Ta' Vestru

Ta' Vestru faces St Joseph Square, Pjazza San Ġużepp, at the centre of Qala, the village at the eastern tip of Gozo. It is a family business and has been part of village life for a long time, drawing Gozitans and holidaymakers alike with unfussy cooking and the pleasure of eating in one of the island's prettiest squares. Our guide to restaurants in Qala rounds up the other tables in the village.

A family restaurant on the square

The family behind Ta' Vestru aims for an easy, unhurried mood rather than ceremony. Its gallery splits into three themes, the venue, the food and the drinks, which gives a fair idea of how the evening runs: dinner first, perhaps a cocktail or a nightcap after. Whether you come as a couple, with children in tow or simply for a drink and a pudding outside on the square, the welcome is meant to stay warm from the first plate to the last. D-Bar, on the same square, is another stop for a drink nearby.

What is on the menu

The cooking pulls together three strands: Mediterranean, Italian and Gozitan. In practice that means a broad menu with pizza and pasta, fresh fish and other seafood, meat dishes and salads, plus specials that follow the seasons. It is the sort of list where each person at the table can order something different. Prices are not given in the website text, so ask at the table. For more places to eat across the island, see our list of restaurants in Gozo. Pizza and pasta make a dependable choice for a lighter meal, while the fish, seafood and meat plates suit a longer, more leisurely dinner.

Coast and salt pans below Qala

Qala is one of Gozo's smaller communities, home to 2,352 people in July 2024. The land falls away from the village towards the sea, and the best-known spot down there is Ħondoq ir-Rummien, about 1.3 km away. Its name translates as the Pomegranate Moat; the shore is lined with old salt pans, a few of which are still worked in summer, and its little cove draws snorkellers to the deep, clear water and the caves at sea level. A small white sand beach shelters behind a promontory, and Comino lies across the channel.

Off the south coast, about 1.9 km away, Ħalfa Rock is a protected limestone islet of roughly 0.48 hectares with a rare coastal flora, including the endemic Maltese pyramidal orchid. On the point, about 2.2 km away, St Anthony's Battery went up under the Knights in 1731 and 1732 and is one of only two batteries left on Gozo; locals call it It-Trunċiera.

Towards Nadur and Għajnsielem

Neighbouring Nadur is close. Its Basilica of St Peter and St Paul, about 1.5 km away, is the village's parish church and a minor basilica. North of it, about 1.7 km away, Daħlet Qorrot is a small rocky bay with boathouses cut into soft, fossil-rich limestone; it takes its name from the ship Qorrot, which sheltered there from a storm in the 19th century. Isopu Tower, about 2.2 km away on the cliffs above, was the last watchtower built in Malta apart from the 18th-century tour-reduits. In the other direction, also about 2.2 km away, the neo-gothic parish church of Our Lady of Loreto stands in Għajnsielem. Our Gozo guide and the list of hotels in Gozo help with the rest of a stay.

Booking and getting in touch

Ta' Vestru does not publish its opening hours on its website, so reserve before setting out, particularly if you are coming over from Malta for the evening or hoping for a table outside. Tables are booked through the Reserve Table link on the site, and a contact form takes other questions. If you would rather, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the restaurant.