Da Pablo Trattoria di Mare

Da Pablo Trattoria di Mare is a seafood and Mediterranean restaurant at 64 Republic Street in Valletta, founded by Pablo Eposito in 2013. It is a place where you can feel love for food, culture and life, and booking ahead is recommended. For anyone planning a Malta holiday around the capital, it is a straightforward option for a fish-led lunch or dinner, and this page sets out what to expect and how to organise a visit.

The restaurant keeps things simple: a story, an address, a booking enquiry form on this page and a gallery of photographs of the food and the dining room. Menus and prices are held on a separate online menu page, so ask when you book. Our Valletta guide covers the wider city if you are building a day around the meal.

The story behind Da Pablo

The restaurant was established in 2013 by Pablo Eposito, and the name on the door follows from that. The trattoria label signals an informal Italian-style eating house, while di Mare means of the sea, which tells you where the kitchen puts its emphasis.

The focus is on seafood, fish and Mediterranean cuisine, in the heart of central Valletta. Fish and Mediterranean cooking are the heart of the concept, and the setting on Republic Street puts the table within easy reach of the capital's main sights.

If you want to understand why a seafood restaurant sits naturally in this part of Malta, our things to do in Malta page gives a sense of how closely island life is tied to the water.

What the restaurant serves

Da Pablo serves seafood, fish and Mediterranean cuisine. A gallery of photographs of the food and the restaurant shows the style of the plates, and it is worth browsing before you arrive.

The menu sits on its own online menu page, separate from the homepage, and menus change, so ask what the kitchen has that day if you would like to eat fish that is not on the printed list. If budget matters, ask the price of the fish dishes and any daily specials when you send your enquiry.

Look at the photographs and the menu page to choose your dishes, and use your booking enquiry to ask about anything that catches your eye.

Dietary questions

The enquiry form on this page takes your question and sends it to Da Pablo via VisitMalta.co.uk. It is a useful route for visitors with allergies or particular needs, because you can ask before you travel instead of discovering a problem at the table.

If you are coeliac, avoid shellfish, eat vegetarian or follow another diet, send an enquiry in advance and keep the reply with you. Explain your requirements when you book, so the staff can confirm what the kitchen can do for you.

Booking and how to enquire

Booking is recommended. The address is 64 Republic Street, Valletta, Malta. Send an enquiry through the form on this page and it goes to Da Pablo via VisitMalta.co.uk, whether you are booking or asking about dietary needs.

When you send your enquiry, it helps to include the date, the time you would like, the number in your party and any dietary needs. Malta is on the same clock as most of Europe, one hour ahead of the UK for most of the year, so allow for that when you choose a table time.

If you are still choosing where to base yourself, our guide to hotels in Valletta lists places to stay in the city itself, which makes an evening meal on Republic Street an easy walk back.

Opening hours and when to go

Da Pablo is open from 12:00 to 22:30 every day of the week, which allows either a lunch or a dinner booking. Hours can shift around public holidays and in the quieter winter months, so check the hours in your booking enquiry.

Timing matters in Malta. Summer evenings are busy and warm, while the cooler months are easier for a long lunch. Our Malta weather guide explains what to expect month by month, and it is worth reading before you decide whether to book a midday or an evening table.

Planning a Valletta trip around the meal

A booking at Da Pablo works well as one fixed point in a day of sightseeing. Decide on lunch or dinner first, then build the rest of the day around it, leaving time for the walk and for the possibility that the table is ready a little early or late.

If you have not yet arranged flights, see our guide to flights to Malta, and if you are weighing the whole island, where to stay in Malta compares the main bases. Visitors looking for a package can also browse Malta holiday deals. For other tables in the capital, our page on restaurants in Valletta lists more places to eat.