UpperFood

UpperFood is built on the picture of the old village food shop: a small store where artisan produce came from careful sources and the smell of the place told you what was in season. The name joins the words upper, meaning superior, and food, and the concept is an Italian food market where a customer is invited to sit, take time and enjoy the company rather than rush a shop. It trades from Triq Ta' L-Ibrag in Swieqi, a short drive from St Julian's.

Its tagline, Eccellenze Italiane, tells you what to expect. Products are gathered from cities, towns and especially smaller villages across Italy where traditional methods of making food and wine are still strong. On VisitMalta.co.uk the business sits in our directory of delicatessens in Malta.

Charcuterie, cheese and fresh meat

The charcuterie range runs to two dozen items, among them homemade porchetta, prosciutto crudo, bresaola, speck, truffle mortadella, culaccia, finocchiona and Nebrodi black pork hams. Prices are listed per 100g, for example speck at €2.50 and prosciutto crudo at €3.00, with whole salame at €35.00 a kilo.

Cheese has more than two dozen lines, from Burrata Classica at €6.00 for 250g and buffalo mozzarella at €5.50 to Parmigiano DOP aged 24 months, taleggio with truffle, pecorino with pistachio and goat's cheeses. The meat counter lists around three dozen cuts: Italian sausages at about €9.00 to €9.50 a kilo, ribeye at €28.00 a kilo, fiorentina of dairy calf at €35.00, breaded veal chops and ready-seasoned burgers at €2.50 each.

Pantry, wine and festive hampers

The pantry section lists close to a hundred products. Examples include extra virgin olive oil from Italy in one and five litre sizes, artisan pesto at €7.00, baked Sicilian olives, stuffed peppers, anchovies, mullet bottarga, truffle butter, truffle egg pasta and olive or artichoke and pistachio pâtés. There is also a wide choice of wines and artisan beers, and the shop makes up festive hampers at Christmas.

The idea is simple, honest food from selected suppliers who meet high quality standards, which is the shop's mission. Its philosophy treats food as a lifelong love affair that shapes our moods and habits, which is why customers are encouraged to take their time. If you are staying in a villa or apartment, a board of cured meats, burrata and a bottle of wine from here makes an easy dinner. Our guide to where to stay in Malta compares the main areas, and hotels in Sliema and St Julian's covers the nearby coast.

Home delivery and trade supply

UpperFood runs an online shop where you choose products, add them to a cart and have them delivered to your door. Items are priced by weight or piece, which makes it simple to plan a shop for a group before you arrive. Whether you are a visitor planning a week of self-catering or a chef looking for a dependable Italian supplier, the same shelves and counters serve you. The business also serves the trade: it supplies leading hotels, restaurants, cafés and caterers with Italian foods, wines and artisan beers.

Plenty of other services cluster nearby, among them A4 Services for accounting and AM Language for language lessons, both in our directory.

Planning a visit

The shop is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 7:30pm and on Saturdays from 8:00am to 6:00pm. A visit pairs well with a coastal day: see things to do in Malta and the Malta weather guide. Browsers can also stop at Agenda Bookshop in the same part of the island, and Adventure Cruises Malta offers boat trips if you want a day on the water with a picnic.

To ask the shop a question, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.