Contessa, The Phoenicia Malta | Lunch on Valletta’s Doorstep

The Phoenicia Malta is not just a hotel, but a Maltese institution. Located just outside Valletta’s city gates and next to Triton Fountain, the hotel has the advantage of feeling connected to the capital without being absorbed by its busiest and loudest parts.

This is particularly true at lunchtime, when Contessa, the hotel’s landmark restaurant, offers a calm and polished setting for high-quality food. The restaurant occupies part of the hotel’s northern side, with both an indoor dining room and terrace. From here, there are views out across the hotel grounds and towards Gżira beyond.

History, service, food and setting define what is on offer at Contessa. It also shows how The Phoenicia Malta continues to hold its place within the island’s hospitality scene, while still feeling relevant for a modern lunch in Valletta.

Who this Edit is for

Image: Contessa Terrace. © 2026 Palates & Miles

This Edit is for those considering dining at Contessa, either as part of a stay at The Phoenicia Malta or as a restaurant to visit while on the island. It will be particularly useful for those who want to step away from the busier streets of Valletta and enjoy a lunch that feels more considered.

It is also relevant for those using The Phoenicia Malta as a base before or after exploring the city. The restaurant works well between a morning in Valletta and a slower afternoon, or as a calm interlude before returning to the city later in the day.

The standard

Every recommendation in this Edit is assessed against the same five points: service, design, food and drink, atmosphere and value. Value is not about cheap or expensive. It is whether the experience earns the time and price invested.

The hotel’s history

The Phoenicia Malta is central to the story of luxury hospitality on the island. The hotel’s origins sit in the 1930s, when Lady Margaret Strickland had the vision for a grand hotel for Malta. Scottish architect William Binnie was appointed to bring that vision to life, creating an Art Deco hotel in Maltese limestone that would become the country’s first five-star hotel.

The hotel’s path to opening was interrupted by the Second World War. Before the first guests could stay, the unfinished site was taken over by the RAF and later damaged during wartime bombing. The hotel eventually opened in 1947, with Countess Strickland officially opening the property as a symbol of post-war pride.

Its history continued to develop through Malta’s later milestones. Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, danced in the Grand Ballroom as a newlywed in 1949. The hotel was later acquired by Charles Forte in 1966, two years after hosting official celebrations linked to Malta’s independence. The Phoenicia Malta joined The Leading Hotels of the World in 2016 and reopened in 2017 after a major restoration that retained the hotel’s Art Deco character.

The hotel’s main restaurant, formerly The Phoenix, was reimagined as Contessa in 2023 in honour of Countess Strickland. This history is important because it makes Contessa more than just another hotel restaurant with a refreshed dining room. It sits within a property that has long been tied to Malta’s public, social and hospitality life, giving the restaurant a strong sense of both heritage and relevance today..

Setting, arrival and first impression

Image: Table setting at Contessa. © 2026 Palates & Miles

The restaurant is positioned at the back of the hotel’s ground floor, behind the Palm Court Lounge and next to The Club Bar. Contessa is the hotel’s landmark dining option, alongside Beefbar in the City and the poolside Bastion restaurant. Its focus is a Southern Mediterranean menu that works across both lunch and dinner.

The setting on the terrace is polished and modern without needing the formality of white linen tablecloths that are used inside. The conservatory-style covered terrace brings in a significant amount of natural light, which is particularly noticeable in the middle of the day. It is also temperature controlled, which is especially useful during the Maltese summer, when the heat can make a long lunch outside feel less appealing. There is also a full indoor dining room, which benefits more directly from the hotel’s architecture and Art Deco character.

Arrival at The Phoenicia Malta is part of the experience. You first enter through the lobby and then pass the Palm Court Lounge, one of the hotel’s most recognisable spaces. Its scale, shape and sense of occasion immediately move you away from the busier outdoor areas around Valletta’s city gate and into the quieter world of the hotel.

The host checks you in at the entrance to Contessa before showing you through to your table. This adds a level of formality and hospitality before the menu is even presented. The table setting is clean and modern, while the plants, natural light and openness of the conservatory help create a strong first impression for lunch.

P&M note: Arriving a little early to see more of the hotel’s ground floor is recommended. Coffee and other light refreshments are served throughout the day in the Palm Court Lounge, which is also a useful place to pause before or after lunch.

Food and drink

Image: Chicken Salad at Contessa. © 2026 Palates & Miles

Contessa creates an immediate impression with the offer of an aperitif from its dedicated drinks trolley, presented directly at the table. This includes a selection of champagnes, gins and spritzes. It is a small but noticeable touch and immediately elevates the experience, with each drink prepared tableside.

The lunch menu itself is relatively small, but by no means lacking in choice or variety. Starter and sharing options combine Mediterranean and local influences, including burrata and fried local zucchini. Pasta dishes include tagliatelle, linguine and seafood paccheri served for two.

There is also a signature seafood plateau designed to be shared across the table, bringing local catches more prominently into the menu.

Image: Chocolate and banana delice. © 2026 Palates & Miles

The main course options are where the restaurant particularly excels, with dishes including grilled chicken salad, seabass and entrecôte steak. The freshness of the chicken salad stood out on this occasion and the portion size did not disappoint for a salad served as a main course.

Desserts add another sense of occasion. Options include Marsala tiramisu, prepared tableside, and a macaroon with chocolate crémeux. The tableside preparation of the tiramisu continues the sense of theatre established earlier with the drinks trolley.

The wine list is extensive, which is in keeping with a restaurant of Contessa’s standing. What is particularly interesting is the positioning of Maltese wines at the beginning of each section, giving local producers greater prominence and reinforcing the restaurant’s focus on Maltese produce alongside the wider Mediterranean offering.

For lunch, there is enough choice for either a shorter meal or a longer afternoon, depending on your preference. The menu is deliberately flexible to accommodate this, while the trolley service for both aperitifs and tiramisu preparation elevates the experience beyond what many would expect from a lunchtime service.

Service & Atmosphere

Image: Drinks trolly at Contessa. © 2026 Palates & Miles

Service during lunch at Contessa was welcoming from the first seating to the final moment. This is what is expected of The Phoenicia and the team delivered without fail. It is friendly, professional and, most importantly, informative. From ordering local Maltese wine to asking questions about the dishes themselves, the team were more than happy to share their recommendations. These are small details, but they make the biggest difference. They also understood the pace of service required for the afternoon, with no pressure either way between courses.

The atmosphere during lunch is quieter than during dinner, which creates a lighter dining experience. This does not make the space feel empty, as the restaurant is well used throughout. The natural light that floods the terrace, combined with the views over the gardens and wider area, creates a setting that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

The design of the space is equally important. The use of colour and planting helps the terrace feel cohesive with the views outside, while still connecting with the more formal Art Deco interior of the main restaurant. In the latter part of the afternoon, as the light begins to shift, the terrace takes on a different character and gradually fills ahead of dinner service.

Value

Value at Contessa should be assessed on more than just the food and drink alone, as the restaurant offers a clear escape from the busy streets outside and provides a calm and enjoyable space in which to have lunch. There are many restaurants in Valletta that offer good food, but few are able to combine this with a setting as polished as that of Contessa.

As of July 2026, starters range between €16 and €23, pasta dishes between €17 and €26 and main courses between €23 and €39. Shared dishes are priced accordingly, with the Seafood Plateau priced at €170 for the table. Wines and other drinks vary depending on type and provenance.

Dishes can be chosen accordingly depending on whether you want a lighter lunch or a more substantial meal, which gives the menu enough flexibility to suit your requirements.

How to plan a visit

Visiting Contessa for lunch works well as it allows you to combine a quality meal with exploring Valletta and Floriana either before or after. Valletta bus station is conveniently located opposite the hotel, next to Triton Fountain, and offers connections to most parts of the island should you be travelling to or from further afield.

As mentioned previously, the Palm Court Lounge is an excellent spot for coffee either before or after lunch. If you are there into the early evening, The Club Bar is also open for a late afternoon drink. There are therefore several options to extend your visit to the hotel should you wish to.

Dinner is also an option at Contessa, with a more extensive menu offering and a busier atmosphere as the restaurant moves into evening service.

P&M notes

• Whilst reserving a table at Contessa is not strictly necessary, it is highly recommended, especially if you wish to dine on the terrace. This also avoids disappointment if the restaurant is unavailable on your preferred day.

• The dress code is smart casual. If you plan to explore Valletta before or after lunch, bringing a separate pair of shoes to change into may be worthwhile. The terrace is also covered year-round and therefore offers protection from the elements.

• Contessa is worth visiting even if you are not staying at The Phoenicia Malta. Many visitors pass the hotel on their way into Valletta, but the restaurant provides a strong reason to step inside and experience the property for yourself.

Final thoughts

Contessa is a restaurant that allows The Phoenicia Malta to showcase its history, character and position within Maltese hospitality. The restaurant carefully combines Mediterranean and Maltese influences to produce an experience that feels far removed from the busy streets outside.

The success of the experience comes from more than just the quality of the food, with service and atmosphere playing an equally important role. The tableside drinks trolley, Maltese wine selections, terrace setting and polished service all contribute to a lunch that feels considered from start to finish.

For those visiting Valletta, Contessa is worth considering even if you are not staying at the hotel. It provides a strong reason to step inside The Phoenicia Malta and experience one of the island’s most established hotels through its landmark restaurant.

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