ROSSOPOMODORO

Rossopomodoro brings Neapolitan pizza to Malta from a group that first opened in Naples in 1998 and now runs around 100 pizzerias in Italy and further afield. On the island it has three addresses, and this page covers the Sliema branch at The Point shopping mall on Tigné Point. The others are at Shoreline Mall and in Mriehel. For more places to eat in the town, see our round-up of restaurants in Sliema.

A slice of Naples

The group calls itself the biggest chain of Neapolitan pizzerias anywhere, staffed by around 3,000 people, 400 of them pizza makers and chefs. Its approach rests on three ideas: cooks trained in the Neapolitan school, top-quality ingredients and long-standing suppliers. The motto, "like a day in Naples", shapes the rooms as much as the food, with majolica, murals and scenes of the city worked into the decor.

Tomatoes give the brand its name, and the kitchen works with more than ten varieties chosen through the seasons. The pizza dough uses a flour blend developed with the Neapolitan mill Mulino Caputo, is left to mature for at least 24 hours and is made to be light and easy to digest. Toppings lean on whole peeled Italian tomatoes crushed fresh every day with basil, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO brought over from Italy, and Penisola Sorrentina PDO olive oil added raw at the end.

Pizza, three ways

The pizza list is split into traditional, seasonal and Padellino Croccante, a newer pan-baked style that stays soft in the middle and crisp at the edges. Among the traditional pies are a plain Margherita and one made with San Marzano tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, Le tre Margherite with three versions on one base, a Capricciosa with ham, mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke chips and olives, and a Puttanesca with two kinds of datterini tomato, anchovies, capers and olives. There is also a Diavola with spicy salami and 'nduja, a cheese pizza that finishes five cheeses with spicy honey and citrus almonds, and a Parma ham pizza with rocket and Grana Padano. Extra toppings of meat, fish, vegetables or cheese can be added, and a gluten-free base is offered for traditional and seasonal pizzas, though it is not safe for coeliacs because the kitchen cannot rule out cross contamination.

Starters, pasta and puddings

Before the pizza come Neapolitan small plates: aubergine parmigiana with smoked provola, beef meatballs in tomato sauce with sweet green peppers, a burrata caprese, a caponata dip, a trio of bruschette, and calamari and prawns fried with courgettes and served with lime mayonnaise. The fritto misto napoletano is a basket of rice arancino, potato crocchè, pasta frittatina and montanara.

The pasta section includes gnocchi Nerano with courgette and smoked provolone, a Neapolitan beef ragù with egg tagliatelle, a rigatoni carbonara with guanciale and pecorino, paccheri with yellow tomatoes and 'nduja, and spaghettone with prawns and aubergine. Any pasta can be made into a main portion. To finish, there is tiramisù, Calda Calda (a pizza doughnut with Nutella), a chocolate and almond Caprese cake, a coconut pannacotta and gelato, with espresso, cappuccino and flat white from the bar.

Forts of Tigné Point

The mall stands on ground once given over almost entirely to defence. Fort Tigné, about 250 metres away, was put up by the Order of Saint John between 1793 and 1795 to guard the mouth of Marsamxett Harbour, and it counts among the oldest polygonal forts anywhere. The British reworked it in the 19th century and the army stayed until 1979; restored early this century, it has sat on Malta's tentative UNESCO list since 1998.

The British added more guns nearby. Garden Battery, about 100 metres away, dates from 1889 to 1894 and lies between Fort Tigné and Cambridge Battery, about 200 metres away, a Victorian battery often called Fort Cambridge that once held an Armstrong 100-ton gun.

Sliema and the harbour

Tigné Point itself, about 200 metres away, is the tip of the peninsula, once called Punta di Santa Maria and also known as Dragut Point. Its forts and barracks lay derelict for years before the redevelopment of the early 21st century, and the old St Luke's Garrison Chapel, about 100 metres away, a former Anglican church of the Tigné Barracks, now holds offices, and the Knights' Lembi Battery of 1757, about 250 metres away, has long since been demolished.

Beyond the point, Sliema is Malta's most densely populated town and, with the coast towards St Julian's, its main resort, known for its seafront promenade and rocky beaches. Across the water, Fort Manoel on Manoel Island is about 700 metres away. Our guide to hotels in Sliema covers places to stay nearby, and our Valletta guide helps plan time in the capital across Marsamxett Harbour.

Hours and booking

The Sliema branch opens from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm. Let the staff know about any allergy or intolerance before you order. Our list of things to do in Malta and our advice on where to stay in Malta help fill the rest of a stay. To ask about a table or a group booking, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the restaurant.