Restaurants in Senglea, Malta

Eating out in Senglea (Isla)

Senglea, known in Maltese as L-Isla, is the smallest of the Three Cities and sits on a narrow peninsula in the Grand Harbour, facing Valletta across the water. It is named after Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, and it earned the title Città Invicta, the Unconquered City, because it held out during the Great Siege of 1565.

The town suffered terribly in the Second World War: a Luftwaffe raid on 16 January 1941, aimed at the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, destroyed most of its buildings, including the basilica, which was rebuilt and consecrated in 1957. Today Senglea is a quiet residential town with a handful of waterfront restaurants that look out over yachts, bastions and the Valletta skyline.

The restaurants on this page

Most of the restaurants listed here are on the waterfront. You will find Enchante Restaurant on Triq ix-Xatt Juan B. Azzopardi, serving Mediterranean food, with JuFu Asian Restaurant a few doors along the same quay.

Le Regatta Bistro by the Sea is on Triq ir-Rampa ta' l-Isla and serves Mediterranean dishes, while The Little Bastion mixes international and Mediterranean cooking.

When to go: regatta and festa

Senglea's big day is 8 September. It is the feast of Our Lady's Nativity, one of the town's patrons, and also Victory Day, a public holiday marking the end of the Great Siege of 1565, the French blockade of 1800 and the Second World War siege. The traditional regatta, with rowing races in the Grand Harbour, is held that day, and Senglea is one of the competing clubs with a strong record. Expect crowds and a festive mood along the waterfront.

The town also celebrates Christ the Redeemer on the third Sunday of June. Outside these dates, evenings are quiet and relaxed, and a waterfront table at sunset, with the lights of Valletta coming on across the harbour, is hard to beat.

Getting there and combining it with sights

Boats cross the Grand Harbour between Valletta and the Three Cities, and buses also run from Valletta. Our Senglea guide covers the town in detail, and our Three Cities guide shows how to explore Senglea, Vittoriosa and Cospicua together.

Before dinner, walk to the Gardjola Gardens at the tip of the peninsula. The stone watchtower there is carved with an eye, an ear and a crane, symbols of vigilance, and at noon and 4pm you can watch the cannon fire from the Saluting Battery across the harbour.

Practical tips

Senglea's streets are steep in places, so wear comfortable shoes if you are walking up from the waterfront to the gardens. Parking can be tight, which is another reason to arrive by boat or bus. With only a few restaurants, booking is advisable on weekend evenings and essential around 8 September. Dress is smart casual.

Frequently asked questions