suggestions and favourites head the wine list, and the style is Mediterranean sharing: boards of cheese and cured meats, pinsa romana, bruschetta and a short menu of pasta and grills, all matched with a long list of wines and cocktails. It is a natural stop after a day among the historic streets of Mdina and Rabat.

On VisitMalta.co.uk it is listed in our directory of wine merchants and wine bars in Malta.

Small plates and pinsa

Small bites to share come first: oven-baked crispy gbejniet (Maltese goat cheeselets) with local honey, cheesy garlic bread at €5.75, dolmades, artichokes, beef or lamb koftas with tzatziki and a trio of dips. Many dishes use Maltese bread and local honey, and the Gozitan peppered cheeselets will interest anyone who has read our guide to Gozo.

Pinsa romana is a speciality, a light Roman-style base that can be made gluten free for a supplement of €3.75. Choices include the Margherita at €9.75, the Viva Malta with Maltese sausage, goat cheese and olives, and sweeter combinations such as truffle, figs and honey. Add-ons such as oak-smoked or truffle burrata are available at €5 a piece.

Platters and mains

The platters are the signature dish, and they work well for a group sharing a bottle. The Maltese platter, with Gozitan goat cheeselet, smoked Maltese sausage, butter beans and bigilla dip, is €25. Other boards focus on cured meat, cheese or a mix of the two, each served with nuts, fruit jam and dried and fresh fruit. The Bella Italia, with aged grana padano, burrata, cured meats and local honey, is €32.00, and an XXL deli board serves four at €55. The grill and bakes section adds lasagne bolognese, four spaghetti dishes including carbonara and cacio e pepe, baked aubergine parmigiana and a gourmet beef burger served with roast potatoes, while salads range from a simple green salad to a Moroccan lamb salad with couscous and tzatziki. A set Festa Fra menu charged per person includes a bottle of wine to share between two; everyone at the table must order it.

Wine, cocktails and drinks

The wine list is organised by origin: whites and reds from Malta, Italy and France, plus bottles from Spain, Chile, Argentina, Lebanon, Australia and South Africa. There are sparkling wines, rosé, sweet wines and fortified wines, and prices run through a wide range, with Prosecco at €29 and a Barolo at €55. Maltese bottles include the 1919 Girgentina at €30 and a passito Ġużè at €50. Wine and Prosecco by the glass start from €6.95.

Cocktails include the Aperol Spritz and a Maltese Spritz made with traditional bajtra liqueur, both at €7.95, along with a Negroni, an espresso martini and several non-alcoholic mocktails. There is also draught and bottled beer, craft beer, cider, whisky, liqueurs and spirits, as well as coffees, teas and soft drinks.

Visiting Rabat

Rabat sits beside the old capital, so a meal here fits naturally into a day exploring. Our Mdina guide covers the walled city and the surrounding towns, and if you want to stay nearby, see our page on hotels in Mdina and Rabat or compare areas in where to stay in Malta.

For the rest of your trip, browse things to do in Malta, take a day in the capital with our Valletta guide, head west to Golden Bay, and check the Malta weather guide before you book flights; our page on flights to Malta from the UK helps with the journey.

Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Fra Angelico, who will reply to you directly.