Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe Malta Valletta occupies one of the old stone vaults lining the Valletta Waterfront, the Grand Harbour quay beside the cruise terminal. It opened on 1 April 2006 and seats 150, and it does what the brand has always done: steak burgers, ribs and big cocktails served under walls of music memorabilia, with a Rock Shop selling Hard Rock clothing and collectibles. For a fuller picture of the dining scene around the waterfront, see our guide to restaurants in Floriana.

A vault on the Grand Harbour quay

The Valletta Waterfront dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. It was wrecked during the Second World War and rebuilt in 2003, and today it serves as a cultural focus for the city as well as the landing point for ships calling at the cruise terminal. The cafe sits in the middle of this row of restored harbour stores, which makes it an easy stop before or after a day exploring the capital above; our Valletta guide covers the streets and sights at the top of the hill.

Inside, the photos show a long, vaulted room with circular pendant lights, patterned floors and a Rock Shop counter near the entrance, with T-shirts, caps and hoodies on display. After eating, guests are free to wander and take in the collection of music memorabilia from rock legends. Live music is put on here on selected days, and there is a second Hard Rock Rock Shop up in the city on Republic Street for anyone who wants the souvenirs without the meal.

Legendary steak burgers and smashed stacks

Burgers are the heart of the menu, and every one comes on a toasted artisan bun with seasoned fries. The Original Legendary, the burger the brand started with, layers a steak patty with smoked bacon, Cheddar, an onion ring, lettuce and tomato for €16.95. The BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger adds a spice rub, barbecue sauce and shoestring onions for €17.95, and The Big Cheeseburger, with a double layer of Cheddar and grilled onions, is the cheapest of the steak burgers at €14.95.

Two choices stand out for visitors. The Local Legendary, at €16.95, brings a Maltese twist, topping the patty with local sausage, capers, olives, sundried tomatoes and peppery Pepato cheese. The Surf and Turf Burger crowns the steak patty with the spicy Bangkok shrimp on a spicy slaw for €19.95, and the plant-based Moving Mountains burger costs €17.95. The Messi Burger, created with the footballer Leo Messi, stacks two beef patties with provolone, chorizo and caramelised red onion for €16.95.

The smashed and stacked range pairs two thin patties cooked to medium-well: the Classic with American cheese and pickles and the Swiss Mushroom are both €14.95, and the Spicy Diablo with Pepper Jack and chipotle onions is €15.95. Extras include smoked bacon at €2.90, an onion ring upgrade at €4.95 and dips for fries at €1.50, and any burger can switch to a gluten-free bun for €2.00. If you are comparing burger spots across the island, our page of American restaurants in Malta lists the alternatives.

Starters, sharing plates and happy hour

The starter list is built for sharing over drinks. Legendary Nachos, the vegetarian pile of tortilla chips, black beans, queso, jalapeños and two cheeses, cost €15.95, or €8.95 for a half portion, with guacamole €1.00, chicken €2.00, pulled pork €4.00 or steak €5.00 extra. Little Legends, three mini burgers with pork belly and dijonnaise, are €17.95, and three fried chicken sliders with jalapeño slaw and spicy honey are €14.95. Loaded tots topped with pulled pork and beer cheese cost €13.50, the One Night in Bangkok spicy shrimp €12.95 and the southwest spring rolls €11.95. Slow-roasted wings are €12.95 and the crispy Bodacious Buffalo wings €13.95, each tossed in a sauce of your choice.

Happy hour is the reason many people arrive mid-afternoon. Every day from 3pm to 7pm, every cocktail and beer is two for the price of one, and the starters are half price too. The offer does not apply on public holidays.

Ribs, steaks, fajitas and lighter plates

Among the speciality mains, the baby back ribs are rubbed with the house spice blend, glazed with barbecue sauce and served with fries, coleslaw and smokehouse beans for €25.95, or €19.95 for a half rack. The Smokehouse BBQ Combo puts ribs and pulled pork on one plate for €25.95, and a 300g ribeye with herb butter costs €29.90, with the spicy shrimp added for €4.90 if you want it surf and turf. Grilled Norwegian salmon with a sweet and spicy mustard glaze is €23.90, and the lemon and herb grilled chicken breast with mushrooms is €18.95.

Fajitas arrive with pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and warm tortillas: chicken costs €22.90, steak €28.90, a mix of both €26.95 and the vegetable version €20.90. Smaller appetites are covered by Tupelo chicken tenders at €13.90 and Twisted Mac, Chicken and Cheese at €14.95. Sandwiches, all with fries, run from the fried chicken sandwich at €12.95 to the BBQ pulled pork or grilled chicken with bacon at €14.95. For salads, the Southwestern chicken bowl costs €13.90, the grilled chicken Caesar €14.90, the salmon noodle bowl €16.90 and the steak Cobb €23.95. Sides cost €3.95 to €8.95, the top price being for the golden onion ring tower.

Cocktails, Maltese beer and wine

Drinks get as much attention as the food. The Hurricane, a rum punch first mixed in 1940s New Orleans and the signature cocktail of the chain, costs €9.90, or €19.90 served in a collectible glass to keep. The mojito, passion fruit mai tai, Bahama Mama and the Rhythm and Rosé Mule served in a mule mug are all €9.90. The classics range from a Cosmopolitan, whiskey sour or Manhattan at €8.90 to a dirty martini or a Hendrick's gin and tonic at €11.90, with the smoked old fashioned and espresso martini at €10.90. The Ultimate Long Island Iced Tea costs €13.35.

Beer drinkers can stay local. Cisk Lager and Cisk Excel on draught cost €3.75 for the smaller measure and €5.75 for the larger, or €34.90 for a tower, and the Farsons India Pale Ale and Double Red strong ale come by the bottle at €6.50. Alcohol-free cocktails such as the strawberry basil lemonade and mango tango are €6.90, shots are €7.50 and a bottle of Drappier Carte d'Or champagne is €80.00. After a drink, the Upper Barrakka Gardens above the harbour make a good place to take in the view of the Three Cities across the water.

Desserts, children and dietary needs

Desserts are unashamedly American. The hot fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream and the New York cheesecake with strawberry sauce cost €12.90 each, and the apple cobbler is €9.50. A thick diner-style milkshake is €5.95, ice cream €3.90 for a small scoop or €5.90 for a large, and a locally made strawberry sorbet €3.50.

Children aged 10 and under can order the Hard Rock kids meal, which includes a main, a side, a drink and a collectible Captain Messi toy while stocks last, with choices such as cheese or pepperoni pizza, chicken tenders, a bacon cheeseburger and Messi's Burger. A separate gluten-free menu covers dishes made without gluten, among them the Classic Burger on a gluten-free bun at €16.95 and the baby back ribs at €25.95, though the kitchen shares cooking areas and fryer oil. Menu items are marked for gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, and the staff hold allergy information for every dish.

Along Pinto Wharf and into Floriana

The waterfront itself, about 100 metres away, is a promenade of three main buildings: the Pinto Stores on one side, the Forni Stores on the other and a church between them. They began life as 18th-century warehouses, and their design is credited to Andrea Belli. Floriana, the fortified town behind the quay, grew up outside Valletta's walls after the Floriana Lines were begun in 1636; named after their engineer, Pietro Paolo Floriani, they still ring the capital's outer defences, with a stretch about 550 metres away.

The Lascaris War Rooms, about 550 metres away, are a network of tunnels that served as the island's war headquarters in the Second World War and later as a NATO base, and are now a museum. The Barrakka Lift, also about 550 metres away, carries visitors from Lascaris Wharf up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Near City Gate, the Malta Memorial, about 500 metres away, honours 2,298 Commonwealth aircrew with no known grave; Queen Elizabeth II unveiled its 15 metre column and gilded eagle on 3 May 1954. The Baroque Lion Fountain of 1728 stands in St Anne Square, about 350 metres away.

Hours, getting there and booking

The bar opens at 9:30 am every day and closes at 11:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday and at 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen runs from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm, extended to 11:00 pm at the weekend, and the Rock Shop inside the cafe trades from 9:00 am. From the airport and other towns, take a bus into Valletta, walk down Crucifix Hill, then turn right and follow the wharf. Drivers should follow signs for Valletta and then the harbour, where there is both private and public parking.

Combining a meal here with sightseeing is easy: St John's Co-Cathedral and the stories in our Knights of Malta guide are up in the city, and our list of hotels in Valletta helps if you want to stay close by. The cafe takes table reservations online, handles private parties through its group sales team, and delivers through Wolt and Bolt. To ask about a table, a celebration or anything else, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the restaurant.