O'Sole Rooftop Garden

O'Sole Rooftop Garden is a rooftop bar and restaurant at the top of The Manoel Boutique Hotel in the middle of Valletta. From the terrace the dome of the Carmelite Basilica fills the skyline, and the venue is built around that view: coffee and pancakes at sunrise, a long lunch above the rooftops, sunset cocktails, then dinner and live music after dark. It is listed in our directory of entertainment venues in Malta.

For UK visitors it solves a common question, where to eat in Valletta with a view, without leaving the old town. The kitchen serves Maltese and Italian dishes alongside sharing plates and cocktails, and the venue opens every day from early morning until late, so it can work for almost any part of a day in the capital.

The setting above Valletta

The venue is on Level 5 of The Manoel Boutique Hotel at 55 Old Theatre Street, Valletta VLT 1427. Old Theatre Street runs through the historic centre, so the rooftop is a short walk from the main sights described in our Valletta guide, including St John's Co-Cathedral and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Valletta was built by the Order of St John, and our Knights of Malta guide explains the story behind the streets you pass on the way.

The terrace sits above the rooftops, which gives the dining a sense of space that street-level restaurants cannot match. It is one of the more distinctive places to eat in the capital, and it works equally well for a quick coffee before sightseeing or a slow evening with friends.

A rooftop is a weather-sensitive place, so the team may move guests to an alternative area if conditions turn bad. In summer the open air and breeze are the point, and our Malta weather guide will help you choose the right month for terrace dining.

Breakfast from 7:30 to 11:30

Breakfast is served daily from 7:30 to 11:30 in the morning. The rooftop offers a hotel-style buffet alongside an à la carte list, with freshly brewed coffee and the basilica dome in view. Guests staying at any Valletta Stay Group hotel or Airbnb enjoy complimentary buffet breakfast when they show their breakfast vouchers, and walk-ins are welcome.

The à la carte list runs from a gourmet ham and cheese toast at €5.75 to a full English breakfast platter at €15, an Italian platter of cured meats at €15.50, a breakfast ftira with fried egg, ham and sausages at €9.50, fluffy pancakes at €9.95 and a granola fruit bowl at €9.50. The drinks list is generous: smoothies such as tropical sunshine and açai magic at €7.95, milkshakes at €6.95, fresh orange juice at €4.95, healthy water potions, tea and a full coffee menu, with an espresso at €1.95 and a cappuccino at €3.95. For a boozy morning, a mimosa is €8.95 and an espresso martini €9.95.

The all-day kitchen

From 11:30 the kitchen switches to its all-day menu, prepared on site with seasonal ingredients. The menu is organised into fresh salads, taglieri sharing boards, small bites and sharing plates, pasta and grains, Pinsa Romana, main courses, a kids menu and desserts, plus weekly specials.

Salads include a Greek salad at €12.90 and a burrata salad at €14.75. The O'Sole signature platter, a board of cured meats, cheeses, koftas, dips and Maltese bread, is €35 and suits a group over sunset drinks. Pinsa Romana is a light, crisp Roman-style base with toppings such as mortadella, buffalo mozzarella and Sicilian pistachios, and gluten-free versions of pasta and pinsa are available for an extra €3.75. The menu also includes a selection of vegetarian dishes.

Main courses include an Angus beef burger, steak frites with Argentinean ribeye, fresh seabream and a mixed grill board for two. The weekly specials page lists a coastal ribeye surf and turf at €39.75 and a tagliatelle beef ragù at €18.75. Add-ons are priced separately, such as crispy fries at €4.75 and a mushroom or pepper sauce at €4.95 each. Younger guests have their own kids menu, which makes the rooftop workable for families as well as couples and groups. Desserts include tiramisu, pistachio semifreddo, a passion fruit tart and traditional Maltese imqaret with gelato.

Maltese dishes worth trying

If you want to eat something distinctly Maltese, the menu is a good place to start. Ravjul biz-zalza is Maltese ravioli stuffed with ġbejniet, a local sheep cheese, and ricotta in a tomato, garlic and basil sauce, at €16.95. Ravjul tal-fenek is ravioli filled with local rabbit, and Rigatoni Maltin combines Maltese tomatoes with artisan sausage and shaved ġbejna cheese.

Among the small bites are open ftira topped with tuna or smoked Maltese sausage, crispy ġbejniet with honey and walnuts, and chargrilled Maltese pork sausages. Ordering a few of these to share is an easy way to sample local flavours, and the staff can guide you if you are unsure what a name means.

Evenings, cocktails and live music

As day turns to night, the rooftop fills with signature cocktails, live music and the lit skyline of the capital. The venue publishes a weekly list of live music events, and the gift voucher page mentions live music nights and DJ sessions. Aperitivo hour suits the Italian-style sharing boards and a glass of wine from the wine list.

Sangria is €7.95, a French 75 is €8.95 and a glass of prosecco €5.95, so a few drinks at sunset are easy to plan for. The skyline and the lit dome set the mood after dark, and sunset is the moment many guests aim for, although specific tables cannot be guaranteed, so ask for your preferred area when you enquire and arrive a little early.

Check the venue's current programme before you go, since nights vary. The whole experience works well as the end of a day built from our things to do in Malta ideas.

Private events and group bookings

O'Sole is available for private events and functions, including corporate events, celebrations and special occasions. It has a fully equipped kitchen, skyline views and both pre-designed packages and tailor-made options, and the venue is accepting enquiries for upcoming dates. Group dinner bookings are also accepted.

If you are planning a hen party, birthday or business dinner in Valletta, the rooftop gives you a distinctive setting. Sightseeing for the same group during the day can be arranged with A4 Malta DMC Private Tours and Excursions, which is listed in our tour operators directory.

Reservations, vouchers and the second venue

Reservations are held for a two hour dining window so that everyone gets a seat, and you are welcome to stay longer if no later booking follows. The team will try to honour seating preferences but cannot guarantee specific tables. Tables are held for 20 minutes after the booking time, and the team may call on the day of your booking to confirm it, trying up to five times before releasing the table.

Gift vouchers come in values from €25 to €200, can be combined, and are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. They can be used for food, drinks and live entertainment in Valletta, or at the sister rooftop at The INNSiDE Hotel in St Paul's Bay, where pool days are also available. Our guide to hotels in Qawra and St Paul's Bay covers that part of the island.

Getting there and getting in touch

The rooftop is a few minutes' walk from the heart of the capital. If you are building a Valletta weekend, browse hotels in Valletta or read where to stay in Malta to pick a base, and see our Three Cities guide for the sights across the Grand Harbour.

For a table, a group booking, a private function or a voucher, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.