The popularity of vegan and vegetarian food is increasing, and the restaurants are catching up. With new advancements in lab-grown foods, such as cantaloupe burgers, plant-based restaurants are increasing in popularity.
Although most restaurants have a vegetarian option or two on the menu, a good variety of vegan and vegetarian options are hard to come by in Malta. The restaurants in this guide are not just examples of vegan & vegetarian eateries, but they are also great restaurants with no sacrifices to life’s indulgences for vegan lifestyles.
Naar RestoBar Malta
Functioning as both a full dining experience and entertainment venue, this restobar has it all.
As the name suggests, Naar Restobar brings entertainment, dining and music together in a great setting with Balluta Bay as backdrop.
Being next to the sea you can take a swim whenever you feel like, and if salt water is not your thing they also have a fresh water pool. Their ‘wet area’ caters for your dining and bar needs to make a successful day or evening even better.
Their upper terrace is designed with the view in mind. Here you can have the gourmet dining experience without all the formalities. In case the weather does not permit enjoying the outdoors, there is also plenty of seating indoors.
Naar Malta sets out to make sure a vegan & vegetarian lifestyle does not include making sacrifices. They have a solid vegan menu, including vegan English breakfast, burgers and pizza’s. They don’t focus on meat imitation, but rather putting vegetables in the centre of their dishes. If you can’t find something you like, even items on their regular menu can be “veganized”. For example, their risotto can be ordered dairy free with a 100% vegan cream substitute.
The vegan menu consists furthermore of various pasta’s, curries, platters, snacks and delicious desserts including a soy based ice-cream.
If you haven't been to NAAR yet, you should definitely give it a try - this is a truly beyond ordinary dining experience.
For more information about their menu and updated events, keep an eye on their website: http://naarmalta.com/ and facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NaarMalta/
Balance Bowl
This vegan & vegetarian eatery, run by a trio, have put all their love and creativity into their dishes.
One of their core beliefs is that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring, and with their extensive menu you will always find something different delicious and healthy.
Everything you eat is homemade and they make sure to source anything they can from local farmers. Balance Bowl are proud to support local farming businesses with the benefit of using ultra fresh ingredients. Some of their homemade items are fermented yogurt, cheese, pesto, humus and a vegan mayonnaise. Each dish also consists of ingredients to make your meal nutritionally balanced.
You can enjoy all their food in a café-like atmosphere or enjoy the hang-out area upstairs. Surf the internet, read, study or meet some friends for a healthy meal. You can find Balance Bowl in Triq Ix-Xatt, Gzira and soon you can get their vegan dishes delivered straight to your door too!
Head to their website and view their mouth-watering menu here: https://balance-bowl.com/.
U & CO Social Café
If you are looking for something different, U&CO offers a revolutionary modern café experience. Guest experiences are at the centre in this high street social coffee place in Pendergardens, St. Julians.
It’s a great place for food and wine lovers to meet and ties well in with their philosophy of mingling in person without all our social gadgets.
Their exciting and fresh take on food also extends to their separate vegan menu. They offer a variety of dishes from breakfast, snacks, pasta, burgers and desserts. Their pulled pork ‘not pork’ burger is one-of-a-kind made of oyster mushrooms, sitting on a whole meal bun.
Another dish to try is their quinoa salad, with seasonal leaves, feta cheese, grilled zukkini, cherry tomatoes, black olives, beetroot, sunflower seeds and chickpeas topped with a tahini dressing!
To accompany your meal, or by its own, their artisan coffee, wines, tempting cocktails and craft beers will provide you with some unique and memorable experiences.
They are open from 08:00 onwards so there is always time for an authentic breakfast, coffee or dinner. You can find the selection of dishes on their website: http://enjoyuandco.com. Enjoy your stay!
The Grassy Hopper
Starting off as a mobile vegetarian kiosk in Ta’ Xbiex, The Grassy Hopper’s success has since brought their vegetarian and vegan dishes to Valletta, and their latest cafeteria outlet established in Gzira to provide eat in facilities.
Their food is 100% vegetarian and mostly vegan.
They use fresh local and seasonal ingredients from organic or pesticide free farmers. Their commitment to healthy living also extends beyond their dishes with the use of eco-friendly packaging.
To accompany your breakfast, lunch or dinner, The Grassy Hoppers’ famous drinks and smoothies pack a real nutritional punch! They have a variety of smoothies, fresh juices and ‘power drinks’ with the focus on high in nutrients, fibre and protein.
Yasmin, the founder of The Grassy Hopper, has been on a mission since the opening of the food trailer to improve people’s health through lifestyle changes. To strengthen this, the Grassy Hopper will from the 20th October only be open 4 evenings a week, and instead introducing 2 special concept dinners and 2 vegetarian bistro evenings.
For more information you can visit their website here: http://www.thegrassyhopper.com/.
