How to eat like a local

Best Eats Malta is all about food. The rich history of the country and the mix of the cultures here created a unique Maltese cuisine. What is more, locals love to eat out. There many great restaurants on the islands and it is a true heaven for foodies! With strong influences of Sicilian, English and Maghrebin (North African cuisine) cuisines everyone will find something that suits their taste. The local delicacies I suggest trying include:

Pastizzi- a flaky pastry, filled with peas or cheese. They can be found in hundreds of kiosks around Malta and Gozo as locals enjoy them at any moment they can;

Gbejna or better known as locally produced cheese. Made from sheep` s milk it is enjoyed either fresh, marinated, or deep-fried with some good quality vinegar sprinkled over the top. It is gorgeous and full of goodness; Ftira. In its simplest form ftira is a semi-flat, disc- shaped bread. In a bit more complex form it is a type of sandwich made with this bread, filled with olives, beans, tuna, salad greens, onions and whatever else is in season or can be preserved. In its most glorious form ftira becomes a mouthwatering pizza-like dish topped with olives, anchovies, onions, capers and thin slices of potatoes.

Try ftira in all its forms and decide yourself which one you like most. Here are some of my beloved ftira places around the islands: Maxokk Bakery in Nadur (Gozo), Emanuel`s bakery in Qormi (Malta) and Ta`Nenu in Valletta (Malta). Once you come back from Malta memories of the country you just visited linger in your mind for a while, till you get back to your normal routine. And then you realize: there is a place where things you do not expect to happen do happen.