Vinomad

Vinomad fills Vault 13 of the Valletta Waterfront, the line of old harbourside stores in Floriana just below the walls of the capital. It comes from the team behind The Brew in Sliema and Ribs House in Naxxar, and its idea is simple: more than 100 wines can be tried by the glass, poured by you from a bank of self-pour machines, with a kitchen built around sharing plates and a charcoal Josper grill to go with them. It suits a long lunch between sights as much as a slow evening of comparing glasses, and our page on restaurants in Floriana lists its neighbours along the quay.

How the self-pour system works

The pouring starts with a Vinomad card. You collect one at the bar and load it with credit, then wander along the machines, which hold reds, whites, rosés and orange wines from many countries. Slot the card into a machine, pick the size of pour you want and the glass fills in front of you. A small taste, a larger measure or a full glass are all possible, so you can line up two grapes or two regions side by side and return to whichever you liked best.

There is no obligation to commit to a whole bottle or to follow a set flight, and nobody hurries you along. If the choice feels overwhelming, the staff are on hand to suggest a starting point. For anyone who enjoys wine but rarely gets to try more than one or two in an evening, it is one of the more unusual ways to spend a few hours in Malta.

A wine list that crosses the world

The list is arranged by country and runs from Argentina, Australia and Austria through Brazil, Canada, Chile, China and Cyprus to Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the United States and Uruguay, with the longest sections given to France and Italy. Each wine shows two prices, one to take away and one to drink in. A Chilean Talamanca Sauvignon Blanc is listed at €11 to take away and €27 to drink in, a South African Spier Pinotage at €13.50 and €30, and a Sauternes from 2009, Château Faut Monteils, at €24 and €42.

Maltese wine has a proper showing. The 1919 Girgentina, made from the island's native white grape, costs €18 to take away and €32 to drink in, and the Gellewza red and a rosé from the same label are priced identically. At the top of the Maltese list sits Grand Maitre 2013 at €90 and €100. Orange wine fans will find a Georgian Qvevri Kisi at €17 and €33.50 and the COS Zibibbo in Pithos 2024 at €32.50 and €52, and there is a Chinese Cabernet from the Helan Mountain range for the genuinely curious. Bottles can also be bought through the online shop on the restaurant's website.

Wine bites, cheese and tostadas

The food is designed to sit alongside a glass. Simple wine bites start with mixed nuts at €4.50 and olives at €5.50, and boards of cheese or charcuterie come in small and large sizes, with the small board at €16. Starters include a Cantabrian anchovy toast with tomato butter and chives at €10, padrón peppers finished with smoked salt at €11, four pulled pork croquettes at €12 and Josper corn ribs at €12. Fried smelt with garlic aioli and lemon costs €14.

A run of tostadas and Mexican plates gives the menu some kick: charred octopus with guacamole, jalapeño and lime at €17, beef with Mexican crema at €14, and a spicy beef tartare version, also €14. Quesadillas and nachos with beef or chicken cost €16 each. Cheese gets its own section, with four kinds of Parmesan served with jam, grilled provoleta with chimichurri, baked camembert with fig jam, walnuts and honey, baked feta with olives or spicy pork sausage, and baked goat's cheese with honey and red pepper, nearly all at €14. A croque monsieur made with beef tartare, Gruyère and kimchi aioli costs €20.

From the Josper grill

The Josper, a charcoal oven that roasts at very high heat, handles the larger plates. Sea bream marinated in ginger and garlic, baked under a vegan mayonnaise crust and finished with chimichurri, costs €26, as do king prawns with garlic and chilli, grilled octopus with roasted potatoes and charred lemon, and a pork chop topped with melted goat's cheese and honey. Pork skewers with red pepper sauce and chicken breast under a garlic cream sauce both cost €24, a whole roasted cauliflower with feta and walnuts is €20, and roasted bone marrow with beef tartare and blue cheese is €28.

Burgers make up the rest of the meat section. The naked burger, with grilled courgette, costs €16, the classic American €17, the cheesy smashed burger €20 and the truffle burger with onion confit and provolone €22. Three salads, a Caesar, a roast beetroot salad with feta and walnuts, and an iceberg wedge with blue cheese and prosciutto, cost €14 each. Children have their own menu, from vegetable sticks at €4 to grilled chicken with fries at €8, sides such as sweet potato fries or roasted vegetables are €4, and the homemade desserts change regularly, so ask what is on that day.

Cocktails, gin and the house beers

Not everyone at the table has to drink wine. The beer menu offers a pilsner, a session IPA, a full IPA and a golden ale, each at €3.75 for a 0.28 litre glass and €6.00 for 0.56 litres, and the Iparol Spritz mixes Aperol and passion fruit with Valletta Beer for €7.00. Classic cocktails such as the Negroni, Mojito and Whisky Sour cost €9, with the Kinnie Fizz, built on Malta's bitter orange soft drink, and the Margarita at €8.

Signature cocktails include the Espresso Martini, a Tikimad of two rums with pineapple, blackberry and mango, and a Don Coco with Don Papa rum, coconut and rosemary, all at €10, while the Wild Agave and a Mezcal Old Fashioned cost €12. Gins are served as 50ml measures with premium tonic included, from Bombay and Tanqueray at €9 to Gin Mare, Hendrick's and Monkey 47 at €10. Spirits and shots start at €3.50.

Tastings, events and private groups

Vinomad marked its grand opening with a party and has filled its calendar since. The October 2026 programme includes Oyster Days on Wednesdays and Sundays, a Beer Day, and evenings devoted to the food and wine of Spain, Canada, Brazil, Chile and Georgia. Guided tastings, masterclasses and food pairings are part of the plan, and the first public tasting dates are due to be announced on the website.

Groups do not need to wait for those dates. Private wine experiences can be arranged for teams, friends or a special occasion, shaped around the group. If you are celebrating with a party, the Valletta guide has ideas for the rest of the day, and our list of Mediterranean restaurants shows other kitchens with a similar focus.

Around the Valletta Waterfront

The Valletta Waterfront, a promenade about 100 metres from the restaurant, is made up of three main buildings: the Pinto Stores on one side, the Forni Stores on the other and a church between them. They began life in the 18th century as warehouses and stores, and their design is usually credited to Andrea Belli. The Grand Harbour, also called the Port of Valletta, lies about 500 metres away; it is a natural harbour that has been reshaped over centuries with docks, wharves and fortifications, and the Three Cities guide covers the towns on its far shore.

About 550 metres away are the Lascaris War Rooms, a network of tunnels and chambers that served as the War Headquarters during the Second World War, later used by NATO and now a museum. The Barrakka Lift, about 600 metres away, was built in 2012 and climbs from Lascaris Wharf to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, replacing an earlier lift that ran from 1905 to 1973.

Hours, booking and finding Vault 13

Vinomad is open every day of the week from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm, and food is served throughout, so a late lunch or an early dinner is never a problem. Book a table through the restaurant's website. Nearby, Bistro 516, Ta' Detta and the Hard Rock Cafe share the same stretch of the waterfront, and our guide to hotels in Valletta covers places to stay a short distance up the hill. To ask about a table, a private tasting or a group booking, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the restaurant.